Elroy-Sparta cutoff; Milwaukee passengers connected at Madison. This experiment proved short-lived: the train reverted to its original route through Milwaukee on June 26, 1938. The Dakota 400 followed much the same route to Chicago, save that it was rerouted westward back to the route through Beloit, Wisconsin Janesville and Madison. Its original western terminus was Huron, South Dakota. North of Elroy, the northbound train took the Elroy-Sparta cutoff while the southbound train stopped at Wyeville. Through coach service to Rapid City, South Dakota began on April 27, 1952; this service began carrying the "Dakota 400" name in October 1955, effectively extending the train to Rapid City. The Rochester 400 operated between Mankato and Chicago; east of Mankato its routing was unchanged from the Dakota 400. Principal stops In late 1951, these were the principal stops on the Dakota 400: Chicago (Chicago & North Western Terminal) Janesville Madison (Chicago & North Western Station) Elroy Sparta Winona, Minnesota Rochester Mankato Brookings, South Dakota Huron (At Huron, the sleeping car would be carried directly onto the connecting #515 from Huron to Rapid City; eastbound, the connecting #534 performed the same function from Rapid City to Huron.) Pierre Rapid City Notes References Passenger trains of the Chicago and North Western Railway Named passenger trains of the United States Passenger rail transportation in Illinois Passenger rail transportation in Wisconsin Passenger rail transportation in Minnesota Passenger rail transportation in South Dakota Railway services introduced in 1936 Railway services discontinued in 1963