Eric,
I grew up in Indianola 1965-1984, and only later did some research on
this line.
Ken answered with information on the early history of this line. It was
built by different parties than built the Albia to DSM line. If I recall
right the line hauled primarily coal early on. There were a number of
mines in the Cainsville area. One story I've heard is that the contractor
that built the line was paid by the rail mile, and thus had an incentive to
put lots of twists and curves in, and certainly there were many.
South of Osceola the line was abandoned in pieces after merger with the CB&Q
due to very little traffic and CB&Q having other connecting lines in that
area. North of Osceola was operated as a branch until 1947 flooding
severed the line at Martensdale. (Same flooding brought down the former
CB&Q bridge over the Des Moines west Oskaloosa) CB&Q was not allowed to
totally abandon the line, but did not have to rebuild the line north.
After this flooding closed the line, CB&Q ran over the CGW for some years to
Talmadge where there was an interchange track to let the trains go west on
the CB&Q main to Creston. I think this line and the Albia line were run a
separate branches, no "through" trains. I have some timetables I can
check.
I believe there was a CB&Q roundhouse on the south side of downtown DSM, but
I can't remember where. At least when we were growing up there was a
fairly substantial bridge that crossed the Raccoon going from the CGW Bell
Ave. yard to downtown DSM with the track running up just west of PDM Steel.
I believe that was the CB&Q connection to downtown from the CGW trackage
rights. That bridge might still be there.
Stephen
-----Original Message-----
From: CBQ@yahoogroups.com [mailto:CBQ@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Eric
Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2012 8:00 AM
To: CBQ@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [CBQ] Osceola-Des Moines branch?
Could anyone tell me the history of the branch line from Osceola, Iowa to
Des Moines?
I grew up in Des Moines - 1968-1986 - and although I spent a lot of time
exploring the CGW, the DMU, and the Rock Island I wasn't aware that the Q
had ever had a presence Downtown. That it once served Des Moines with a
through 'arc' which left the main at Albia and rejoined at Osceola was news
to me.
Yesterday I was looking at old aerial photos and topo maps and was able to
locate the Osceola-Des Moines route.
Who built it and when? Was it the same company who built the branch from
Albia? Who built the bridge across the Racoon River at the CGW yard? Who
built the bridge across the Des Moines River, which was the southern-most of
the four railroad bridges crossing the river downtown, each a block apart?
How did the Q operate the two branches? Were they ever considered a through
route? Perhaps a secondary main so that passenger trains could serve the
Capitol City?
Did either have a depot in Des Moines?
When was the Osceola-Des Moines segment taken up? Was it at the same time
as the Q's downtown bridge across the Des Moines River?
Does anyone have pictures or track charts?
Eric
------------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links
------------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CBQ/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CBQ/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
CBQ-digest@yahoogroups.com
CBQ-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
CBQ-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
|