Minnesota Commercial Railway

What Minnesota Commercial Railway does

Minnesota Commercial Railway (MNNR) is a privately held short line railroad headquartered at 508 Cleveland Ave N in St. Paul, Minnesota, providing B2B rail logistics services across the Minneapolis-St. Paul (Twin Cities) metropolitan area. The company operates as a regional freight rail operator serving industrial and commercial customers, with daily rail service and interline connections to all four Class I carriers serving the Twin Cities (BNSF, Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Canadian National, and Union Pacific).

MNNR's core service portfolio spans Distribution Services (warehouse and reload facilities totaling 2.5 million square feet of floor space), Bulk Services for unpackaged dry commodities such as salt and feed, a multi-carrier Car Tracing system providing real-time railcar position and condition tracking, Flagging Requests for rail-adjacent safety coordination, public Team Tracks for project and seasonal commodities, plus formalized Demurrage Tariff and Fuel Surcharge programs. Named customers and partners include Commercial Transload of MN, Citi Cargo, Wells Fargo (food/agriculture), International Feed, Northern Salt, and TCW, spanning logistics, food/agriculture, agriculture/feed, and industrial/municipal segments.

The business operates on a transaction-fee revenue model, charging per-car fees for line haul services, crosstown and intermediate switching, demurrage on railcars held beyond free time, fuel surcharges indexed to U.S. EIA No. 2 Diesel retail prices (e.g., $74 per originated/terminated line haul car and $37 per intermediate switch car effective August 2026), and supplementary service fees for team track usage and flagging. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales via direct relationships, industry referrals, and a regional presence in Minnesota commercial rail. The leadership team comprises 14 named executives including Co-President/COO Wayne Hall and Co-President/CFO Mike Lebakken (also IIJA Grant Administrator), with separate Chief Mechanical Officers for Locomotives, Cars, and Equipment, a Chief Maintenance of Way Officer, and a Chief Signal Officer, signaling operational depth across mechanical, safety, and signaling functions.

Name

Minnesota Commercial Railway

Legal name

Minnesota Commercial Railway

Website

https://mnnr.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Minnesota Commercial Railway (MNNR) is a privately held short line railroad in the Twin Cities providing B2B rail logistics — distribution, bulk commodity transport, warehouse/reload, car tracing, and flagging — with daily interline connections to all four Class I carriers serving industrial and commercial customers in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Short Line Rail Freight Services

NAICS

Short Line Railroads (482112), Support Activities for Rail Transportation (4882)

SIC

Railroad Switching & Terminal Establishments (4013), Railroads, Line-Haul Operating (4011)

akta.pro primary industry

Rail Terminal Switching, Shunting & Yard Locomotive Services (TLAJAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rail Bulk Commodities Forwarding (Grain, Minerals, Coal, Chemicals) (TLACADAI), Unit Train & Dedicated Contract Rail Services (TLADACAK)

Keywords

• Short line railroad
• Rail freight transportation
• Warehouse reload services
• Bulk commodity logistics
• Railcar tracking services

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Rail Freight Transportation Services: Core rail logistics services including distribution, bulk commodity transportation, and warehouse/reload facilities. Revenue generated from line haul services, switching operations, and railcar management.
2. Demurrage Charges: Fees applied when cargo remains in the railway's possession beyond the agreed-upon free time for loading or unloading. These fees incentivize efficient use of railcars and ensure timely turnover.
3. Fuel Surcharge: Dynamic fuel surcharge based on U.S. No. 2 Diesel Retail Sales prices. Applied per car based on type of service: $74.00 for originated/terminated line haul or crosstown switch cars; $37.00 for intermediate switch cars or cars to leased tracks.
4. Team Track Services: Public team track locations for special projects and seasonal commodity handling. Revenue from providing flexible unloading and handling facilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Minnesota Commercial Railway is a short line railroad providing regional rail freight services, warehouse and reload facilities, bulk commodity transportation, railcar tracking, flagging services, and team track access in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The company operates 2.5 million square feet of warehouse and reload floor space with daily connections to all major Twin Cities Class I rail carriers (BNSF, Canadian Pacific, Canadian National, Union Pacific), serving industrial and commercial customers requiring rail logistics, warehousing, and distribution services.

