Ellis & Eastern currently operates in the Sioux Falls area and is owned Sweetman Construction Co., primarily transporting aggregate products for Concrete Materials. The ex-C&NW lines were purchased by Sweetman in the late 1980s and reopened in 1989. The railroad operates from Brandon, S.D., through downtown Sioux Falls to Ellis, S.D. It also has trackage rights over BNSF from Sioux Falls to Corson, S.D., to serve the Concrete Minerals plant there.
Ellis & Eastern has filed another notice with the STB to acquire and operate approximately 7.6 miles of track between Manley and Brandon, S.D., from E&ER Co. According to Ellis, the line is in poor repair and in need of rehabilitation, and has not been operated since at least 1994, when E&ER acquired it. The ex-C&NW line would connect Ellis & Eastern with the Minnesota Southern line.
Both transactions are expected to be complete in June.
There is a lot of work to do, for sure.
What’s interesting is, if you look at the line on Google Earth, it actually stops before Ellis . . . and thus doesn’t serve agricultural places there.
I agree with Brian. I thought initially this might be another of Ed Ellis’ ventures.
Bring back the Worthington & Dakota name!
That’s great that efforts are being made to connect the two lines.