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Westminster Junction Tunnel #1

Ramsey County, Minnesota

Photos 

Photo taken by Michael Hicks

License: Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY)

View this photo on Flickr

BH Photo #237238

Map 

Description 

Westminster Junction is a busy railroad interchange point, sending trains towards Minneapolis, Eau Claire and La Crosse. The 2 level interchange serves BNSF, Canadian Pacific and Union Pacific. A standard wye makes up the top level, and a BNSF double track mainline splits making up the lower level. The Great Northern and Chicago Northwestern interchanged on top, and the Northern Pacific and Soo line below. All four railroads could interchange with each other here.

The four tunnels of the congested railroad corridor located at Westminster were built between 1885 and 1909. There was a fifth, the Soo Line tunnel, which has since been filled.

Facts 

Overview
Stone arch bridge over BNSF Railway on Westminster Jct. North Wye Track
Location
St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota
Status
Open to traffic
History
Built 1888
Railroads
- BNSF Railway (BNSF)
- Canadian Pacific Railway (CP)
- Chicago & North Western Railway (CNW)
- Great Northern Railway (GN)
- Northern Pacific Railway (NP)
- Soo Line Railroad (SOO)
- Twin Cities Western Railroad (TCWR)
- Union Pacific Railroad (UP)
Design
Stone arch
Dimensions
Total length: 45.0 ft.
Deck width: 70.0 ft.
Approximate latitude, longitude
+44.96303, -93.08645   (decimal degrees)
44°57'47" N, 93°05'11" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
15/493181/4978847 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Saint Paul East
Inventory number
BH 53121 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

19th Century (8,784)
Arch (12,688)
BNSF Railway (1,591)
Built 1888 (245)
Built during 1880s (2,237)
Canadian Pacific Railway (581)
Chicago & North Western Railway (1,452)
Deck arch (11,923)
Great Northern Railway (396)
Minnesota (1,654)
Northern Pacific Railway (456)
 Open (41,016)
Owned by railroad (13,602)
Railroad (16,559)
Ramsey County, Minnesota (79)
Soo Line Railroad (322)
St. Paul, Minnesota (61)
Stone arch (3,298)
Total length 25-50 feet (11,563)
Twin Cities Western Railroad (32)
Union Pacific Railroad (2,481)

Update Log 

  • July 18, 2017: New photos from John Marvig
  • November 28, 2013: New photos from John Marvig
  • August 26, 2012: Updated by John Marvig: Added information
  • August 10, 2012: Updated by Luke Harden: Added category "Railroad"

Sources 

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Comments 

Westminster Junction Tunnel #1
Posted June 29, 2021, by Jim Cox (jcox321 [at] hotmail [dot] com)

Hello Mr. Marvig,

Tapped the button on your web page this morning, to help find the tunnel view point per your Google Maps button. I did find the supposed correct spot. In the parking area behind a building, adjacent to the RR tracks that pass through the tunnel. The short walk is now 100% blocked by a new looking fence. Mission failure. I do enjoy your passion for posting such detail for RR track tunnels