State starts process to sell or lease Napa-Platte railroad - Keloland
State starts process to sell or lease Napa-Platte railroad
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — The railroad line that state government owns between Napa and Platte in southeastern South Dakota is officially now up for sale.
The South Dakota Department of Transportation made the announcement on Monday.
The department is willing to sell or lease the entire 80.8 miles or lease the 20.9-mile segment between Napa and Tyndall.
Dakota Southern previously leased the Napa-Tyndall piece but the South Dakota Railroad Board terminated the lease in July.
The remainder of the segment is rail-banked between Tyndall and Platte.
The east-west line connects at Napa with a north-south route owned by Burlington Northern Santa Fe.
Napa-Tyndall segment is subject to approval by the South Dakota Railroad Board and the consent of the governor.
The invitation for proposals can be found on the SDDOT website.
Key future dates in the process are:
- Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025: Line tour schedule announced by addendum
- Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, 10 a.m. CT: Deadline for proposer questions via Q&A forum
- Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, 10 a.m. CT: Proposal submission deadline
- Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026: Railroad Board will review proposals in open session
If a satisfactory proposal is received, the board can enter negotiations with the preferred proposer.
The announcement notes that all proposals must be submitted electronically through the South Dakota Electronic Bidding System (SDEBS) in pdf format.
Questions about the electronic bidding process may be directed to Becky Hoffman, who is SDDOT’s bid letting engineer at 605-773-8386 or via email at Becky.Hoffman@state.sd.us.
All other questions must be submitted through the online Q&A link for the project that can be found on SDDOT’s bid letting page.
Additional information is available through Jack Dokken, program manager for SDDOT’s Office of Air, Rail & Transit, at 605-773-7045 or via email at jack.dokken@state.sd.us.