Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-12-31
IGR[II WESTERN PLANS
Extensive improvements to Be
Made by the Company in
This Vicinity.
Road Bed 10 Be Made First Class
and New Steel Laid From Gel.
vein to Des Moines.
Grade Reductions. New Bridges
and Longer Passing Tracks
Contemplated.

The Chicago Great Western proposes
to keep pace with the Improvement pol
icy adopted by other Marshalltown
lines, and in addition to the new depots,
both passenger and freight, and the
yard improvements planned for this city
in the spring. a large sum of money will
be spent on the roadbed on this division,
between Oelwein and Des Moines. An
outline of the extent of these improve
ments is given in the Des Moines Lead
er, but the figures quoted in regard to
the depot appropriation are somewhat
exaggerated.
The Great Western will follow its ex-
tensive improvements for the year now
closing with work next year OF almost
double magnitude and Importance, says
the Leader. Plans have been completed,
the money appropriated and many con-
tracts are ready to let. A schedule OF
the work ordered includes much track
renewal, q continuation of the present
policy OF grade reduction, a vast
amount Of minor engineering and extern
sive additions to terminals and terminal
freight yards.
Extensive grade reductions have been
made this year at Sumner and Taopi
Mimi, where per cent grades htve
been reduced to q per cent. AT Freder-
icksburg, Ia, q trestle bridge 1000 Feet
long has been removed and three miles
of new lines have been constructed, In
addition to reduction OF 3 per cent IN
a grade; grade crossings have been
eliminated at Elma and Alta Vista, Ia;
extensive grade reductions have been
made at Aiken, Ia, and at Graf q series
CT six degree curves have been entirely
removed and the main line shortened q
quarter Of a mile. Several miiee have
been cut off from the Chicago st. Paul
mileage. The proposed improvements
are even more extensive. Grade reduc-
lions are planned at Hayfield on the
southwestern division between Mar
shalltown and Oelwedn, where q general
revision OF Hire will be undertaken. Fur
Their grade reductions will be made on
the eastern division at Stanley and
Egan. Passing tracks are to be length
ened to minimum of 5000 feet over the
entire system, and passing tracks at
coal stations extended to length OF
5000 feet.
New rails weighing eighty pounds to
the yard will be laid between Kenyon
and Oelwein, and between Oelwein and
Des Moines. The bridges on the DEL
wein-St Joseph line will be strength
ened to accommodate the traffic ham
died BY heavier locomotives. The Lead
er says a new stone depot to cost $175,-
GOO viii be erected at Marshalltown.
On the extensions to be made in Iowa
by the Chicago Great Western from Ft.
Dodge to Omaha and Sioux City. con-
siderable new bridge work has been
specified. On the Sioux City extension
the following bridges will be- required;
Over the Maple river at Ida Grove. one
120-foot span; across the Little Sioux
river near Otto. one 1s0-foot span; across
the west fork OF the Little Sioux at Hol-
~ Springs. one S0-foot span; across Gar
retson's ditch, one 70-foot span: across
Floyd river, rear Sioux City, two spans
Of 100 feet each. On the Omaha extern
sion two bridges will be built. one
across the Maple river at Carroll, at the.
OF the Chicago & Northwestern,
and another under the viaduct of the
& st. Paul at Manning. In
addition to this work improvements will
also be made at number OF other
points. including the strengthening OF
the bridge across the Boone river just
north OF Eagle Grove.