History

    Originally a streetcar line, the Waterloo and Cedar Falls Rapid Transit Company came into being in 1896 by purchasing the Waterloo Street Railway.  In April 1904, it changed its name to the Waterloo, Cedar Falls & Northern Railway Company.  By 1913, it had completed its line between Waterloo Iowa and Cedar Rapids.  In 1956, the Waterloo Railroad was created by the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad and the Illinois Central Railroad to buy the WCF&N.  In 1968, the CRI&P sold its share to the IC.  After most of the trackage was abandoned, the remainder ended up in the Chicago, Central & Pacific Railroad when it was created in 1985.  Just before then the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad declared the 11 miles between Water Valley and Bruce Mississippi the Waterloo Railway.  When CN sold that off in 2008, it declared between MP 72.48 (near Woolworth, MS)  and MP 76.8 (near Carlos. MS)  on the Central Sub to be the new Waterloo Railway.  Cars bearing the reporting marks WLO can still be found riding the rails of North America.

Map

 1897-1914

 1968

 In February 1977 the ICC approved abandonment between Gilbertville and Cedar Rapids.

 In 1981, the line south of Waterloo to Gilbertville was abandoned.

 None Known