Encyclopedia Dubuque
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
DUBUQUE SOUTH WESTERN RAILROAD COMPANY
DUBUQUE SOUTH WESTERN RAILROAD COMPANY. The history of this railroad begins with the DUBUQUE WESTERN RAILROAD which was incorporated on September 10, 1855. It began at Farley and by 1859 had reached Sand Springs, fourteen miles to the southwest. In 1860 financial difficulties resulted in it being reorganized as the DUBUQUE, MARION, AND WESTERN RAILROAD COMPANY. When it again faced financial problems, the line was reorganized to become the Dubuque South Western Railroad Company.
By 1863 the railroad had extended track to Marion, Iowa. In two more years, track had been extended to Cedar Rapids. Although the line involved such important Iowans as Jesse P. FARLEY, William Boyd ALLISON and Platt SMITH the line remained only local and had little financial success.
This line was plagued by problems other than financial. It was poorly constructed and had steep grades and poor equipment. Once it was controlled by the Milwaukee Railroad, the section between Sand Springs and Marion which was especially steep, was abandoned and a two-mile connection was built from Sand Springs to Paralta and then into Marion.
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Source:
Donovan, Frank P. Jr. Iowa Railroads. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 2000, p. 211