The railroad spur at Donehower, Minnesota is a modest but important feature along the line south of Winona. Originally built to serve local agricultural and industrial needs, the spur today functions primarily as a siding and storage track. Its location near the junction of rural roads and the mainline makes it a practical spot for staging equipment without disrupting through traffic. The spur’s quiet setting in the Driftless landscape also provides a convenient place for crews to work away from busier terminals.

In modern operations, the Donehower spur is most often associated with maintenance‑of‑way (MOW) equipment. Ballast regulators, tie inserters, and track geometry cars are frequently parked here between assignments. Because MOW work is seasonal and often requires staging equipment close to upcoming projects, the spur serves as a flexible base of operations. Its length and accessibility allow multiple pieces of machinery to be stored together, ready to be dispatched when track work is scheduled along the corridor.

For railfans and local residents, spotting MOW equipment at Donehower has become a familiar sight. The spur reflects the ongoing upkeep required to keep regional rail lines safe and efficient, even in areas where freight traffic is relatively light. By hosting these specialized machines, Donehower plays a small but vital role in the broader network of railroad maintenance, linking the heritage of local rail service with the practical needs of modern infrastructure.