Minnesota Zephyr

The Minnesota Zephyr is a heritage railroad operating out of Stillwater, Minnesota. It operates as a dinner train and serves a five-course, white linen dinner on a six-mile route, traveling between four and seven miles per hour. Power is provided by an EMD FP7 locomotive. The rolling stock consists of five restored dining cars. The train travels along the St. Croix River bluffs, then turns westward and follows a stream. The trip lasts about three and a half hours.

On September 18, 2008, owner David Paradeau stated that the train would cease operation at the end of the year, becoming a stationary restaurant serving dinner along with the adjacent Stillwater Grill. Paradeau cited the desire to retire, as well as a downturn in business and a $1.6 million loss within the last two years. Paradeau had hoped to sell the railroad right of way to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to be converted to a rail trail that would connect Stillwater to the Gateway State Trail system. That deal did not materialize, however, so Paradeau is planning to sell the land piecemeal to adjoining landowners. The train has had close to a million riders during the last 23 years. The rail line it is on was previously owned by the Burlington Northern Railroad. The line originated from White Bear Lake. The last Burlington Northern freight train to operate on it was in 1982. It was the first Railroad line to be built into Stillwater. Construction of the line made it to near where the current Railroad bridge is a few days before Christmas of 1870. The following spring the rest of the line was finished into downtown Stillwater. Stillwater eventually was served by three Railroads. The Minnesota Transportation Museum operated a steam powered excursion train on this line in the late 80s until a bunch of whining crybabies started to complain to the Stillwater City council. One parent who obviously has mental problems stated that the steam engine they operated scarred her children. In the summer of 2005 the Stillwater City council forced the abandonment of the Railroad tracks from just south of the Minnesota Zepher through downtown Stillwater because it had not been used in 10 years. The Minnesota Zephyr line no longer has a rail connection to the outside world. The dinner train is for sale. The depot building is for sale.

On September 10th 2010 the Minnesota DNR expressed renewed interest in and laid out plans for the Minnesota Zephyr

The Minnesota Zephyr idling at its depot just north of downtown Stillwater