Editor’s Note: A version of this story appeared as an opinion column in the Duluth News Tribune on March 9, 2026

“There are those that look at things the way they are and ask, ‘Why?’ I dream of things that never were and ask, ‘Why not?’” This quote from Irish playwright and political activist George Bernard Shaw was popularized by Robert F. Kennedy during his 1968 presidential campaign.

In August 2019, White Earth Nation member and Anishinaabe activist Winona LaDuke offered a suggestion in a column for Forum Communications: “How about an electric train, Duluth? You could be the leader in the next economy. Driving is highly overrated. … An electric train would be quiet, a lot quieter than what they’ve got going in Duluth for sure.”

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I would add to her wise words that, despite having higher initial infrastructure costs to build because of overhead lines and electric substations, electric locomotives usually cost 20% less than diesel locomotives, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute. They offer superior performance and efficiency over diesel, featuring over 90% energy efficiency, higher acceleration and hauling power, lower operating costs (25%-35% less maintenance and costing up to 50% less to run) and zero tailpipe emissions. Electric locomotives don’t carry the weight of 3,000 to 5,500 gallons of diesel fuel. They surpass diesel locomotives while pulling urban and commuter trains, as well as pulling heavier freight trains because of their ability to be quieter with steady and high torque.

In addition, I’m sure Minnesota Power would be happy to sell electric power, created by renewable resources, to power an electric train in Duluth.

Inspired by LaDuke’s sensible words, I started researching electrically powered railways in Minnesota. A few weeks ago, I found a website describing the Arrow Line Railway marker sign on the Sunrise Loop trail in Wild River State Park, about an hour and 50 minutes south of Duluth. The marker sign tells visitors, “If the dreams of the promoters of the Arrow Line Railway had come true, trains would be crossing the St. Croix River into Wisconsin at this spot. Forty feet above your head, a steel bridge would have carried a double-tracked, electrically-powered railway on the shortest route between the Twin Cities and the Twin Ports of Duluth-Superior.”

The Historical Marker Database website further explains, “Construction by the Twin Cities & Lake Superior Railway Company took place in 1907-1909. Forty miles of roadbed were built from the edge of the Twin Cities to this spot, and thirteen miles of grade were built near the Duluth end of the line. But, no rails were ever installed and no trains ever ran.”

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Promoters proclaimed the Arrow Line Railway was designed to travel passengers and freight from the Twin Cities to the Twin Ports and return in about two hours. They made this prediction using the electric-locomotive technology and the structural engineering that was available in the early 1900s. Just imagine how much faster that travel time could be using the electric-locomotive technology and the structural engineering available in the 2020s.

George Bernard Shaw also said, “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”

More than 100 years ago, this dream died when the line’s strongest promoter, L.N. Loomis, president of the Twin Cities & Lake Superior Railway Company, died unexpectedly. His death, however, does not mean his worthwhile dream has to be gone forever.

Throughout the U.S., state departments of transportation build and own railroad lines. Imagine if the Minnesota Department of Transportation and Wisconsin Department of Transportation built this groundbreaking (in more ways than one) Arrow Line Railway. It would become one of the most useful state-supported Amtrak rail corridors.
“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them,” Walt Disney said.

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Construction-project dreams can be abandoned and then years or decades later be brought back to life. One of many examples is New York City’s Second Avenue Subway that was first proposed in 1920. It was then partly constructed between 1972 and 1975, before being canceled because of a fiscal crisis. The first phase opened in 2017. The second phase has started planning, design, environmental studies, and utility relocation. If the electric Second Avenue Subway had 97 years between first proposals to completion of the first phase, then our electric Arrow Line Railway can also be brought back to life.

Midwesterners should stop asking why business-building go-getters of the past couldn’t complete the line. Instead, we should have the courage to ask how we present-day people can now complete it.

LaDuke and other promoters of sustainable transportation realize the dream of an electric railway between Minneapolis and Duluth. They are aware of the numerous benefits it could bring to current and future generations of citizens. Let’s help them revive the Arrow Line Railway as soon as possible.

LaDuke asked, “How about an electric train, Duluth?” Our answer should be, “Yes.”

