UP 2nd Street Bridge (Webster City)

In 1872, the Toledo and Northwestern Railway (T&NW) completed a 3-mile railroad line, extending from Tama, Iowa to Toledo, Iowa.  At Tama, the line connected to the existing Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW) mainline.  In 1879, the C&NW leased the property of the T&NW and funded further expansions in northern Iowa.  In 1880, the T&NW completed an additional 83 miles from Toledo to Jewell Junction, Iowa.  The following year, an additional 14 miles were completed to Webster City, Iowa; followed by 66 additional miles completed northwards to Elmore, Minnesota in 1882.  At Elmore, the line would connect to an existing branch line of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway (Omaha Road). In the early 1880s, the T&NW constructed a respectable railroad network in northern Iowa, eventually reaching both South Dakota and Minnesota. In 1890, the T&NW was sold to the C&NW. This line served as a secondary line for the C&NW, providing connections to branch lines in northern Iowa and a connection to the leased Omaha Road at Elmore.  During the early 20th Century, the C&NW invested significant capital into this line, replacing timber bridges with stone and steel structures, and upgrading other buildings.

By the early 20th Century, the C&NW had developed into a significant midwest railroad network, with lines radiating north and west from Chicago.  In particular, the C&NW developed dozens of secondary and branch lines in Iowa to serve agricultural industries and small towns.  This line remained an important secondary route for the C&NW through much of the 20th Century, providing a connection between lines in Minnesota to the principal mainline across Iowa.   In 1968, two segments of this line were abandoned; including between Eldora Junction, Iowa and Lawn Hill, Iowa and between Ledyard, Iowa and Elmore.  A segment between Conrad, Iowa and Eldora Junction was abandoned in 1976.  A short segment between Bancroft, Iowa and Ledyard was abandoned in 1978.  In 1981, the C&NW purchased the St. Paul to Kansas City "Spine Line" from the bankrupt Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (Rock Island).  This line paralleled the Rock Island for much of its length, and the Rock Island was a better constructed route.  As a result, portions of this line quickly became excess for the C&NW.  

Following the purchase of the Rock Island line, redundant sections of this line were quickly abandoned.  In 1981, two additional segments were abandoned between Tama and Gladbrook, Iowa and between Lawn Hill and Ellsworth, Iowa.  A segment between Gladbrook and Conrad was abandoned in 1983.  The segment between Burt, Iowa and Bancroft would be abandoned in 1985.  The remainder of the line between Ellsworth and Burt was kept intact to serve various agricultural industries and connect to remaining C&NW-owned branch lines.  In 1995, the C&NW was purchased by Union Pacific Railroad (UP).  A short segment from Ellsworth to Jewell was abandoned in 2006.  Today, UP operates the Jewell to Burt segment as the Jewell Subdivision, which provides access to several branch lines serving northern Iowa.  A short portion between Ellsworth and Jewell has been reused as the JewEllsworth Trail, while the remainder of the line has been abandoned.  Much of the abandoned segments have reverted to adjacent property owners, and been repurposed for farm fields.