382:
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71:
59:
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William E. Brice, local utility magnate and a founder of the railroad, sold his interests to United Light & Railway
Company in 1913. The successor of United Light & Railway was liquidated in 1950, and the railroad was sold to a utility executive at that time. The Mason City & Clear Lake
290:
has been the major source of the railroad's income since its beginning and has been the only source since the charter for trolley service in Mason City expired August 30, 1936. The company replaced its passenger service with a bus service between Mason City and Clear Lake in
January 1937. That
350:
Two disasters in 1967 and 1968 shaped the future of the Iowa
Terminal. First, a fire originating in a neighboring lumberyard on Thanksgiving Day in November 1967 destroyed the carbarn at Emery along with several pieces of rolling stock, the railroad's primary
366:
tractor plant, which did not allow electrified service inside its foundry. The company therefore decided to dieselize the
Charles City Division rather than repair the overhead wire and to transfer the Charles City Division equipment to Mason City.
393:
The Iowa
Terminal faced challenges during the 1970s and 1980s from fluctuating traffic patterns, diversion by some customers of traffic from rail to truck, consolidations and bankruptcies involving all of its connecting railroads, and the
263:(UP) at Clear Lake Junction. The railroad also interchanges with the CP within the Emery Transload Center. However, in 2020, most of the railroad's traffic traveled on only 3.5 miles (5.6 km) of track within Mason City.
690:
219:. It was originally founded in 1896 as the Mason City and Clear Lake Railway, a passenger carrier. Business has been exclusively freight since 1937. One of the only remaining freight railroads in the United States to use
338:
Meanwhile, the Mason City
Division continued to operate as usual. The failure of several locomotives in the early 1960s led to the company's acquisition in 1963 of three locomotives from a recently abandoned electric
972:
413:
The Iowa
Terminal acquired 75 freight cars in 1980, and more in 1982. These cars enabled the railroad to fill the orders of online shippers when connecting railroads were unable to provide needed cars.
370:
A new building housing the shop and company headquarters was constructed at Emery during the summer of 1968. The railroad company abandoned the remaining trackage at
Charles City several years later.
440:
indicated that the company planned to continue use of electric locomotives, possibly supplementing them with diesel, and that it was exploring the reopening of the line from Emery to Clear Lake.
277:
704:
436:. According to Progressive's President Dave Fellon, "It's right in our wheel house fits our model. It's a great little railroad." Comments by Progressive Rail officials in
905:
335:
at Marble Rock, on
December 31, 1963. Plans to construct a connection between the two divisions were underway when Boyer died in May 1965 and were not pursued further.
609:
362:
struck
Charles City, destroying much of the downtown and severely damaging the Iowa Terminal's overhead wire there. Diesel power was already used to serve the
324:
613:
537:
236:
669:
355:, and a large supply of tools and spare parts. Key parts of the system remained intact, however, and electric service resumed about a week later.
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provided flexibility that permitted smaller crew sizes and other changes. These helped keep the company viable and competitive.
890:
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481:
247:
The 10.4 miles (16.7 km) IATR extends east–west between the Mason City Transload Center, the railroad's headquarters in
251:(southwest of Mason City) and the city of Clear Lake, where the western section of its tracks terminate immediately east of
880:
21:
850:
1017:
870:
748:
255:(I-35). At its eastern end, the railroad interchanges within the Mason City Transload Center with the almost parallel
967:
347:. Also in 1963, the Iowa Terminal ended service between Emery and Clear Lake, although the track remained in place.
865:
986:
557:
The bulk of the railroad's traffic moves over 3.5 miles of track on the north side of 19th Street in Mason City.
377:
IATR 50 and 54 in Mason City in 2009. These Baldwin/Westinghouse steeple-cab locomotives date back to the 1920s.
541:
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855:
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422:
287:
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426:
363:
8:
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466:
220:
284:, the midpoint between the two namesake towns. Passenger service began on July 4, 1897.
417:
On April 13, 1987, Dave Johnson purchased the Iowa Terminal Railroad and renamed it to
398:. All of these events adversely impacted traffic volume and interchange possibilities.
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Rickershauser, Peter (April 1986). "Last of the steam-road trolleys".
691:"$ 655K grant to restore Mason City-Clear Lake railroad freight line"
803:
796:"Mason City & Clear Lake RR/Iowa Terminal RR/Iowa Traction RR"
785:
359:
320:
642:. Iowa Traction Railway Company. October 4, 2012. Archived from
389:
passing IATR 51 at Clear Lake Junction in Mason City during 2019
946:
767:. Mason City, Iowa: Progressive Rail, Inc. 2019. Archived from
488:. Mason City, Iowa: Progressive Rail, Inc. 2019. Archived from
612:. ProgressiveRailroading.com. October 16, 2012. Archived from
327:, a 23-mile (37 km) freight interurban operating between
232:
58:
280:, which was founded in 1896. The shops were situated in
540:. Mason City, Iowa: Railroadforums.com. Archived from
992:
List of United States railroads by political division
672:. Trains Magazine. September 18, 2012. Archived from
319:
executive and railroad enthusiast Harold C. Boyer of
432:
Upon purchase, Progressive Rail renamed the line to
610:"Progressive Rail acquires Iowa Traction Railroad"
1004:
589:
587:
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581:
579:
271:
819:
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303:) was chartered as part of that transaction.
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973:Greater Davenport Redevelopment Corporation
670:"Progressive Rail to acquire Iowa Traction"
568:: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
345:Kansas City, Kaw Valley and Western Railway
826:
812:
732:"Mason City, Iowa: Iowa Traction Railroad"
450:
506:"Iowa Traction Railway Company IATR #994"
323:acquired the company. Boyer acquired the
276:The IATR can trace its roots back to the
535:
429:, purchased the Iowa Traction Railroad.
