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Iowa Trolleys CERA Bulletin #114 w dust jacket
Iowa Trolleys by Norman Carlson, Editor & Robert J Levis, Research Coordinator
Bulletin 114 of the Central Electric Railfans Association
Hard Cover w/Dust Jacket
303 pages
Copyright 1975
CONTENTS
SWING AND SWAY THE CRANDIC WAY - Iowa Electric Light & Power Company
Cedar Rapids & Iowa City Railway (Crandic) 8
Cedar Rapids Powerhouse 35
Marshalltown Light, Power & Railway Company 36
Tama & Toledo Railway 39
Boone Suburban Railway 42
SLOW AND EASY - Iowa Southern Utilities Company
Southern Iowa Railway 46
Ottumwa Railway & Light Company 54
Burlington Railway & Light Company 57
TROLLEYS IN THE CAPITAL
Des Moines Railway Company 60
Des Moines & Central Iowa Railway 77
Special Car "Iowa" 91
Colfax Springs Railway Co. 93
OVER HILL AND PLAIN
Fort Dodge, Des Moines & Southern Railway Company 94
Iowa Transfer Railway 127
FROM THE HEAD OF BROADWAY
Omaha & Council Bluffs Street Railway Company 130
VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE
Sioux City Service Company 146
FOOTHOLDS AMONG THE GIANTS
Interstate Power Company
Union Electric Company-Dubuque 162
Dubuque's Elevators (Inclines) 168
Mississippi Valley Electric Company
Fort Madison Street Railway Company 169 Iowa City Electric Railway Company 170
Illinois Power & Light Company-Oskaloosa 172
The North American Company-Keokuk 173
Clinton Street Railway Company 176
Albia Interurban Railway 180
Independence & Rush Park Street Railway Company 183
Red Oak Street Railway 185
CEDAR VALLEY ROAD
Waterloo, Cedar Falls & Northern Railroad 186
ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI
The Tri-City Railway & Light Company 224
Clinton Davenport & Muscatine Railway Company 233
Muscatine Traction & Light Company 243
Cedar Rapids & Marion City Railway Company 243
LAST OF THE IOWA TROLLEYS
Charles City Western Railway 250
Mason City & Clear Lake Railroad 261
Mason City Brick & Tile Company 275
Iowa Terminal Railroad 276
THE TROLLEYS THAT SERVED IOWA
Rosters of equipment 290
DUST JACKET INTRODUCTION:
ABOUT IOWA TROLLEYS:
When we think of local transportation in the 1970's one mode is preeminent: the automobile. It is hard for younger people to imagine any other form of daily transportation. However, it is just as obvious, upon some reflection, that something must have preceded the automobile.
In Iowa, as throughout the United States, the predecessor of the automobile was railroad passenger service. Complimenting the steam railroads, by providing local transportation, were electric street railways and interurban lines. These electric railways were often built with local financing and managed by local people. As a result the "electrics" became personalities in local culture.
Iowa Trolleys is a nostaligic return to those electric railways of yesteryear that connected city neighborhoods and rural communities. The Iowa lines earned a special place with railfans and regular riders alike. These street railways and interurbans operated in the traditional manner until the very end.
Contributing to the attraction was that while other street railways were striving to standardize with streamlined equipment, Iowa retained its conventional streetcars. Most of their equipment was built in the World War I era. The last new cars entered service in 1930.
The interurban lines became well known due to their longevity. Built to steam railroad standards, they could participate in interchange freight service. Freight revenues sustained passenger services as well as the railways themselves. Portions of most of the interurban lines remain in dieselized freight service in 1974.
As time passed the Iowa trolleys became more and more a living reminder of the past. Some even feel that collectively these lines were the last traditional interurbans. A certain sense of security accrues to tradition. We had become comfortable with these stalwarts. They were old friends, a step into the pages of history that brought relief and relaxation from present-day life, a part of our lives whose passing was mourned.
ABOUT CERA:
Maybe it's the thrill of an occasional spark from glistening wire or third rail; maybe it's the frequent dense operation with many short trains; maybe it's the fascination of motion and power supplied with such easy control from an unseen source; and maybe we just can't put our finger on it, but a special lure is present in electric trains from streetcar to giant locomotive.
The Central Electric Railfans' Association was formed in 1938 to encourage study of the history, equipment and operation of urban, suburban, interurban and main line electric railways. CERA is incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois as a not-for-profit technical and educational society, governed by a board of nine directors who serve three-year terms. In carrying out the Association's activities they are assisted by other members.
An important activity of CERA is the publication of an annual bulletin on one or more properties. Meetings are held in Chicago about ten times annually, each featuring some aspect of electric railroading, and inspection trips are operated on occasion to permit members to view the inner workings of "juice" lines.
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