From Curtis, where another Rock Island line trails in from the west and a 20 mph speed restriction starts, past a flat crossing with the Milwaukee Road at MP 252.3, the C&NW (M&StL) Yard at Albert Lea (MP 252.6), a flat crossing with the Milwaukee Road (MP 252.4), and the 4,888 ft. siding and yard at Albert Lea (MP 252.7), where the speed restriction ends, the line turns just east of due north, single track, Automatic Block System, Rules 400 to 406, maximum speed 40 mph, past the 7,109 ft. siding and 5,637 ft. spur at Clarks Grove (MP 260.9), where a branch heads east, the 6,155 ft. siding and 1,700 ft. spur at Ellendale (MP 268.7), and an 800 ft. spur at Hope (MP 275.0), becoming curvy south of the 6,210 ft. siding and 4,100 ft. spur at Owatonna (MP 284.3), where a C&NW line bridges overhead.
The line turns north, past a 1,365 ft. spur for Wickes Lumber Company (MP 286.5), a bridge carrying a Milwaukee Road line overhead at an acute angle, and a 450 ft. spur at Medford (MP 290.3), north-northeast, past the 5,988 ft. siding at Kasper (KMP 295.6) and a bridge carrying a Milwaukee Road line overhead, east-northeast and north again, past the 2,260 ft. siding and 4,950 ft. spur at Faribault (MP 299.7), becoming curvy past an acute angled crossing with a former CGW line, to the 4,363 ft. siding at Comus (MP 306.5), where a Milwaukee Road line trails in on the west side and the combined line turns north-northeast.