Railroading enthusiasts will soon have a chance to ride the rails in the style of a century ago while helping several small western Iowa communities preserve past traditions for the future.
Melanie Byers, a spokeswoman for the White Pole Road Development Corporation, says the rare opportunity will be next Saturday, October 17th.
“The Iowa Interstate Railroad has some historic passenger cars that are around 100 years old and they’re going to be in Stewart offering train rides from Stewart to Adair and then back,” Byers says. “It’s about a 40-minute train ride and we’re doing it to raise funds for the White Pole Road Scenic Byway so we can repaint the poles, keep the history alive and also beautify the 26-mile Scenic Byway.”
The train ride is a fundraiser for the communities along the historic stretch of road, including Adair, Casey, Menlo, Stuart and Dexter.
“Stuart and Casey have been really building up their downtown areas. We’re working on that in Adair as well. Dexter has the Rusty Duck and different things and people might not even know that stuff exists,” Byers says. “So, hey, get off the interstate, take that Dexter exit and then take the 26 miles to Adair and you can pop right back on the interstate.”
The history of White Pole Road dates back to the era long before Iowa had paved roads when covered wagons were more the norm. There weren’t even white-painted utility poles then, Byers says, but there were white fence posts.
“It was a way of taking people along the historic Highway 6 and trying to find their way using their wagons and everything else back in the day to be able to find their way between different points of interest and different places along the railroad,” Byers says. “It was just one way to guide them because, of course, we didn’t have roads back then. So we’re trying to preserve that history.”
Organizers of the special train ride hope to add to the time-traveling experience for the passengers.
“We wanted to support the fact that it was like 100-year old train cars and the whole era,” she says, “so several of us will be actually dressed for that particular era, including the conductors that are on the train.”
There are three departure times on October 17th from the Stuart Depot, at 10 and 11:30 AM and at 1 PM. Purchase tickets and learn more here: https://www.whitepoleroad.com/events-2/
