I-35, I-90 reopen in southern Minnesota; stranded travelers head home

Interstates 35 and 90 have reopened in southern Minnesota after being shut down Sunday and Monday as a winter storm left 10-foot high drifts in some places.

Some secondary roads remain impassable in the southeastern corner of the state.

More than 100 travelers were still at the Owatonna National Guard armory Tuesday morning after spending another night there, although staff reported travelers were starting to get back on the road now that the interstates have reopened.

Among the travelers stranded by this weekend's winter storm were crews from two trains that got stuck on the tracks in Freeborn County.

State officials said seven people were taken from the two trains on Monday on tracks near the Iowa border. The National Guard helped in the rescue. One locomotive was buried in snow nearly to the windows of the cab.

More than 600 motorists had to be rescued from their vehicles, including some 200 in Steele County around Owatonna and nearly 100 more in Freeborn County near Albert Lea.