▁owned ▁by ▁the ▁Northern ▁Pacific ▁Railway . ▁ ▁The ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁F ert ile ▁Sub div ision ▁sold ▁to ▁the ▁Minnesota ▁Northern ▁Rail road ▁was ▁once ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Northern ▁Pacific ▁Railway ’ s ▁ ▁main line ▁from ▁Haw ley , ▁Minnesota ▁to ▁W inn ip eg , ▁Man it oba . ▁Though ▁the ▁line ▁was ▁an ▁important ▁route ▁for ▁passenger ▁and ▁fre ight ▁trains ▁to ▁and ▁from ▁W inn ip eg ▁in ▁its ▁he yd ay , ▁currently ▁only ▁a ▁few ▁port ions ▁have ▁been ▁sp ared ▁from ▁abandon ment . ▁ ▁A ▁segment ▁of ▁the ▁abandoned ▁grade ▁between ▁Cro ok ston , ▁Minnesota ▁in ▁the ▁north ▁and ▁U len , ▁Minnesota ▁in ▁the ▁south ▁has ▁been ▁converted ▁to ▁a ▁multi - use ▁trail ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Ag ass iz ▁Rec re ational ▁Tra il ▁ ▁O wn ership ▁of ▁the ▁Minnesota ▁Northern ▁Rail road ▁was ▁turned ▁over ▁from ▁Rail America ▁to ▁K B N ▁In cor por ated ▁and ▁Independent ▁Lo comot ive ▁Service ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁Both ▁companies ▁are ▁based ▁in ▁Minnesota ▁and ▁also ▁co - own ▁two ▁other ▁short ▁line ▁rail ro ads : ▁the ▁St . ▁Cro ix ▁Valley ▁Rail road ▁in ▁eastern ▁Minnesota ▁and ▁the ▁Dak ota ▁Northern ▁Rail road ▁in ▁eastern ▁North ▁Dak ota . ▁ ▁Lo comot ive ▁and ▁Fre ight ▁Car ▁Fle et ▁ ▁Minnesota ▁Northern ▁Rail road ▁co - owner ▁Independent ▁Lo comot ive ▁Service ▁supplies ▁the ▁rail road ▁with ▁a ▁fleet ▁of ▁various ▁locomot ives ,