Central Asia peoples of the vast region. Central Asia is sometimes referred to as Turkestan. There are several places that claim to be the geographic center of Asia, for example Kyzyl, the capital of Tuva in the Russian Federation, and a village north of Ürümqi, the capital of the Xinjiang region of China. Central Asia is an extremely large region of varied geography, including high passes and mountains (Tian Shan), vast deserts (Kyzyl Kum, Taklamakan), and especially treeless, grassy steppes. The vast steppe areas of Central Asia are considered together with the steppes of Eastern Europe as a homogeneous geographical zone known
Northern Plains Railroad Manitoba Junction, Minnesota (near Hawley, Minnesota) to Winnipeg, Manitoba. In October 2004, the Northern Plains Railroad—acting through its parent, the Soo Line Railroad—abandoned a 28 mile (45 kilometer) portion of the Devils Lake Subdivision between Harlow, North Dakota and Devils Lake, North Dakota. Part of the roadbed had become submerged in the steadily increasing water level of Devils Lake. In December 2009, the Northern Plains Railroad—again acting through the Soo Line Railroad—abandoned 60.9 miles of the Bisbee Subdivision between Bisbee, North Dakota and Kramer, North Dakota. The Northern Plains Railroad operates around 25 locomotives, mostly largely rebuilt EMD GP35s of