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Allina Health and Sacramento-based Sutter Health have signed a letter of intent for Allina to join Sutter, creating a combined nonprofit health system serving Minnesota, western Wisconsin, and northern and central California, the two organizations announced Tuesday.

Under the agreement, Allina Health would become the Upper Midwest Division of Sutter Health, keeping the Allina name, brand and regional headquarters in Minneapolis. Sutter would maintain its headquarters in Northern California. Lisa Shannon would remain president and CEO of Allina, and Warner Thomas would lead the combined system as president and CEO of Sutter.

A more than $2 billion investment in Minnesota and western Wisconsin will be used to establish new ambulatory care locations and expand specialty institutes, and accelerate physician and clinician recruitment, among other things, according to the announcement.

The new health system would have a combined 18,000 physicians and 88,000 employees serving over 5 million patients across three states. The system would include 39 hospitals and more than 400 primary and specialty care sites.

“As one nationally leading, locally committed nonprofit health system, we will be uniquely positioned to be at the forefront of innovation, building upon the expertise of our physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses and team members to chart a new path for healthcare,” Shannon said in the news release announcing the agreement.

Allina has had operating losses over the past four years, The Minnesota Star Tribune reported, noting the Sutter deal is similar to an acquisition but Sutter is not paying for its controlling interest.

“Healthcare organizations across the country are facing complex challenges and a rapidly evolving landscape,” Thomas said in the news release. “As trusted nonprofit health systems, we have a responsibility to fundamentally transform care for patients and communities across the country.”

Executives told the Tribune that Allina patients shouldn’t see near-term charges in their doctors, services or insurance coverage.

Allina and Sutter anticipate closing on the agreement by the end of 2026, pending regulatory approval.

Cynthia Young was waiting for the bus at East Franklin and Chicago, mulling over rent prices in her mind on Monday, when she spoke to 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS.

“A lot of people can’t make a certain rent and rent’s going higher and higher,” she says. “You’ve still got to pay bills on top of that, like water, trash, and sewage in most apartments.”

Young, who works as a personal care assistant, says paying $1100 a month for a one-bedroom apartment in the city was just too much.

Addressing affordable housing gaps in Twin Cities suburbs

A short time ago, she moved to Bloomington.

She’s not alone.

A new Harvard University report found rents in Minneapolis have risen 2.6% since February of last year.

The study says a record number of renters are “cost-burdened,” paying more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities.

“It’s kind of this persistent, perpetual shortage of affordable housing,” notes Dan Hylton, research manager for Housing Link, a Minneapolis non-profit that provides resources and housing for low to moderate-income families.

He says that with the lack of housing, there’s little incentive for landlords to lower rents.

An economic tug-of-war, where both renters and landlords are feeling the pinch.

“Financially, it just doesn’t work from a developer or landlord perspective, with the market rates are what they are,” Hylton says. “It’s just unaffordable to people at lower levels of income, so in those instances, folks have to look for subsidized housing or living in housing that’s not affordable and finding creative solutions, like doubling up and so on.”

In Hennepin County, the numbers are even higher.

“We have 60,000-plus households that are spending more than 50% of their income towards housing,” explains Will Lehman, the Area Manager for Housing Stability at Hennepin County. “Which means they’re one crisis away from falling behind on rent.”

The county has two programs to help, Lehman says: no-cost legal representation for low-income tenants in Housing Court, and rental assistance, with a per-household cap of $10,000 or ten months of rental arrears.

He notes the county has prevented more than 9000 evictions since 2023 through the provision of $35 million in emergency rent assistance and no-cost legal representation.

Lehman also says the county has committed nearly $10 million in discretionary funding for emergency rent assistance in 2026.

“Oftentimes, legal representation is a critical resource for a tenant facing eviction,” he notes. “But ultimately, what is needed is cash to allow that household to catch up on rent and afford a settlement at Housing Court.”

A new housing bill, recently passed in the U.S. Senate, aims to ease regulations and give developers incentives to build.

But critics say rent and home prices could eventually go up — and that again, could affect the amount of affordable housing in the city.  

“It’s really about economics,” Lehman says. “90% of evictions in Hennepin County are due to non-payment of rent. It’s a result of households struggling to make ends meet.”