Product overview

Minnesota Commercial Railway (MNNR) is a short line railroad providing rail logistics services in the Twin Cities region. The company operates a suite of interconnected services: Distribution Services with 2.5 million square feet of warehouse and reload facilities; Bulk Services for unpackaged commodities like salt and feed; Car Tracing for real-time railcar tracking; Flagging Requests for safety coordination; Team Tracks for public unloading; plus Demurrage Tariff and Fuel Surcharge programs. Daily rail service is provided to all facilities with connections to major Twin Cities carriers including BNSF, Canadian Pacific, Canadian National, and Union Pacific.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Distribution Services Rail distribution services featuring warehouse and reload facilities with 2.5 million square feet of floor space, daily rail service, and connections to all Twin Cities rail carriers. Designed for industrial and commercial businesses requiring rail logistics, warehousing, and distribution services in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area.
• Bulk Services Transportation of large quantities of unpackaged bulk commodities including dry bulk such as salt and feed, emphasizing safety, reliability, and environmental sustainability. Serves bulk commodity shippers in the Twin Cities region.
• Car Tracing Real-time or near-real-time tracking system providing position, movement, and condition information about railcars through connections with major carriers including BNSF, Canadian Pacific, Canadian National, Union Pacific, and TCW. Serves customers requiring visibility across multiple Class I networks.
• Flagging Requests Safety flagging services for maintenance and construction activities along railway lines, using standardized signals and protocols coordinated with train crews. Used by contractors and maintenance crews working on or near MNNR rail lines.
• Team Tracks Public team track locations for special projects and seasonal commodity needs, providing flexible unloading and handling capabilities. Serves project-based rail users with temporary unloading requirements without permanent infrastructure investment.
• Demurrage Tariff Demurrage charge management for cargo remaining beyond agreed free time for loading or unloading, incentivizing efficient railcar utilization. Published as Tariff 1 with amendments; specific rates available in the MNNR Demurrage Program and Rates PDF.
• Fuel Surcharge Program Transparent fuel fees based on U.S. No. 2 Diesel Retail Sales prices, with surcharges of $74.00 for originated/terminated line haul cars and $37.00 for intermediate switch cars, effective August 1st, 2026. Indexed to U.S. Department of Energy EIA Retail On-Highway Diesel Prices.

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Commercial Transload of MNcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWarehouse and reload partner offering 2.5 million square feet of collective floor space. Provides daily rail service and connections to all Twin Cities rail carriers.
• Citi CargocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWarehouse and logistics partner providing reload services as part of MNNR's comprehensive warehouse network.
• Wells FargocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinancial institution partner utilizing warehouse and reload services for food/agriculture commodity handling.
• International FeedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBulk commodity shipper for feed products. MNNR provides efficient and cost-effective transportation of large quantities of unpackaged feed goods.
• Northern SaltcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustrial/municipal salt supplier utilizing bulk transportation services for de-icing and industrial salt products.
• BNSF RailwayflagshipTechnology or IntegrationClass I railroad connection providing extended rail network access. MNNR facilitates car tracing for shipments enroute to or from BNSF.
• Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC)flagshipTechnology or IntegrationClass I railroad connection providing cross-border rail network access to Canada. MNNR facilitates car tracing for shipments enroute to or from CPKC.
• Canadian National RailwayflagshipTechnology or IntegrationClass I railroad connection providing cross-border rail network access to Canada. MNNR facilitates car tracing for shipments enroute to or from CN.
• Union PacificflagshipTechnology or IntegrationClass I railroad connection providing extended rail network access across the western United States. MNNR facilitates car tracing for shipments enroute to or from UP.
• TCW (Transportation Corridor Brokers)coreTechnology or IntegrationRail logistics partner. MNNR facilitates car tracing for shipments enroute to or from TCW.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• BNSF Railway: Class I railroad and key MNNR interchange partner with daily Twin Cities service. While not a competitor for short haul traffic, BNSF is the most relevant incumbent benchmark for network reach, customer relationships, and the dominant counterparty shaping MNNR's economics.
• R.J. Corman Railroad Group: Diversified rail services company operating short line railroads and providing switching, transload, and rail-related services across multiple U.S. regions — closely comparable end-to-end rail services profile.
• Watco Companies: One of the largest North American short line holding companies, providing rail transportation, switching, transload, and warehousing services comparable to MNNR's full-stack offering, but at materially greater scale.
• Anacostia Rail Holdings: Short line railroad holding company operating multiple regional railroads with industrial switching and Class I interchange — directly comparable business model to MNNR at parent-company level.
• Genesee & Wyoming Inc. Large short line and regional railroad holding company (now GATX/owned by Brookfield Infrastructure) operating dozens of North American short lines with industrial switching and Class I interchange — provides benchmark business model and scale reference for MNNR.
• GATX Corporation: Major railcar lessor and rail-services provider with fleet management and switching-adjacent services. Adjacent rail industry participant providing perspective on equipment economics relevant to short line operators like MNNR.

Direct peers

• Twin Cities & Western Railroad: Regional short line railroad operating in the Minneapolis-St. Paul / Twin Cities region with similar industrial shipper base and Class I interchange relationships. Direct regional competitor and named logistics partner (MNNR traces cars for TCW).
• Progressive Rail: Short line operator serving Minnesota and the Upper Midwest with industrial switching, transload, and Class I interchange services — directly comparable business model, customer base, and service mix to MNNR.

Regional players

• Wisconsin Central Ltd. Regional railroad in Wisconsin and Upper Midwest, now part of CN's network. Comparable short line-era operations in similar geographies with Class I interchange and bulk commodity exposure.
• Iowa Interstate Railroad: Regional Class II/III railroad connecting Iowa, Illinois, and Nebraska with Class I interchange. Comparable short line operator with similar commodity mix (agriculture, bulk) and institutional customer base, but with a different geographic footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Minnesota Commercial Railway