RFRIC – The CRANDIC Interurban Railway.

When Iowa joined the Union in 1846, transportation in and around the Hawkeye State was very limited. Riverboats, of course, worked well in connecting the larger communities located on the Mississippi River, but for the good people of Iowa City, traveling outside of the capital city was limited to horseback, horse-drawn carriage, and stagecoach. Back east, the railroads were becoming quite abundant (see map below), but the closest train station to Iowa City was in Chicago.

Over a period of 120 years of Iowa City history (1850-1970) there have been five railway systems (see map below) that have attempted to bring passenger rail service into our community. One of those railroads was very short-lived, while others were here nearly that entire time.

This map – courtesy of historian Tom Schulien – shows the five passenger railway systems of Iowa City. **Brown** – **Lyons-Iowa Central RR – The Calico** (1850-1854) **Green** – **M&M / Rock Island RR** (1853-1974) **Blue** – **Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern RR – The Plug** (1873-1924), **Black** – **CRANDIC Interurban Railway** (1904-1953) **Red** – **Iowa City Electric Railway** (1910-1930).

On this page, let’s take a deeper dive into the fourth railway system of Iowa City…

***Interurban #120 rolls down Capitol Street near Old Capitol – circa 1944.***

Interurban rail service is a type of electric railway, with streetcar-like electric self-propelled rail cars which run within and between cities or towns. Interurban was very prevalent in North America between 1900 and 1925 and was used primarily for passenger travel between cities and their surrounding suburban and rural communities until the automobile became readily available. Below (left) is a map of Iowa showing the interurban rail service throughout the state, with Irving Weber’s commentary (right).

As the new century began (1903), the citizens of Cedar Rapids and Iowa City are truly excited as the construction of the Dows & Smith Electrified Interurban Railway – later known as the Cedar Rapids & Iowa City Railway (CRANDIC) Interurban – finally began. By June 1903, local newspapers (see below) were reporting that the Interurban would be transporting customers between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids by the time “the snow flies”. But alas, Christmas 1903 came and went – and, you guessed it, no Interurban!

Six months later – the June 3, 1904 (below-left) and the June 10, 1904 (below-right) editions of The Iowa City Daily Press revive hope that the Interurban will be pulling into downtown Iowa City very soon!

*(P-0075)* ***This picture postcard features the Interurban Cut – as the CRANDIC line moves eastward toward the Iowa River and downtown Iowa City. Circa 1910.***

The August 11, 1904 edition of The Daily Press (below) announces the first “official” run of the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Rail & Light Company’s Interurban – Saturday, August 13, 1904, carrying happy passengers over the 27-mile route from Cedar Rapids to Iowa City.

On that same day, a booster power station is brought on-line for the first time – and that power station will eventually become the Iowa Electric Power and Light Company – later becoming the CRANDIC’s parent company – Alliant Energy.

*(P-0076)* *Circa 1905 – University Square with the CRANDIC Interurban Bridge in the foreground.* *As you can see from the map (below) the Interurban came into Iowa City from the west, crossing the Iowa River and then, looping around downtown Iowa City.*

Above (left) is a poem written for the opening day of the Interurban – as published in the August 5, 1904 edition of The Iowa City Daily Press. Above (right) is a SUI campus map that shows the Interurban route into and around downtown Iowa City in 1909-1910.

Interestingly, with its direct line now between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids, the Interurban quickly replaced the BCR&N’s clumsy connecting service where customers took The Plug Line to Elmira in northeast Johnson County, and then transferred over to the northbound line traveling through Morse, Solon, Ely, and finally into Cedar Rapids. Read more here.

Over the next twenty years, The Interurban – with its 63-stops over the 27-mile route – when combined with the Rock Island and BCR&N railroads, and the Iowa City Electric Railway, became one of the most used sources of transportation for most Iowa Citians.

The Iowa City Interurban Ticket Office (see pic above) was located on the northwest corner of South Clinton and East College Street – currently the site of the Old Capitol Town Center (see map below). Over the last dozen years or so of passenger service (1940-1953), the office moved to the southeast corner of Burlington and Front Streets (see red x).

