Ottumwa once had a Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad (CB&Q) mainline, a Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road) mainline, a Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (Rock Island) secondary line and a Wabash Railroad branch line. Today, BNSF Railway owns the former CB&Q, while CPKC owns the former Milwaukee Road. The Rock Island and Wabash lines have both been abandoned.