UP Gypsum Creek Bridge

In the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, electric interurban railways became popular throughout the United States, particularly in suburban and rural areas.  In rural areas, the interurban represented a reliable form of transportation, independent of the steam railroads.  Unlike other interurbans in the United States, the Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern Railroad (FDDM&S) began as a series of small coal hauling railroads in central Iowa.  In 1876, the Crooked Creek Railroad (CCR) constructed a short narrow gauge line, extending from the Dubuque & Sioux City Railroad (Illinois Central Railroad) mainline east of Fort Dodge, Iowa to coal mines near Lehigh, Iowa.  In 1886, the Webster City & Southwestern Railroad (WC&SW) constructed a 14-mile line between the CCR near Lehigh and Webster City, Iowa, and the CCR was standard gauged at this time.  The WC&SW purchased by the CCR in 1890 to streamline operations.  In 1893, the Boone Valley Coal & Railway Company (BVCRC) constructed a short line, extending from Fraser, Iowa to the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway west of Fraser.  The owners of the BVCRC charted the Marshalltown & Dakota Railway (M&D) in 1899 to further expand the coal line. A segment between Fraser and Gowrie, Iowa was completed that year.  The railroad was renamed the Newton & Northwestern (N&NW) in 1902.  A large segment between Newton, Iowa and Rockwell City, Iowa (using the Fraser to Gowrie line); as well as a branch to Colfax, Iowa were opened in 1905.  The railroad was sold to new owners in 1905, and renamed the Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern Railroad (FDDM&S).

After the FDDM&S was formed, the new owners realized the potential In 1906, the FDDM&S purchased the Ames & College Street Railway; and constructed a new mainline into Ames.  Electrified lines were opened between Des Moines and Midvale, Iowa and between Boxholm, Iowa and Fort Dodge in 1907.  In 1911, the Midvale to Newton line was abandoned, rendering much of the system electrified.  Also in 1911, a segment of the line near Ankeny, Iowa was relocated to be roughly parallel to the existing Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW) line and better serve interchange partners.  The original line south of Ankeny was abandoned the next year.  In 1916, the CCR was formally purchased by the FDDM&S.  A short segment between Fort Dodge and Brushy, Iowa was opened in 1917 to serve gypsum mines in the area.  The FDDM&S was successful during the early 20th Century, due to its many steam railroad interchange partners and focus on both passenger service and freight.  In 1930, the FDDM&S entered receivership, and reemerged as the Fort Dodge, Des Moines & Southern Railway (FDDM&S) in 1942.  

By the mid-20th Century, operations over the railroad were beginning to slow down.  In 1954, the FDDM&S fell under control of the Des Moines & Central Iowa Railway (DCI), and in 1955 passenger service ended and the line was converted to diesel locomotives.  In 1962, the lines towards Lehigh were abandoned.  In 1965, the Gowrie to Rockwell City segment and the Ames branch were abandoned.  In 1968, the FDDM&S and DCI were acquired by the C&NW.  The C&NW operated parallel tracks at many points, rendering the FDDM&S lines excess.  The Boxholm to Gowrie segment was abandoned in 1972, and the Webster City branch was abandoned in 1979.  In 1983, the C&NW sought to abandon the remainder of the line, except for a short segment on the north side of Des Moines.  A 12-mile section between Boone and Fraser Junction was sold to a private group in 1983, and the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad (B&SV) was formed to begin tourist operations over the line.  In 1995, the C&NW was purchased by Union Pacific Railroad (UP).  Today, the B&SV continues to be a major attraction as a tourist railroad, and operates the segment between Boone and Fraser Junction.  UP still owns segments on the north side of Des Moines and east side of Fort Dodge.  The remainder of the line has been abandoned and largely reverted to adjacent property owners.