A yardmaster is a person responsible for the control of the trains and engines operating in the yard. I think this yardmaster has taken a permenant break.
This line was originally built by the St. Louis, Des Moines and Northern Railway in 1882. Ownership of the line passed through successive hands via various mergers and bankruptcies/consolidations
- Des Moines and Northern Railway in 1889
- Des Moines, Northern and Western Railway in 1891
- Chicago, Milwaukee and Saint Paul Railroad in 1899
- Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad in 1927
- Norfolk and Western Railroad in 1988
- Norfolk Southern Railway in 1998
The line was actually abandoned by the CMStP&P in 1980 as part of its bankruptcy reorganization, but was soon brought back to service by the Norfolk and Western in 1988.
The Norfolk Southern abandoned a portion of the right-of-way around Grimes in 2012.