For Wegner, one of the most interesting moments of the railroad’s meeting with the state lawmakers was when an official from a Canadian company talked about the potential for a major tire recycling project in Redwood County if the rail line is upgraded.

Wegner remembers when, six years ago, people promoted an upgrade of the railroad by citing hopes of economic development to the rural counties along the route. With the line operating, albeit at half-speed or less, the economic development has come and it’s promising to come faster if the railroad can keep up.

“That’s a fundamental shift and a good one,” Wegner said.

Julie Rath, the administrator of the rail authority, said the economic benefits of an improved Prairie Line could extend well into Nicollet County and other places within 30 miles of the track. Shippers are looking for opportunities to use rail to move their product.

“But it’s got to be dependable before they’ll be willing to ship on it,” Rath said.

Beyond being a sound investment in rural Minnesota’s economy, plugging taxpayer dollars into the Prairie Line could be a money saver in the long term, proponents of the railroad say. By getting all those trucks off the roads, highway maintenance costs will be reduced.

And officials from the railroad and the rail authority promised that once the track is modernized, they will take care of the rest. Redwood County Commissioner Gene Short, the vice chairman of the rail authority, said the railroad will not need taxpayer help to cover operating costs or future maintenance of the new track.

“It’s not going to be like an Amtrak where we keep coming back every two or three years for more money,” Short said.