When was this section of the Rock pulled up? I see CP operates the portion between Ainsworth-Davenport. Also did the Milwaukee have rights on this portion of the Rock in the past?
Historicaerials shows the Rock still there in 1972, but experience shows that sometimes the topo maps are out of date and still show things like railroads at times we know they were gone.
OTOH, the 1967 aerial photo seems to show the tracks still in place, while the 1983 image looks to be bare ROW.
Not much to go on, but there you are.
I will be of absolutely no help on the rest of your questions.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Ainsworth to Allerton was part of the KC to Chicago mainline right up until the the final shutdown on March 31st, 1980. At least one Trustee operated train ran over the line after that.
<clarification>These are the Milwaukee Road and Rock Island line segments that make up the CP Davenport - Kansas City line today:
Davenport to Muscatine was a joint operation.
From Muscatine to Washington it was the Rock, and the Rock's Washington branch (Ainsworth - Washington).
The rest is ex-Milwaukee to Polo MO, where the Rock joined and ran on Milwaukee trackage rights into KC.
Ainsworth MP 240.9 Sub 14 Washington Co
Eldon, IA MP290.7 Sub 14/15 Wapello County
Allerton IA MP 365.0 Sub 15 Wayne Co
Line was part of 1980 system abandonment AB46_(2) ...5/27/80 ... This rascal ran from Silvis to KC
Several OFA's failed due to poor financial applications and poor condition of the line. (bad ties and lightweight rail)
LB Foster picked-up the rail. Exact date unknown, suspect 1984
...You would have to go to the University of Iowa to find out more (Special Collections/ Library - 2nd floor) unless they stupidly threw out that stuff too)
...sounds like some lines are getting mixed-up over this.(Eastbound from KC/Armourdale the line at Allerton splits with one line going to Minneapolis via Des Moines and the other goes to Chicago via Ainsworth/Muscatine/Davenport
The RI operated Ainsworth to I think Centerville until October 1979. It was not operated during the Kansas City Terminal directed service era from October 1979 until March 31 1980. I believe the track was torn out in 1983.
I'm not sure, but I don't think during the KCT directed service era that any service was provided west of Muscatine. So Muscatine to Ainsworth and to Washington and Keota IA may have been dormant then. Ainsworth to Washington was part of the original main line until the cutoff, from Ainsworth, was built in the 1940s. I think, but again am not sure now, that service was provided to Centerville IA from Allerton. In that era they were loading coal at Centerville that was trucked in from Missouri.
For a short time 1977/78 the Milwaukee operated over the RI from Muscatine (Culver) to Polo MO. At the time, the USRA/FRA was promoting track sharing and the RI hoped it would help it get rehabilitation funds for that line. It didn't and the track sharing didn't work well.
After the RI shut down, the MILW bought the line from Muscatine to Washington and then abandoned their own line between those points in the early 1980s.
Jeff
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