Manly, IA: Manly Junction Tower: RI vs. CGW, RI 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."

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Marty Bernard posted
Rock Island and CGW Tower, Manley, IA. Walt Dunlap collection

Chicago & North Western Historical Society posted
A very essential railroad building in the less than full electronic days.  We are looking at a junction tower controlling railroad movements through a junction.  This Chicago Great Western tower was once located in Manley, Iowa.  The photo is a Paul Warrington photo from July 1950.

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

1972/75 Manly Quad @ 24,000

I switched to a low resolution topo map to get an older map that would show CGW.

1954/67 Mason City Quad @ 250,000

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.

Jonathan Fischer, May 2023

The railroad museum is a modern building rather than a preservation of a depot.

Street View, Oct 2024

I wonder what the old grain elevators are now used for.

Street View, Oct 2024

Obviously, the new elevator is used for most of the storage.

Street View, Oct 2024

I used this aerial to determine the location of the junction tower.

Oct 12, 1949 @ 70,000; ARA000700070325

Mary James posted eight images with the comment: "Various old photos of Manly, Iowa,  once a booming Railroad town in Worth County, Iowa.   ©️Scott Cooper"

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