In the mid-late 1930’s, SUI Campus Maps also show 2 additional Interurban stops (yellow x) – the first was immediately on the east side of the Iowa River (near today’s Danforth Chapel in Hubbard Park) and the second was on Front Street – just east of the University Power Plant – and was called the CRANDIC Interurban Yard (see pics below)…

We just had to include this story from the November 21, 1919 edition of The Iowa City Daily Citizen. With automobiles being the new, exciting craze across America, Overland Automobile came up with the Overland 4 which could travel on railroad tracks! H.W. Brenizer, Manager of the local Overland dealership, took a tour with a new Overland 4 using the CRANDIC Interurban tracks from Cedar Rapids to Iowa City!

From its inception in 1904 into the late 1920’s, many passengers took the Interurban to the SUI Hospitals (above) – both located in the downtown area of Iowa City – for medical care. Others used the Interurban to travel to Cedar Rapids to see a show, eat dinner, or take a simple tour of the countryside.

Read how the CRANDIC played a major role in the development of Oakdale Hall – the tuberculosis sanatorium built north of Coralville in 1908.

***Welcome to Iowa Field – Home of the Hawkeyes (1895-1928). Read more here.***

The CRANDIC Interurban not only served the local hospitals in Iowa City, but it also provided the best transportation option for sports fans, running special trains to events such as Hawkeye football, baseball, and basketball games, since between 1904 and 1928, all SUI sporting events were held at the SUI Athletic Complex located just west of Old Capitol (see pic below)…

*Here’s a great shot of Iowa Field and the Hawkeye Sports Complex of the 1920’s – with the CRANDIC Interurban running adjacent to all stadiums – football, baseball, and basketball.* *Read more here.*

Here’s a CRANDIC Interurban timetable schedule from 1922…

Iowa City historian Irving Weber tells the story (below left) of the rainy Homecoming on November 11, 1922, when 1,500 Iowa and Minnesota football fans needed the Interurban to rescue them from the muddy, impassible roads of Johnson County…

Even in the midst of the Great Depression, the Interurban continued to be one of the cheapest and most reliable forms of transportation for those wanting to commute between Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and all points in between.

**(P-0077) A photograph (above) of the CRANDIC Interurban as it crosses over the Cedar River, arriving in Cedar Rapids.**

In early July, 1930, the voters of Iowa City were given the opportunity to vote on whether or not the Iowa Railway & Light Company – owners of the Interurban – could expand their operation southward from downtown Iowa City to the Rock Island Railroad Depot.

The July 7, 1930 edition of The Iowa City Press-Citizen lays out the big decision for area voters. This edition is full of ads – both pro and con – offering voters a clear choice in the July 8th election.

***The July 9th edition of the Press-Citizen (below) announces the positive results – the CRANDIC can expand in Iowa City!***

Advertising the CRANDIC Interurban in local newspapers was a key way to grow ridership. Below are just a few of the ads found in The Press-Citizen…

Above are a few CRANDIC collectibles from OIH collection – (M-0007) CRANDIC Railroad Patch, (M-0008) CRANDIC Tickets, (P-0078) CRANDIC #109 arrives in Cedar Rapids.

On September 23, 1939, the Iowa City Press-Citizen announced… Interurban To Change Times: New Streamlined Cars Go Into Service Tomorrow.

The CRANDIC had just purchased six high-speed, light-weight interurban cars – #110, #111, #116, #117 (pictured above), #118, and #119 – from the recently-abandoned Cincinnati and Lake Erie Railroad. These modernized trolleys could cut the transit time between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City by one quarter – making the 27-mile route in only 45 minutes, earning them the name: Red Devils.

These faster trolleys running on the CRANDIC’s slightly uneven tracks led to the popular saying – “Swing and Sway the CRANDIC Way”, and, yes, for some customers, these new Red Devils were also labeled as Vomit Comets!

