When the track from Fontanelle to Cumberland was laid, it actually extended westwards beyond the Cumberland town centre but then went no further. The
plan was to lay a line right through to Council Bluffs and surveyors were seen along much of the proposed route. It may well be that the project was to thwart the
Toledo, Oskaloosa & Western Railway (which was supported by the Central Iowa Railway) which had similar plans to invade the territory jointly held by the Burlington and Rock Island companies.
There were even reports that the Burlington had purchased the Central Iowa in a bid to stop the TO&W which started to lay track westwards from Fontanelle.
Rupert Gamlen
Auckland NZ
From:
CBQ@groups.io CBQ@groups.io On Behalf Of
alisch80
Sent: Wednesday, April 5, 2023 8:05 AM
To: CBQ@groups.io
Subject: Re: [CBQ] Red Oak & Fontanelle
Very interesting to read this! Growing up in Creston and Dad being an Engineer on the Q, I rode the North Branch with him several times in the mid 1960s when it still went all the way to Cumberland. Over the
years I have read (can't recall the source) that the Q wanted to extend the line to Atlantic to make connections with the Rock Island but this is the first I've heard of the Red Oak connection. Thanks for the post!
Here's the pages for the western Ipwa Railroad Company
Dave
The Western Iowa Railway was incorporated in 1884 by the Burlington to extend the Creston & Northern line from Fontanelle to Cumberland, and that extension opened in April 1885. The articles also provided for a direct link to Red Oak and, apparently, a new
company to construct this extra link was incorporated in March 1885 at Des Moines. No construction took place and, so far, I have been unable to identify this latter company.
Rupert Gamlen
Auckland NZ
Attached are two pages from the CB&Q Corporate History book on the line from Red Oak to Fontanelle.
Ken
If someone wants to chase this up, they are most welcome. And it’s a bit far for me to travel to visit all the county courthouses!
I tried to identify a company that the CB&Q apparently established to build a line between Red Oak and Fontanelle in 1885, and came up against a brick wall.
Rupert Gamlen
Auckland NZ
Every Iowa county courthouse will have a transcription of the deeds in the recorder's office if the BCR&N had property in that county. Every deed will have a date.
Ken Vandevoort
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