Northern Transcon - Subdivisions

Subdivisions

The Northern Transcon is divided into many subdivisions. From east to west, these include:

• Chicago Subdivision (Chicago, IL to Aurora, IL)
• Aurora Subdivision (Aurora, IL to La Crosse, WI)
• St. Croix Subdivision (La Crosse, WI to near Hastings, MN)
• Joint Canadian Pacific-BNSF lines in St. Paul
• Midway/St. Paul Subdivisions (St. Paul, MN to Minneapolis, MN)
• Staples Subdivision (Minneapolis, MN to Dilworth, MN)
• KO Subdivision (Dilworth, MN to Minot, ND)
• Glasgow Subdivision (Minot, ND to Glasgow, MT)
• Milk River Subdivision (Glasgow, MT to Havre, MT)
• Hi Line Subdivision (Havre, MT to Whitefish, MT)
• Kootenai River Subdivision (Whitefish, MT to Spokane, WA)

To the west of Spokane, WA (at Latah Jct, as of June 1973 to the present day) the line splits into two main routes, one utilizing mostly the old Great Northern Railway route directly to Seattle, WA, and the other utilizing mainly the former Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway route, but also a large section of the former Northern Pacific Railway route, to Portland, OR via Pasco and Vancouver, WA then north to Seattle.

Expedited transcon traffic is generally routed via the direct Seattle route, and slow bulk freight traffic is generally routed via the Portland-Seattle route (through Vancouver, WA). The Portland route to Seattle is mostly water level with a 1.15% maximum grade near Marshall, WA and also a 0.95% maximum grade in the Napavine, WA area. The direct Seattle route traverses the Cascade Range at the Cascade Tunnel (Scenic and Berne, WA) with its 2.2% ruling grades in the vicinity of the tunnel.

Direct Seattle route:

• Spokane Subdivision (Spokane, WA)
• Columbia River Subdivision (Spokane, WA to Wenatchee, WA)
• Scenic Subdivision (Wenatchee, WA to Seattle, WA)

Portland-Seattle route:

• Spokane Subdivision (Spokane, WA)
• Lakeside Subdivision (Spokane, WA to Pasco, WA)
• Fallbridge Subdivision (Pasco, WA to Portland, OR)
• Seattle Subdivision (Vancouver, WA to Seattle, WA)

The former Northern Pacific Railway route via Stampede Pass through Pasco, WA and Auburn, WA to Tacoma, WA has had a checkered history and since 1996 has been a third route to the coast. It currently (2010) is sparely used, but still in service.

Stampede Pass line:

• Yakima Valley Subdivision (Pasco, WA to Yakima, WA)
• Stampede Subdivision (Yakima, WA to Auburn, WA)