Towns and Nature: Manly, IA: Manly Junction Tower: RI vs. C&NW, Roundhouse, Railroad Museum and Wood Grain Elevator

Tower: (Satellite, Todd Street has been built on the former railroad property.)

Roundhouse: (Satellite)

Old Elevator: (Satellite)

Jim Murphy posted two photos with the comment: "This January 16, 1972 photo, by Jim Murphy, shows the interior of the abandoned former CGW tower at Manly Junction. In its prime years of the 1940s, it had 47 moves in 8 hours. By 1965 it averaged 27 in 24 hours, and in 1971 it was down to 12-14. Black levers controlled turnouts and derails, blue controlled electric locks, and red ones signals. Thought to have been built in 1902 or 1903, it was demolished in 1972 after the control of the junction was moved to the dispatchers office in Mason City, IA. The last levermen were; Gus Darling, Fred Ward, Jose Torres, and Don Bonner. Frances Ostlund, retired leverman, provided this information in a Globe-Gazette newspaper article."

2, cropped

The north/south route through town had RI on the west side and C&NW on the east side. C&NW had the spoke to the northeast while RI had the spoke to the southeast.

1972/75 Manly Quad @ 24,000

Since 1972 is rather late for a topo map to still show a roundhouse, I looked at a satellite map for the remnants. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that most of it is still standing. They cut a gap in the roundhouse to provide rail access to the grain elevator.

Satellite

Here is a view of the roundhouse with the gap. In the right background is a Rock Island caboose.

Street View, Oct 2024

The caboose is in better shape than the two passenger cars parked next to it. Looking at a satellite image, the turntable is not usable and those cars are stranded.