Iowa is a Midwestern state in the United States known for its vast plains, rolling hills, and agriculture. The state capital is Des Moines. There are long-distance trains in Iowa operated by Amtrak, tourist railways and the funicular in Des Moines.
There are six Amtrak stations in Iowa: Burlington, Creston, Fort Madison, Mt. Pleasant, Osceola and Ottumwa.
Two long-distance trains stop in the state of Iowa:
Caliphornia Zephyr from Chicago to Emeryville in Northern California and Southwest Chief from Chicago to Los Angeles in California.
Osceola station is closest station to Des Moines. The station is located approximately 40 kilometers from the capital of the state. Only the Caliphornia Zephyr train stops at Osceola station.
Mt Pleasant station is closest station to Iowa city. The distance between station and Iowa City is about 43 kilometers.
Tourist trains in Iowa
There are two tourist trains in Iowa.
Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad – most famous tourist railway in Iowa, particularly known for the High Bridge viaduct over the Des Moines River. Trains usually run on the route from Boone to the old Fraser mine (12 km), and on selected days from Boone to Wolf (18 km). Trains are sometimes steam hauled, sometimes diesel hauled and consist vintage carriages. Visitors can also ride “picnic train” or “dining train”. On selected days, you can also ride a historic tram from downtown Boone to the railway station. The return journey on the Boone-Fraser route takes an hour and 45 minutes. Excursions go out daily from Memorial Day weekend through October.
Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad – official website
Midwest Central Railroad – a short narrow-gauge railway line in in McMillan Park, Mount Pleasant (914 mm). Train rides are organized only a few times a year. The length of the route is 1.6 km. Trains are comprised of a steam locomotive and retro-style cars. The railway is maintained by volunteers.
Midwest Central Railroad – official website
There was also an interesting train in Iowa City. The Hawkeye Express ran on the days when local American football team plays home games. It transported Hawkeye fans from the city center to Kinnick Stadium. The train journey lasted 10 minutes. Train was comprised of a diesel locomotive and six double-decker cars. The cars previously operated in suburban trains in Chicago. The Hawkeye Express began operating in September 2006. The train was operated by Iowa Northern Railway Company and runs on the track owned by the Iowa Interstate Railroad, which operates between Council Bluffs and Chicago. The service was ceased in 2021.
Railway Museums in Iowa
Iowa Trolley Park Railroad Museum – a small museum in Clear Lake. The museum provides history of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Depot that served Clear Lake from 1913 to 1984. Rides available by appointment. Visitors can ride the rails, diesel locomotive, old-time handcar and miniature railway.
Iowa Trolley Park Railroad Museum – official fanpage (Facebook)
Funicular railways in Iowa
The one of the most interesting tourist attractions in Iowa is the Fenelon Place Elevator, also known as the Fourth Street Elevator. This funicular claims to be the shortest and steepest railroad in the world, but I don’t know if it is true. The funicular is located in Dubuque – Iowa’s oldest city. From observation deck at the upper station passengers can admire spectacular views of Dubuque’s historic downtown, the Mississippi River, and three states – Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
The funicular was opened in 1884. The ride costed five cents. Two years earlier a predecessor of this funicular was built for the private use of local banker and former state senator J.K. Graves but burned.
The funicular is 296 feet (90 m) long, and angles up at 41 degrees with a vertical elevation of 189[8] feet (57.6 m). The two cars start at opposite ends, passing each other at the midpoint of the elevator. The Fourth Street Elevator is run from April 1 to November 30. The hours are from 8 am to 10 pm. There were another fires in 1983 and 1962. The cars were completely rebuilt in 1977.
Related articles:
Railways in the United States of America by state
