Home
Profile
Search For Bridge
Logout
Manage RR Stories
Update RR Story
Update Railroad Story
Story Name
Railroad
Current Railroad
Valuation Section(s)
Subdivision(s)
State
South/West Terminal
North/East Terminal
Description
Text
HTML5
<p>In 1897, the Davenport, Rock Island & North Western Railway (DRI&NW) began construction on a 4 mile line, extending from Rock Island, Illinois to Davenport, Iowa. The railroad also constructed a bridge across the Mississippi River between the two cities. The railroad was jointly owned by the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway (Milwaukee Road) and the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railway (CB&Q). Between 1898 and early 1900, the Davenport, Clinton and Eastern Railway (DC&E) constructed 34 miles of new railroad, extending from Clinton, Iowa to Davenport, Iowa; roughly paralleling the west bank of the Mississippi River. In early 1901, the Davenport, Rock Island and Northwestern Railway constructed an additional 6 miles of railroad, extending from Rock Island to East Moline, Illinois. Later that year, the Moline and Peoria Railway would construct an additional 7 miles from East Moline to Carbon Cliff, Illinois. The three railroads would become part of the DRI&NW in 1901. <br></p><p><br>The DRI&NW served as a bridge railroad within the Quad Cities. The railroad provided a critical second crossing of the Mississippi River, and allowed for the Milwaukee Road and CB&Q to interchange with other railroads in the Quad Cities. Both the Milwaukee Road and CB&Q had grown into large railroad networks, with extensive lines throughout the Midwest. In addition to crossing the Mississippi River, the railroad served a diverse variety of industries. The segment between East Moline and Carbon Cliff would be abandoned in the early 20th Century. The Milwaukee Road was often in financial trouble, especially after the costly Pacific Extension was completed in 1909. In 1925, the company declared bankruptcy, and reorganized as the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad in 1928. In 1970, the CB&Q was merged with the Northern Pacific Railway and the Great Northern Railway to form Burlington Northern Railroad (BN). By 1985, a suitor for the Milwaukee Road was being sought, and the Soo Line Railroad, controlled by Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) purchased the Milwaukee Road in 1986. In 1996, BN merged with Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway to form BNSF Railway. In 1997, CP would sell the Davenport to Clinton line to I&M Rail Link, which was purchased by the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad (DM&E) subsidiary Iowa, Chicago & Eastern Railroad (IC&E). The DM&E/IC&E were purchased by Canadian Pacific in 2008. CP merged with Kansas City Southern Railway in 2023 to form CPKC. Today, the line to Clinton continues to be operated by CPKC, while the remainder of the trackage is shared by BNSF Railway and CPKC. <br></p>
Update Story