380:
372:
291:service continued until September 1959.
63:Network of the IATR and its predecessors
425:, a shortline holding company based in
1005:
891:Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad
688:
833:
807:
881:Chicago Central and Pacific Railroad
793:
729:
215:operating in the United States as a
851:Appanoose County Community Railroad
781:(Homepage of Iowa Traction Railway)
223:, the company's main line connects
13:
871:Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway
751:from the original on June 28, 2021
689:Bohnel, Steve (October 10, 2018).
401:
14:
1039:
968:East Camden and Highland Railroad
790:(Homepage of the current owners.)
723:
462:McGraw Electric Railway Directory
278:Mason City and Clear Lake Railway
75:IATR #54 hauling a train in 2009.
1028:600 V DC railway electrification
866:Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad
69:
57:
306:
259:(CP) to its north and with the
661:
629:
602:
529:
473:
209:Iowa Traction Railroad Company
1:
536:POTB 101 (October 17, 2020).
443:
198:Iowa Traction Railway Company
7:
856:Burlington Junction Railway
421:. During the fall of 2012,
272:Early history, 1896 to 1960
235:. The railroad also serves
10:
1044:
906:Iowa Northwestern Railroad
637:"Freight Tariff IATR 9001"
469:. August 1920. p. 53.
331:and a connection with the
266:
1018:Electric railways in Iowa
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955:
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841:
736:(description and history)
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16:Electric railroad in Iowa
926:Norfolk Southern Railway
896:Iowa Interstate Railroad
311:The name was changed to
257:Canadian Pacific Railway
242:
987:Former carriers in Iowa
921:Keokuk Junction Railway
765:"Iowa Traction Railway"
741:"Iowa Traction Railway"
734:. Jon Bell's Home Page.
931:Union Pacific Railroad
800:(pictures and history)
510:Union Pacific Railroad
419:Iowa Traction Railroad
390:
378:
315:in December 1960 when
313:Iowa Terminal Railroad
261:Union Pacific Railroad
916:Iowa Traction Railway
901:Iowa Northern Railway
649:on September 25, 2018
616:on September 25, 2018
486:Iowa Traction Railway
434:Iowa Traction Railway
384:
376:
52:Iowa Traction Railway
876:Cedar River Railroad
798:. Don's Rail Photos.
427:Lakeville, Minnesota
364:White Farm Equipment
325:Charles City Western
221:electric locomotives
911:Iowa River Railroad
788:. Progressive Rail.
771:on November 3, 2020
707:on November 2, 2020
547:on November 2, 2020
516:on November 3, 2020
492:on November 3, 2020
467:McGraw-Hill Company
53:
33: /
940:Passenger carriers
794:Ross, Don (2014).
786:"Progressive Rail"
745:American-Rails.com
730:Bell, Jon (2008).
538:"Iowa Traction 50"
482:"Our Rail Network"
391:
379:
213:shortline railroad
174:600 V DC
106:Dates of operation
51:
1000:
999:
835:Railroads of Iowa
598:. pp. 48–55.
408:Staggers Rail Act
396:1980s farm crisis
288:Freight transport
239:near Mason City.
211:, is a class III
194:
193:
37:43.135°N 93.280°W
1035:
1023:Mason City, Iowa
956:Private carriers
886:D&I Railroad
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701:Mason City, Iowa
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423:Progressive Rail
353:rotary converter
207:), formerly the
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438:Trains Magazine
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402:1980 to present
358:In May 1968, a
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164:Electrification
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42:43.135; -93.280
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724:External links
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343:railroad, the
317:General Motors
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385:The restored
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169:Overhead line
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963:CBEC Railway
915:
861:BNSF Railway
773:. Retrieved
769:the original
753:. Retrieved
744:
709:. Retrieved
705:the original
694:
680:November 13,
678:. Retrieved
674:the original
663:
651:. Retrieved
644:the original
631:
618:. Retrieved
614:the original
604:
595:
556:
549:. Retrieved
545:(photograph)
542:the original
531:
518:. Retrieved
514:the original
494:. Retrieved
490:the original
485:
475:
461:
433:
431:
418:
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405:
392:
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357:
349:
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329:Charles City
312:
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307:1960 to 1980
300:
296:
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208:
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197:
195:
86:Headquarters
18:
775:November 3,
711:November 2,
620:November 2,
551:November 2,
520:November 3,
496:November 3,
333:Rock Island
299:(replacing
237:Rorick Park
128:Track gauge
40: /
1007:Categories
985:See also:
444:References
341:interurban
229:Clear Lake
225:Mason City
28:93°16′48″W
25:43°08′06″N
122:Technical
755:July 13,
749:Archived
747:. 2007.
653:July 15,
564:cite web
297:Railroad
147: in
81:Overview
387:UP 4014
360:tornado
321:Detroit
301:Railway
267:History
186:Website
171:,
142:⁄
117:–
111: (
947:Amtrak
596:Trains
647:(PDF)
640:(PDF)
282:Emery
249:Emery
243:Route
181:Other
777:2020
757:2021
713:2020
687:(2)
682:2012
667:(1)
655:2013
622:2020
570:link
553:2020
522:2020
503:(2)
498:2020
479:(1)
233:Iowa
227:and
205:IATR
196:The
113:1897
109:1897
101:IATR
1009::
743:.
699:.
693:.
578:^
566:}}
562:{{
555:.
508:.
484:.
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452:^
231:,
153:)
827:e
820:t
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779:.
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715:.
684:.
657:.
626:}
624:.
572:)
526:.
524:.
500:.
200:(
149:(
144:2
140:1
137:+
135:8
115:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
