Are you looking for some fun and historical events to attend this spring? If so, and if you like trains, the 20th Annual Randolph Railroad Days is coming to town! Located at the Randolph High School & Museum at 29110 Davisson Avenue in Randolph, you will find all things trains! March 28th from 9 am to 3 pm and March 29th from 10 am to 2 pm, there will be a lot going on. There will be a swap meet of collectables, model trains, antique toys, books and magazines. The Museum will be open with many new railroad artifacts, and its enhanced G scale Train! There will be large scale train layouts and displays, and of course a concession stand. Admission for adults is $7.00, and children 10 and under are free with a paying adult. A bit of railroad history to get you better informed follows.
The Hiawathaland region of southeastern Minnesota holds a rich and enduring railroad heritage. From high-speed streamlined passenger trains to hardworking regional freight lines, rail service shaped the economy, culture, and identity of this Mississippi River Bluff Country landscape. At the heart of this legacy was the famed Twin Cities Hiawatha, one of America’s most celebrated passenger trains.
“Hiawathaland” refers to a 12-county area in southeastern Minnesota: Goodhue, Wabasha, Winona, Houston, Rice, Dodge, Olmsted, Fillmore, Waseca, Steele, Freeborn, and Mower counties. Nestled along the Mississippi River Valley, the region’s rolling bluffs and fertile farmland made rail transportation essential to its growth. Agricultural transport as well as passenger cars were vital to the growth and stability of the country.
Beginning in the late 19th century, several major railroads established routes through the region. Chief among them was the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad, commonly known as the Milwaukee Road. Another key player was the Chicago Great Western Railway (CGW), which operated important regional lines connecting agricultural communities to larger markets.
These railroads provided more than transportation. They linked small towns to urban centers, moved grain and livestock to national markets, delivered manufactured goods, and carried passengers across the Upper Midwest. Rail lines became economic lifelines, shaping settlement patterns and fostering industrial growth throughout the Hiawatha Valley.
Introduced in 1935, the Twin Cities Hiawatha quickly became the pride of the Milwaukee Road. Running between Chicago and Minneapolis–St. Paul, the train began official service on May 29, 1935. It soon earned national attention as one of the fastest scheduled passenger trains in the United States, averaging speeds that exceeded 100 miles per hour in certain segments.
Powered initially by specially designed Atlantic-type 4-4-2 steam locomotives, the Hiawatha featured striking two-tone orange and gray paint schemes and innovative passenger amenities. Its distinctive Beaver Tail parlor-observation cars—and later the dramatic Sky Top lounge-observation cars—offered sweeping panoramic views, blending luxury with modern design.
The train’s popularity led to expanded service, including the Morning Hiawatha, Afternoon Hiawatha, Midwest Hiawatha, and eventually the long-distance Olympian Hiawatha. Over time, streamlined diesel locomotives such as EMD’s E6 and E9 units replaced steam power, but the Hiawatha name remained synonymous with speed, comfort, and Midwestern innovation.
Although private passenger rail declined in the mid-20th century, the Hiawatha legacy continues today through regional passenger services operated by Amtrak, preserving at least part of the original corridor’s spirit.
Beyond the famous passenger trains, southeastern Minnesota’s rail heritage includes countless branch lines, depots, river crossings, and junctions that once bustled with activity. In an effort to preserve the local southeastern Minnesota area's history, train buffs in this area and beyond have been actively bringing history to life by building replicas of different train routes to scale with corresponding trains of the eras in which they served.
Rail historians and enthusiasts alike have documented these remnants through video archives, field explorations, and preservation efforts. Former Chicago Great Western routes at Zumbrota Junction, segments of the Milwaukee Road’s River Division, abandoned trestles, and historic signage remain tangible reminders of the region’s rail-centered past.
Museums, local historical societies, and model railroad exhibits help preserve artifacts and stories tied to these lines. In many cases, former rail corridors have been converted into recreational trails, allowing residents and visitors to walk or cycle along routes once traveled by freight and passenger trains. The famed Douglas Trail is one of the rail line turned bike and walking paths observed in this area.
Railroads were instrumental in shaping Hiawathaland’s economy. They enabled efficient agricultural shipping, supported industrial development, and connected rural communities to national markets. Passenger service fostered tourism and mobility, while freight operations sustained local businesses.
The Twin Cities Hiawatha stands as a symbol of the golden age of streamlined rail travel—an era defined by speed, technological progress, and design innovation. At the same time, the region’s lesser-known branch lines reflect the everyday importance of rail transportation in small-town America.
Today, preserved depots, converted rail trails, and historical archives maintain a tangible connection to southeastern Minnesota’s railroad heritage. The tracks may be fewer, but the legacy of Hiawathaland’s railroads continues to run deep through the Bluff Country landscape.
So, if this sounds like an outing not to be missed, come on over to the show, and enjoy going back in history to learn all about trains!
