Looking on Google Maps I found what looks to be a old rail line that is not shown in my SPV Dakotas and Minnesota Railroad Atlas. The line seems to start in Newport off of CP and BNSF's main line and heads due North through Maplewood, over a purpose built looking causeway, across UP's Altoona Sub., through N. St. Paul, north to White Bear Lake, although it seems to end straight on the shore of White Bear Lake. On the South End it suddenly takes a turns and heads west towards the Mississippi. Could have Rock Island wanted to get part of the White Bear Lake tourist trade and planned to build a line from their connection to CP/BNSF's main line off of the Rock Island Tole Bridge.
This is the link-check it out.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 8&t=h&z=16

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Taylor P.
Lake Elmo, MN
Route of the "400"

my train pictures.

Perhaps it is just an error? They have a few of them on google maps when it comes to tracks.

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Will
CP Superior, WI

could be a pipeline. they clear the brush and tree directly over them.

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A BNSF fan by default.

Other than branching off at Newport that sounds like the original Skally. The Rock did go straight west from Newport over the river.

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Not that I have any real idea but there was a trolly line that ran around White Bear Lake and through Mahtamedi in the late 1800's to service the huge tourist trade of the time, perhaps it was an off shoot of that.

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MyPhoto's
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I think the pipeline idea is the best because the Skally ran a bit west of here. And the clearing fits too well with the landscape for it to be an error. Thanks.

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Taylor P.
Lake Elmo, MN
Route of the "400"

my train pictures.