But, despite the jokes, the CRANDIC did a booming business in its heyday, running 12 trains daily, with many benefiting from the CRANDIC’s hourly departure from either city – beginning at 5 a.m. and ending at midnight.

No one group characterized the CRANDIC’s typical passenger: they came from towns or farms, and included men, women and children of all ages. Children took the train to school on popular cars such as the “Hot Shot” – a car that traveled south through North Liberty at 8 a.m. carrying 40-50 students to high school in Iowa City. Other cars, such as the “Milk Can Special” picked up both milk and students who had missed earlier cars. In a typical day, that train would carry 300 gallons of milk.

***The CRANDIC Interurban crossing the Iowa River – circa 1940’s.***

The Interurban peaked in popularity during the War years (1941-1945) with nearly 600,000 passengers annually, due to gas rationing and rubber tire shortages.

The Interurban’s #120 was the final trolley added to the CRANDIC fleet (1942). It’s reported by those who are old enough to remember #120, that she was, by far, the most comfortable ride of all the modernized, high-speed trolleys. This may be why #120 was the most photographed trolley in the CRANDIC line. Take a look at more photographs of the CRANDIC trolleys here.

After World War II, and with the advent of the automobile and better highways, the popularity of the Interurban began to wane. By the early 1950’s, with ridership at an all-time low – falling below 30,000 in 1950 – it became obvious that the CRANDIC’s passenger service was coming to a fast conclusion…

On May 9, 1953, the Iowa City Press-Citizen announces the decision by the Iowa State Commerce Commission to approve “the end of trolley passenger service” for the CRANDIC.

So, on May 30, 1953, Iowa City experienced the end of an era…

***On May 30, 1953, CRANDIC’s Interurban #120 pulls into Iowa City for the final time, crossing over the Iowa River Bridge.***

From August 13, 1904 to May 30, 1953 – The CRANDIC’s Interurban served the people Johnson and Linn Counties very well!

***Closing Day brought out many people to take in the show!*** **Below (left) Here’s a souvenir ticket for the final run, and below (right) the May 30, 1953 edition of The Daily Iowan announces the “Last Crandic Passenger Trip” scheduled for that morning.**

So, here’s the schedule for the day…

Records show that on May 30, 1953, there were four round-trip runs that morning, with six Red Devil Trolleys #111, #116, #117, #118, #119, and #120 taking their turns on the route. The last trolley (#120) left Iowa City at 10:25 am, arriving in Cedar Rapids at 11:15 am. And with that, the Interurban era for the CRANDIC Railway came to an end.

While the passenger service is now long gone, the CRANDIC continues today as a major mover of freight – which was first added to the line in 1907…

In 2025, as we write-up this page, there is strong interest in reviving electrified train service between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. Time will tell if the idea comes to fruition…

CRANDIC Interurban Trolley #111…

**The CRANDIC Trolley #111 has been fully restored and is alive & well, living at the Western Railway Museum in Suisun City, California. Read more here.**

CRANDIC Interurban Trolley #118…

(P-0289) When service between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids ended in May 1953, CRANDIC Trolley #118 – one of the Red Devils – was sold to The Seashore Trolley Museum in Maine. This 1978 postcard (below) features the old girl in her new setting. For the complete story – visit the museum’s website.

CRANDIC Interurban Trolley #120…

Read the story of the CRANDIC Interurban Bridge over Iowa Avenue…

Riding The Five Rails Of Iowa City – An Introduction
The Lyons-Iowa Central RR – The Calico (1850-1854)
The Mississippi & Missouri (M&M) / Rock Island (CRI&P) RR (1853-1974)
The Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern (BCR&N) RR – The Plug (1873-1924)
The Cedar Rapids & Iowa City (CRANDIC) Interurban Railway (1904-1953)
The CRANDIC Interurban Railway Trolley Picture Page
The Iowa City Electric Railway (1910-1930)

Gone – but never forgotten!

On July 1, 1976, The Iowa City Press-Citizen published a special 76-page Bicentennial edition. In that edition there were articles and pictures related to stories found on this page. You can read more here.