Reporting mark PGR Founded 1996 | Dates of operation 1996– Date of operation 1996 | |
 | ||
Track gauge 4 ft 8 ⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Website Progressive Rail, Inc.
Progressive Rail Specialized Logistics Headquarters Lakeville, Minnesota, United States Locale Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri | ||
Progressive Rail Inc. (reporting mark PGR) is a shortline railroad operating several separate branches including the Airlake Terminal Railway. The branches are listed as follows:
Progressive Rail also acquired the Wisconsin Northern Division in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin and operates as a separately-named division. They also own the Central Midland Railway in Missouri, the Iowa Traction Company in Iowa, and the Crab Orchard and Egyptian Railroad in Illinois. Progressive Rail is also known as the Cannon Valley Railroad (reporting mark CVRC).
History
Headquartered in Lakeville, Minnesota (a southern suburb of Minneapolis-St. Paul), Progressive Rail, Inc. was established in 1996 to initially serve the Airlake Industrial Park. In 2001, they leased the former Minneapolis, Northfield and Southern Railway "High Line" in Bloomington and Richfield and started restoring trackage. The company's philosophy has been to provide service that a large railway chooses not to provide. They have also focused on economic development, including finding new customers, and working on regaining former rail customers along their lines. This strategy has paid off in an increase in traffic, from 600 carloads in their first year of operation to more than 5000 carloads in 2003.
Major commodities include:
Progressive Rail, Inc. also operates wholly owned subsidiary Progressive Rail Specialized Logistics, which provides rail logistics services for machinery and over-dimensional freight shippers.