Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/ICC valuations/Duluth and Iron Range Railroad

Interstate Commerce Commission, Valuation Reports, Volume 31

Duluth and Iron Range Railroad

Location and General Description of Property

The railroad of The Duluth and Iron Range Rail Road Company, herein called the carrier, is a standard-gage, steam railroad, located entirely within the State of Minnesota. Its main line extends from Duluth in a general northerly direction to Winton. The main line is single track except between Two Harbors and Allen Junction, which is double track. There is also a small amount of third main track at Two Harbors. There are six important branch lines, of which those extending from Waldo to Rollins, from Robinson to Burntside Lake, from Wales to Whyte, and from Mesaba to Dunka River are single track and those extending from Allen Junction to Virginia and from McKinley to Eveleth are double track.

The carrier wholly owns and uses 272.899 miles of first main track, 72.460 miles of second and other main track, and 200.324 miles of yard tracks and sidings. Its road thus embraces 545.683 miles of all tracks owned.

Introductory

The carrier is a corporation of the State of Minnesota, having its principal office at Duluth, Minn. It is controlled through ownership of its entire outstanding capital stock by the Minnesota Iron Company, a subsidiary company of the United States Steel Corporation. The carrier does not control any common-carrier corporation.

The property of this company was operated by its own organization from the respective dates that sections of its road were acquired, until December 31, 1917. On January 1, 1918, its common-carrier property was taken over for operation by the United States Railroad Administration, which operated it on date of valuation.

Corporate History

The carrier was incorporated December 21, 1874, under the general laws of the State of Minnesota, for a period of 50 years, for the stated purpose of building and operating a railroad "from the city of Duluth to the northeast corner of township sixty (60) north of range twelve (12) on the Missabee iron range."

Development of Fixed Physical Property

The owned mileage of the carrier amounting to 272.899 miles, was all acquired by construction, as follows:

	Mileage
Duluth to Two Harbors, 1886.	25
Two Harbors to Tower Junction, 1883-4.	70
Tower Junction to Winton, 1888.	24
Tower Junction to Tower, 1886.	1
Allen Junction to McKinley, 1892.	18
McKinley to Virginia, 1893.	6
McKinley to Eveleth, 1895.	9
Waldo to Rollins, 1898.	15
Mesaba to Spring Mine, 1907.	5
Spring Mine to Dunka River, 1910.	16
Eveleth to Webster, 1910.	4
Robinson to Burntside Lake, 1913.	3
Wales to Whyte, 1918.	19
Branches and spurs to mines.	58
Total.	273
Difference between total recorded mileage and mileage inventoried as of date of valuation.	0.101
Mileage inventoried as of date of valuation.	272.899

The records reviewed indicate that the property was constructed under contracts with respect to the grading, and was completed by the carrier's own forces.

Leased Railway Property

The carrier had, on December 31, 1917, certain arrangements with other companies, covering the joint use by either of road or other facilities of the other. The description of the properties, the periods and terms of use, and the rentals accrued under these arrangements and charged or credited to income for the year ended December 31, 1917, are as follows:

	Rentals
Solely owned, but jointly used, used with Duluth, Missabe and Northern Railway Company:
Depot at Pettit, Minn.	$60.00
Jointly used but not owned; owned by—
Northern Pacific Railway Company—
Tracks, 0.80 mile, in Duluth, Minn.; 10 years from Sept. 1, 1917; rental $476.50 per month for 66 trains per week over tracks in both directions; additional trains $165 each, one direction.	8,937.18
Duluth, Missabe and Northern Railway Company—
Tracks, 10.06 miles, at Eveleth, Minn.; agreement not written; annual rental equals 6 per cent on agreed valuation of $152,461.63. The carrier maintains the tracks during the ore season.	9,147.70
Tracks, 6.51 miles and terminal yard at Biwabik, Minn.; agreement not written; annual rental, 6 per cent on agreed valuation of $83,361.78.	5,001.71
Tracks and depot at Sparta, Minn.; terms of joint use not ascertained.	161.00
Duluth Union Depot and Transfer Company—
Union Depot and 0.30 mile of track at Duluth, Minn.; for indefinite period from Aug. 1, 1892; rental based on 5 per cent on valuation of $300,000 capital stock and $300,000 first-mortgage bonds; maintenance and operation on basis of cars in and out.	4,670.45
Solely used but not owned, owned by Union Towing and Wrecking Company:
One tugboat, “Mississippi,” used at Two Harbors, Minn.; lease arrangement and rental paid for its use, not obtained. (In the Fall of 1919 it was returned to the owning company and its use discontinued).	......