Iowa Traction

Company History: IATR is a working freight railroad running with electric locomotives, under trolley wire. Iowa Traction runs from Mason City to Clear Lake, a bit over 10 miles. IATR actually started operation in 1987. Prior to that, the line belonged to Iowa Terminal who also ran a separate non-electrified line in Iowa. In ’87 they sold the trolley route and Iowa Traction Railroad was born. Before Iowa Terminal, the line belonged to the Mason City & Clear Lake, an interurban line whose passenger service ended in 1936. The IATR hauls scrap metal, potash, food stuffs, and lumber. A local trolley museum runs occasional excursions down the line as well. IATR operates the line with five boxcab electrics, four 50-ton models and one 60-tonner. In 2012, the line was sold to the Progressive Rail shortline group and the official name changed from Iowa Traction Railroad to Iowa Traction Railway.

Successor/Parent History: Progressive Rail (PGR) was launched in 1996 to take over operation on various industrial lines in the greater Minneapolis – St. Paul area. Not all of these lines connect with each other. Here are the lines which are all in Minnesota:

The Dan Patch Line from Nesbitt and Bloomington to Minneapolis. The Jesse James line from Northfield to Lakeville (leased from CP.) The Faribault Line Northfield to Faribault (leased from UP.) The Eagandale Line between Rosemont and Eagandale. (leased from CP.) The cargo mix is about what you would expect from a shortline serving a number of modern industrial parks: Plastics, chemicals, building supplies, scrap, paper, and metals. The PGR diesel roster includes six SW1500’s, one SD39, and one SD38-2.

The paint scheme is an homage to the Minneapolis Northfield & Southern, including the diamond shaped logo but with Progressive Rail lettering. PGR, after all, does operate most of the old MN&S route (see The Dan Patch Line above.) Three engines in the fleet were on the MN&S roster years ago.

The company also owns the Wisconsin Northern Railroad, Crab Orchard & Egyptian Railroad, Iowa Traction Railway, Chicago Junction, Chicago St. Paul & Pacific, Clackamas Valley Railway, Cannon Valley Railroad, Iowa Southern Railway, Piedmont & Northern Railroad, St. Paul & Pacific, St. Paul & Pacific Northwest Railroad and the Central Midland Railway.

Brief History: The U.S. is a country of 50 states covering a vast swath of North America, with Alaska in the northwest and Hawaii extending the nation’s presence into the Pacific Ocean. Major Atlantic Coast cities are New York, a global finance and culture center, and capital Washington, DC. Midwestern metropolis Chicago is known for influential architecture and on the west coast, Los Angeles' Hollywood is famed for filmmaking.