I am looking at a 1904 dated C&NW train order. It was copied at "So Ia Jct." Which should mean South Iowa Junction or Southern Iowa Junction. Dispatcher was located in Mason City and the body notes a meet at Wrights. Anyone have an older ETT, or? Boxcab E50
There was a Minneapolis and St. Louis line that went through Wright, Iowa. It is between Oskaloosa and Fremont. That is in southern Iowa.
OK. Found it. It was a C&NW branch line which was starting to be cut back in the 1920s. Those tracks ran to iron ore mines. The M&St.L crossed them at Wrights. It appears that during the times that line was shrinking, South Iowa Junction was possibly renamed as "Arkel." Boxcab E50
Branch line south out of Belle Plaine, IA. Not iron ore, but coal. The mines supplied (and some were owned) by the C&NW. Mines started playing out in the 1920s. They started exploration for new mines, but switched to Illinois coal instead and the line south of What Cheer was abandoned in the 1930s. The Belle Plaine to What Cheer segment lasted until 1958. CNW Historical Society had good coverage about 15 years ago. JLH
Oops. Yes, coal. Not sure how that iron ore reference crept into things... BTW- Welcome to TrainBoard!
