Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-12-24
Ned RALROADR[FORh
Illinois Central Will Elevate
Tracks Instead of Doubling
It's Line
LONG TRAINS AND FAST TIME
Fills of AZ Feet Will Be Made, Grade
Crossings Eliminated. Curves
Strengthened and Grades Cut Down to
Relieve consested Traffic Instead of
Double Tracking.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Webster City, Dec. 24.-Mr. VonCra.
enbroeck, and party of Illinois Cen.
trail railway officials, have taken III
residence in this city to remain unit
the work of changing the grade of tn,
road across Iowa is completed. This
Illinois Central has in contemplation {
marked departure in railroad building
in that it will undertake to relieve con-
gested traffic by elevating, its tracks
doing away with grade crossing
Strengthening curves and leveling
grades so that long trains can be run
over a single track at terrific speed in
stead of double tracking the line to
carry the increased business.
Talking to newspaper man Mr.. Won
Craenbroeck said:
"The work will be done to avoid
double tracking the line. The immense
amount of stock and freight work
which we are now doing necessitates
that something be done to relieve the
appropriated $1,000,000 to be spent on
their line between Fort Dodge and
Waterloo. The right of way will be
filled in from 10 to AZ feet in and about
this city. The east bridge over the
Boone river here will be raised about
10 feet and the grades approaching 1t
will be filled in accordingly. The few
curves on the line between Fort Dodge
and Waterloo will be Strengthened out
The work when finished will admit OF
better time being made and will relieve
traffic greatly. 1t will consume year
or more in building. Myself and the
other employees located here expect to
remain that length of time.
Grading the line, expensive though 1t
is, is cheaper than double tracking.
The leveling of the grade Is expected
to answer the same purpose. On ac-
count of the grade about this city hav-
ing to be raised SO much, temporary
track will be laid around the line of
grading so that the work will not in
terfere with traffic. The contracts for
all this work have now been let, states
Mr.. Won Craenbroeck and 1t is expect
ed that the first ground will be broken
In March.
The Central expects to Straightforward
level the track between Fort Dodge
and Waterloo next season. The year
following 1T is expected that they will
carry on this same line OF work from
Dubuque east to Chicago. From Chi
cago south to New Orleans-with the
exception of a 100 mile strip south of
Fulton, Illinois - the line is double
tracked. The line west, however will
only be leveled and Strengthened for the
present. Then when the time shall
come when a double track will be
necessary. a much better line can be
built upon the straight, level right-o of
way which the company proposes to
build next year. The magnitude of
The work is hardly comprehensive to
people unacquainted with railroad
With the steam shovels,
gravel, dirt and cinder trains, and
gangs of workmen that will be in our
midst next year, however,we will re-
alize that the Central has large prop
osition to solve and means business.
In consequence of all this Webster
City will have the distinction of be-
ng located on one of the most level
loads to be found anywhere and will
ind that her stock and freight traffic
will be handled with more ease and
he service in all departments much