[RITSlist] [Rock] Re: Decorah Branch info

Wed Jun 6 15:44:02 CDT 2007

Vern is right if you are talking about beef, however there was Iowa 
Turkey Processors on the Rock side of the tracks and if memory serves me 
there was a siding there. The railroad squeezed between the buildings 
and the Milwaukee main to get out of town.

Actually, the Postville yard remained in place after the line was cut 
back to West Union.  This, I was told, was so that the Milwaukee could 
access the turkey plant.  The tail goes that on the first try the local 
crew went through the interchange (there was one) and started down to 
the plant.  They promptly derailed their SD9.  Anyone who can remember 
those 500s will recall they were specifically built for very light 
track.  That gives one an idea of how bad the yard was.

Anyway, Milwaukee apparently never made another attempt as far as I know.

The Postville yard came up at the same time Hyman/Michaels pulled the 
line up south of West Union (1978?).

As to interchange at Oelwein. Friends there have said the Rock did 
exchange an odd assortment of cars mostly for Cedar Rapids. They also 
got loadings out of OCCO off the same track.

Great Western and later the North Western would get steamed at them 
since the Rock crews would park their train inside the signal limits 
locking down the plant in their favor and tying up the wye and the 
Chicago main.

In steam, the Rock would occasionally go through the interchange and wye 
one of their engines if the train was to return to Cedar Rapids from 
Oelwein.  I've seen a picture of one of the consolidations used on the 
route crossing South Frederick.

Grain loading occurred at most points on the line if there was an 
elevator since this was a box car railroad.  The biggest, and last, was 
the COOP at Maynard.  The last train to run took one final cut of cars 
out of there in December of 1975, I think.  Oelwein also shipped a fair 
amount too.

There was a small farm equipment manufacture, Speedie Products, I think, 
who shipped out of Oelwein.

In fact there is a small snippet of film on a video about prairie 
railroading or something, sorry I don't remember the title, which has a 
steam powered northbound Rock Island freight crossing highway 150 south 
of Hazleton.  You will know it when you see it. because it is a coming 
at you shot and a going away view too.

Hope this helps.

Rich Wilkinson

LaVerne Andreessen wrote:
> I have noted reference to a meat packing plant on the line.  So far as 
> I recall, only Postville had (has) a packing plant.  It is located on 
> the north side of the Milwaukee/ICE main line and the RI came into 
> Postville on the south side of the Milwaukee/ICE mainline.  I do not 
> recall an interchange between the two carriers in Postville, thus the 
> meat packing plant would have to truck product over to the RI line for 
> shipment.  Consequently, I seriously doubt if the line saw any packing 
> house products moved by rail.  lwa
>
> Jeffery L Hergert wrote:
>>
>> According to RI ETTs, gross weight allowed was 190000 lbs. Anything 
>> heavier required special permission.
>> Jeff
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Tony Bowen
>> To: Steven Suhs
>> Cc: Rock Island Discussion Group ; RITSLIST
>> Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2007 11:58 AM
>> Subject: Re: [RITSlist] Decorah Branch info
>>
>> Steve,
>>
>> This was a very interesting line and I have done some research on it. 
>> However, November of 1963 was the last time the Rock Island went to 
>> Decorah, Iowa. In looking at a 1972 timetable the line still 
>> continued to Postville, Iowa, but by 1974 the end of the line was 
>> West Union, Iowa.
>>
>> I can't answer if 100 ton hoppers were used on the line the tracks 
>> was pretty rough from those that I have talked with. However there 
>> were many grain elevators along the line. The RI and the CGW /CNW did 
>> interchange cars at Oelwein. Many think of Oelwein as a CGW town 
>> which it was being a major hub for that railroad, however many of the 
>> on-line business were on the RI tracks.
>>
>> Some Industries along this line were grain elevators, bulk oil 
>> dealers, lumber yards, and there was a title plant I believe in West 
>> Union, and meat packing plants.
>>
>> Happy Railroading,
>> Tony Bowen
>> Corn Country Rails: Round Robin
>> railroadteacher@ coggonia. net <mailto:railroadteacher%40coggonia.net>
>>
>> On Jun 6, 2007, at 8:40 AM, Steven Suhs wrote:
>>
>> Group
>>
>> Have been wondering a bit about traffic on the old Decorah Branch. My 
>> concern is mainly in in the 1974 timeframe but any recollections will 
>> do if a timeframe is mentioned.
>>
>> 1. were 100 ton covered hoppers used on this line for grain loading?
>> 2, where was grain loaded if any
>> 3 was there much interchange with the CNW at Olewein, IA?
>> 4 what other types of traffic was moved on this line?
>>
>> thanks for any help that can be given
>>
>> Steven Suhs
>>
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