Case Study #2

Dakota, Minnesota, and Eastern Railroad

The Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern (DM&E) is the first significant new railroad being built in the United States in over 80 years. It intends to lay 260 miles of new track from Wyoming's Powder River Basin to connect to existing rail lines in South Dakota, and then rebuild track across South Dakota and Minnesota. It has also acquired other connecting lines.

Think about the following questions as you read the material for this case:

• Why is it being built?
• Why is this the first new railroad in 80 years?
• Why haven't other railroads been built over this period?
• What are the obstacles to construction?
• What are the issues?
• What regulatory hurdles needed to be accomplished?
• Who are the players?
• What are their (the various players) aims?

Read the following 14 part series "Coal Train Coming" from the Rochester, MN Post Bulletin

http://www.postbulletin.com/dmeproject/index.stm (note this site uses javascript)

Then read the following 5 part series "Tracking the Plains" from Minnesota Public Radio

http://news.mpr.org/features/200203/11_mainstreet_dme-m/

Then visit some related links:

http://www.dmerail.com/OVERVIEW.htm

http://www.dmerail.com/dmegreeting.htm

Alliance for Rail Competition

http://www.railcompetition.org/library/media/19981211.htm

And especially see the proponents and opponents section of this page:
http://news.mpr.org/features/200203/11_mainstreet_dme-m/resources.shtml