Preliminary Information

The D&W Railroad was formed in 2002 by TRANSCO Railway Products. The D&W name was dedicated in remembrance of Dan Steil and John “Woody” Woodson, two former TRANSCO employees who lost their lives in a tragic on-the-job accident in Oelwein.

The D&W Railroad was established to acquire the rail line from Dewar to Oelwein, Iowa, from the Union Pacific Railroad to prevent abandonment.

In 2005, the railroad reorganized from D&W Railroad, Inc., to D&W Railroad, LLC. The D&W owned 18.8 miles of track.

Upon the completion of the Hawkeye Renewables, LLC Plant in Fairbank in May 2006, Hawkeye Renewables became a part-owner of the line from Dewar to just outside Fairbank.

On January 6, 2011, Hawkeye Renewables, LLC notified Flint Hills Resources Renewables, LLC of an agreement of sale. The sale to Flint Hills Resources Renewables, LLC was completed on February 17, 2011. Following the sale, Hawkeye Renewables, LLC relinquished its part-ownership of the D&W Railroad back to TRANSCO Railway Products.

In June 2020, the Iowa Northern Railway Company filed an Acquisition Exemption for a portion of the D&W Railroad, LLC, approximately 23.40 miles of rail line, including:

• The rail line from milepost 332.0 at Dewar, Iowa, to milepost 354.5 (end of line), including the most easterly rail line and right of way, known as the Main Line, located adjacent to the Oelwein Yard in Oelwein, Iowa.
• The rail line from milepost 245.58 to milepost 245.0 at Oelwein.
• The rail line comprising 0.32 miles of wye track at Oelwein that connects the so-called ‘‘East Leg’’ track to the Main Line track (collectively, the Line).

Since 2013, the railroad has been operated by the Iowa Northern Railway to provide service to shippers. The main products handled on the rail line include grain, chemicals, plastic pellets, grain products, and rail cars for repair or rebuilding.