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I&M Rail Link facts for kids
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Reporting mark | IMRL |
| Locale | Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin |
| Dates of operation | 1997–2002 |
| Successor | Iowa, Chicago and Eastern Railroad |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
The I&M Rail Link (IMRL) was a railroad company in the central United States. It started running trains on April 5, 1997. This company took over railway lines from the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Soo Line Railroad.
The I&M Rail Link operated for about five years. On July 31, 2002, another company called the Iowa, Chicago and Eastern Railroad (IC&E) took over all of IMRL's operations.
Contents
History of I&M Rail Link
The I&M Rail Link was owned by a group called the Washington Companies. It managed a large network of railway tracks, about 1,385 miles (2,229 km) long. These tracks were located in five different states: Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin.
How I&M Rail Link Started
The railway lines that IMRL used were originally built by a famous old railroad called the Milwaukee Road. Later, these lines became part of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The I&M Rail Link officially began its operations at 12:01 p.m. on April 5, 1997.
When the company started, Canadian Pacific Railway still owned 33% of it. The Washington Corporation owned the other 67%. The main office for the new railroad was in Davenport, Iowa. Most of the daily train operations and engine repairs happened at Nahant Yard in Davenport. Bigger engine repairs were done by another company in Silvis, Illinois.
Running the Railroad
At first, Canadian Pacific helped with managing the trains. Later, another company called Montana Rail Link took over this job. Montana Rail Link is also owned by the Washington Corporation.
The I&M Rail Link mainly transported important goods. These included things like steel, coal, farm products, and chemicals. The railroad had a lot of equipment to do its job. It operated with 2,284 freight cars and 118 locomotives (train engines). The way trains were run stayed mostly the same as when Canadian Pacific and Soo Line owned the tracks.
Why I&M Rail Link Ended
In late 2001, the Washington Corporation decided to sell the railroad. They said that the I&M Rail Link was not making enough money. So, on July 29, 2002, the I&M Rail Link's assets were sold.
The Iowa, Chicago and Eastern Railroad (IC&E) bought the company. The IC&E was part of a larger group called Cedar American Railroad Holdings. I&M Rail Link's operations officially stopped at 12:01 p.m. on that day. Several years later, in 2008, Canadian Pacific Railway bought the IC&E, along with its parent company.