Iowa Northwestern Railroad
| Reporting mark | IANW |
|---|---|
| Locale | Iowa |
| Dates of operation | 200X–2008 |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Headquarters | Unknown |
The Iowa Northwestern Railroad (IANW) was a railroad that operated freight and passenger excursion services from Superior, Iowa and ran west for 36.9 miles, ending at Allendorf, Iowa.[1] The IANW originally carried corn byproducts and ethanol [2][3] from Allendorf, Iowa to the interchange with the Union Pacific Railroad in Estherville, Iowa.
History
Sometime between 1995–2002,[4][5] the IANW took over a portion of the UP Estherville Subdivision and started operations between Allendorf, Iowa and Estherville, Iowa. In June 2002, their first passenger excursion, named the "Spirit of the Lakes Dinner Train",[6] ran between Orleans, Iowa and Lake Park, Iowa, and used IANW #155 and IANW #8711 for powering the train.[7][8]
In 2005, the Iowa Northwestern Railroad filed for abandonment of a portion of the line between Allendorf, Iowa and Lake Park, Iowa with the Surface Transportation Board.[9][10] Three years later, in 2008, the rest of the IANW was filed for abandonment between Allendorf, Iowa and Superior, Iowa.
A section of the line between Montgomery, Iowa and Orleans, Iowa was turned into the Great Lakes Spine Trail and the Tatanka Ska Trace, and to the west of Allendorf, Iowa, the line was turned into the Ed Winkel Memorial Trail. There are plans to expand the Tatanka Ska Trace to cover the entire line.[11]
A small portion of the former IANW between Superior, Iowa and Estherville, Iowa is still operated by UP.
Abandoned Train & Structures
After the IANW was abandoned, the passenger excursion train was left parked just west of Superior, Iowa. There are currently no plans to restore or move it.[12]
A bridge west of Montgomery, Iowa still stands and may be preserved by the Tatanka Ska Trace.[13] A smaller bridge east of Lake Park, Iowa has also been left untouched.[14]
Motive power
Former IANW motive power consisted of IANW #155 (SW9), IANW #632 (C420), IANW #7314 (SD18), and IANW #8711 (GP11).[15]
References
- ↑ "Current Abandonment Log of Iowa Railroads" (PDF).
- ↑ "Photo of IANW #632 Pulling Freight".
- ↑ "Photo of IANW #8711 Pulling Freight".
- ↑ "Historic Railroad Crossing Inventory Report".
- ↑ "Photo of IANW #155 Leading Passenger Train".
- ↑ "Video of Abandoned IANW Passenger Train". YouTube. 19 September 2019.
- ↑ "Pictures of IANW #155".
- ↑ "Photo of IANW #8711 Pulling Freight".
- ↑ "Current Abandonment Log of Iowa Railroads" (PDF).
- ↑ "Abandonment of IANW Between Allendorf and Lake Park". 13 January 2006.
- ↑ "Tatonka Ska Trace".
- ↑ "Video of Abandoned IANW Passenger Train". YouTube. 19 September 2019.
- ↑ "Photo of Montgomery Bridge". 29 August 2013.
- ↑ "Photo of Lake Park Bridge". 29 August 2013.
- ↑ "IANW Roster".
External links
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