Info On Abandoned Line In Iowa

C

Cannonball

More Trains Than Brains
Dec 4, 2006
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St. Joseph, MO
VanBuren Visitor's Guide said:
Peavine Line Museum 319-796-2245/319-796-4495
The museum is located in the depot which was built in 1882 at Longview (2.5m. NW of town). In 1890, the depot was moved on two flat cars to Stockport and remains in the same location. It is filled with railroad memorabilia, including items from the C.B. & Q., but primarily of the Peavine Line that ran from Ft. Madison to Ottumwa. The Freight Room also has an abundance of Stockport memorabilia. The railroad began as a narrow gauge, by 1890 it had changed to a standard gauge. The rails in front of the depot date back to 1889. Open during special events or by appointment.
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AbandonedPLine01.jpg


AbandonedPLine02.jpg


More as I find it.
 
The Van Buren Historical Society said:
It is difficult to believe today that for more than forty of its first years the only way to get in or out of Birmingham was either on foot or with transportation by oxen or horses. It was in late February, 1882 that the railroad track into town was finished and the first train came in on March 1, 1882. The railroad was known as the Ft. Madison and Northwestern. In later years this first narrow gauge railroad came into ownership of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Company and was changed tostandard width track in 1891. At one time Birmingham’s railroad extended from Ft. Madison to Ottumwa and came to be known as the “Peavine”. The origin of this name is unknown. With the coming of paved highways and motor trucks, hard times fell on branch railroads and they began to be abandoned. The track from Birmingham to Batavia was taken out in the 1940’s and in 1955 it was taken out from Stockport to Birmingham so that now the town is without a railroad as it was in its early history.
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It's interesting because where the line runs through those trees does not line up where th line should have run. (Unless it was REALLY curvy) I really wish I could find a map of this thing.

Apparently there are other abandoned lines in Iowa as well but the Peavine was the only one I know of in this area.
 
hhhhmmmm....... I wonder how accurate my photos are..... I know that further down that road, there are old railroad ties, but going by Google satellite maps, things don't match up. Stockport is where the old Peavine/CB&Q Station is. Records say that the line went from Stockport to Burmingham which is almost due West. The place where I took the pictures is Southwest of stockport. Strange.
 
In a forest 15 miles from my house there are some reminents of an old track but you cannot find any information on where it went other than it was part of a USAF nuclear testing facility that was sealed up arround 1970.
 
Chad said:
In a forest 15 miles from my house there are some reminents of an old track but you cannot find any information on where it went other than it was part of a USAF nuclear testing facility that was sealed up arround 1970.
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If it was part of a nuke testing facillity, that's probably why you can't find any info on it. :D
 
I have research miles of track from long gone Kentucky short lines to branch line abandonments and its never easy finding the facts and the real story..
I am currently researching the old W&LE yard in Huron(Oh).This yard is currently being used by I believe the "new" Wheeling.However,its supposedly joint trackage with NS.
I see cars in this yard and there is 3-4 rail served industries besides the Huron Ore Dock.This seems to be a small operation.
The point is check the C.B. & Q Historical Society for information.Check with the County Historical Society as well.
Now remember things are not always as they appear..Maybe that old road bed is a old short line or a different railroad.Could it be from a Interurban line?
Research is fun and the tons of information received is priceless if one is modeling that area or likes railroad history.
 
brakie said:
I have research miles of track from long gone Kentucky short lines to branch line abandonments and its never easy finding the facts and the real story..
I am currently researching the old W&LE yard in Huron(Oh).This yard is currently being used by I believe the "new" Wheeling.However,its supposedly joint trackage with NS.
I see cars in this yard and there is 3-4 rail served industries besides the Huron Ore Dock.This seems to be a small operation.
The point is check the C.B. & Q Historical Society for information.Check with the County Historical Society as well.
Now remember things are not always as they appear..Maybe that old road bed is a old short line or a different railroad.Could it be from a Interurban line?
Research is fun and the tons of information received is priceless if one is modeling that area or likes railroad history.
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I plan on doing some more digging on this.
My grandfather should ahve some info on this as well.
I think the line was still running when he was a kid but I'm not positive.
 
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