Treasure on the Mississippi 

The first railroad track through Cassville was laid in 1885 by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy line, and the first train came through the following year, opening up a new avenue for shipping and receiving goods in one of the richest agricultural counties in the state.

steamboat, and farmers from as far away as Madison brought their products and stock to be shipped from this port...But when the river froze over in winter, merchandise had to be hauled to and from Galena, IL which had the nearest rail line. (terminal)

There was some earlier rail connection in 1875, when a railroad was built along the Turkey River on the Iowa side of the Mississippi. Passengers going to or from Cassville on that line were then ferried across the river.

In 1913, the double track was laid through Cassville, and ordinance records show the CB&Q paid the Village of Cassville $3000 for all the land it bought.Trains ran mostly from Chicago to Minneapolis, connecting as well with other lines, and Cassville, which is half way between the Twin Cities and Chicago, still displays its Milepost (MP) 213.1 marker at the Wall Street crossing. Trains made passenger stops in town twice a day, and US Postal pick up and delivery was part of the service.

Frequently trains needed water for their steam engines and the company offered Cassville 4 cents per thousand gallons of water or a flat rate of $100 per year. Under threat that the railroad would put in its own water plant, the village agreed to the price. Among the steam trains that ran on these tracks were the Blackhawk, Main Streamer, and Great Northern.

Right from the start the mighty power of trains going through the village raised concerns among the residents, and Cassville put the railroad on notice that trains were to travel no more than six miles per hour through the village under "pain of persecution." Years later, with increased traffic, when village complaints of excessive speed by trains were ignored by the railroad, townspeople stationed their own watchmen to hang out lamps and warn people when a train was coming through.

Steam locomotives eventually gave way to diesel powered engines and speed was an important goal. The stretch along the Mississippi River was touted as the fastest track in the country.

The CB&Q eventually merged to become the Burlington Northern, and by 1990 its system owned 2500 locomotives, 110,000 cars and 27,000 miles of track, making it the longest railroad in the United States.

Passenger business was brisk, and round trip fare from Cassville to Chicago was $10.50. A smaller, slower train, dubbed the Milk Train by local riders, was also used extensively and provided local service to Dubuque for a round trip fare of $1.02.

There was great disappointment when the Zephyr discontinued passenger service in mid 1971, and all passenger service stopped when Amtrak took over in late 1979. However, rail traffic through town continues today at a heavy pace, averaging 25 to 30 trains a day.

So, whether sitting in a boat on the river, relaxing in Riverside Park that parallels the rail line or perched along the bluff in Nelson Dewey State Park for a birdseye view, train buffs can find exceptional viewing satisfaction. Confirming that was a recent issue of Model Railroader Magazine, that named Cassville "the second best place in the country to watch trains."