In my Railroad Cities series, I focus on cities across America and railroads that served them through the years. Historically, Des Moines has been served by many railroads.
Rock Island was known as the "Route of the Rockets." It's rails connected cities throughout the Midwest and reached as far west as Denver and Tucumcari, New Mexico. Rock Island out of business in 1980, and its rails are either abandoned , made into rail trails, or served by various short line and regional railroads such as today's Iowa Interstate, our second locomotive.
Iowa Interstate, based in Cedar Rapids, was formed in 1984. As its name states, it served cities throughout the State of Iowa, connecting Chicago to Council Bluffs. Short line and regional railroads such as Iowa Interstate provide first mile/last mile service that interchange freight to larger Class 1 Railroads who take the freight across North America to customers, other short lines, and to ports.
Our third locomotive is from the Chicago and North Western. Chicago and North Western also connected many of the cities throughout the Midwest. It is now a part of today's Union Pacific.
See my Railroads of Des Moines poster at my website, customtrains.org
