Transportation | Page 28

Black and white photograph of the bicentennial kick-off celebration featuring Lieutenant Governor Rudy Perpich at End-o-Line Railroad Park, July 1976.

Bicentennial celebration at End-o-Line Railroad Park

Bicentennial kick-off celebration featuring Lieutenant Governor Rudy Perpich at End-o-Line Railroad Park, July 1976. Used courtesy of the End-o-Line Railroad Park and Museum.

The restored turntable

The restored Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha turntable, 1975. Used courtesy of the End-o-Line Railroad Park and Museum.

Color image of Poco-a-Poco 4-H Club members restoring the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha turntable, 1972.

Poco-a-Poco 4-H Club members restoring the turntable

Poco-a-Poco 4-H Club members restoring the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha turntable, 1972. Used courtesy of the End-o-Line Railroad Park and Museum.

Turntable before restoration

The Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha turntable before restoration, 1972. Used courtesy of the End-o-Line Railroad Park and Museum.

Black and white photograph of en turning a diesel locomotive on the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha turntable, ca. 1950s or 1960s.

Turning a locomotive

Men turning a diesel locomotive on the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha turntable, ca. 1950s or 1960s. Used courtesy of the Murray County Historical Museum.

Postcard of the turntable

Postcard of the turntable, depot, engine house, and Grand Trunk Western caboose at End-o-Line Railroad Park and Museum, ca. 1980. Used courtesy of the Murray County Historical Museum.

Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Turntable

In August 1900, rail service to the community of Currie began with the completion of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha branch line from Bingham Lake. A hand-operated turntable was built the following year, expanded in 1922, and used until the advent of diesel locomotives in the 1950s. In 1972, a local 4-H club restored the historic turntable and preserved Currie’s railroad heritage through the creation of the End-O-Line Railroad Park & Museum.

William Crooks locomotive

Steam locomotive used to power Minnesota's first passenger line for the St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. Named in honor of William Crooks, the St. Paul and Pacific's chief engineer. Though the original William Crooks was nearly destroyed by fire in 1868, a rebuilt version went on to provide personal service for James J. Hill and appear at events publicizing Hill's Great Northern Railway.