There are two sets of crossovers at Maxon (MP 301.9), where there are new signals turned sideways in April, 2012, activated on July 12, 2012, as the lines come back together again from the southwest and west-southwest, and a former Minneapolis & St. Louis line leaves to the northeast as the main line, previously TWC (formerly current-of-traffic) DT, ABS, again, until the CTC was activated on July 12, 2012 continues northeast for awhile, past a dirt road grade crossing, and then again splits into two parts, one (eastbound) turning east past a dirt track grade crossing, a spindly road bridge overhead, a bridge over a culvert, a dirt road grade crossing, a detector at MP 298.4, and Avery and then northeast, past Intermediate Signals at MP 297.x, where there are new signals turned sideways in April, 2012, a dirt road grade crossing a bridge over a culvert, a dirt road grade crossing, a dirt track grade crossing, and the other (westbound) continuing northeast, passing a dirt track grade crossing, a spindly road bridge overhead, an angled dirt road grade crossing, a detector at MP 298.4, a wooded cutting, and a dirt road grade crossing, and then turning east-northeast to Fredric (MP 294.x), where there are new signals turned sideways in April, 2012, activated on July 12, 2012, and the tracks come back together again, heading east past a grade crossing, a bridge over a stream, Intermediate Signals (MP 293.6, Cargill Spur), Dudley, two bridges over culverts, Intermediate Signals at MP 291.x, where there are new signals turned sideways in April, 2012, just a bit further east, activated on July 12, 2012, a bridge over a stream, a dirt road grade crossing, a dirt track grade crossing, and a bridge over a stream, to the crossovers at ISU Switch (MP 289.1, new signals turned sideways in June, 2012, now CP 2888), activated on July 11, 2012, where there is a spur on the north side to the ISU Chillicothe Power Plant on the west bank of the Des Moines River, and a road bridge overhead just east of the crossovers. In April 2012, there is a new overhead road bridge under construction at this location.
The line turns south-southeast, past grain elevators on the south side, no longer rail-served, Intermediate Signals at MP 287.x, where there are new signals turned sideways in April, 2012, activated on July 12, 2012, a grade crossing, a bridge over a stream, a road alongside to the south, two dirt track grade crossings, and Intermediate Signals, to Chillicothe, on the west bank of the river, and east-southeast on a through truss bridge across that river to MP 284,, with a 45-35 speed limit from MP 281.3 to 280.5, past Intermediate Signals, a dirt track grade crossing, and a bridge over a stream, along the east bank of the Des Moines River, and 30-25 from MP 280.5-279.0, past Soo Line Xing (MP 280.4), aka IC&E Crossing, where there are new signals turned sideways in April, 2012, activated on July 12, 2012, and the former Soo Line crosses at grade with a southwest quadrant connector, extra track on the south side, a grade crossing, the extra track trailing in, two grade crossings, and a road bridge overhead, and crossovers west of the station, to the passenger station at Ottumwa (MP 279.6), where the stone depot is on the north side of the line, there is a platform between the tracks with umbrella sheds with steel supports, and there are crossovers east of the station, where the des Moines River is still just to the south, followed by two grade crossings, a road bridge overhead, extra track on the south side, trailing in, a grade crossing. three tracks on the south side connecting the west end of a five-track yard, and a grade crossing. One of the grade crossings is Iowa Avenue, MP 278.51.
A spur to South Ottumwa leaves to the south east of the yard, and the line curves east past a road bridge overhead, a bridge over a street, Intermediate Signals, East Ottumwa, where a Rock Island line headed southeast, with speed limit 40-30 from MP 279.0 to 277.6, extra track on the north side, southeast where a Chicago, Fort Madison and Des Moines (CF&D) line once crossed at grade, east past a dirt road grade crossing, a cemetery on the south side, three grade crossings, Agency City, with speed limit 60-50 from MP 277.6 to 276.5 and 79-60 resuming thereafter, a spur on the south side trailing in, a dirt road grade crossing, detectors at MP 271.3, MP 271, Intermediate Signals, a road bridge overhead, a dirt road grade crossing, Intermediate Signals, a dirt road grade crossing, and a grade crossing, to the two sets of crossovers at Batavia (MP 266.1), where there is extra track trailing in on the north side, serving grain silos, and the CF&D once crossed at grade, continuing past a bridge over a dirt road, MP 263, two dirt track grade crossings, Intermediate Signals at MP 262.x, MP 262, new (2007) dual road bridges overhead, a spindly road bridge overhead, MP 261, Intermediate Signals at MP 260.x, two road bridges overhead, Intermediate Signals at MP 257.4, Bernhart, a rail-served industry on the north side with the spur facing west, a grade crossing, a 60-50 speed limit (head-end only) from MP 256.9-255.5, a spur into a power plant on the south side, two grade crossings, extra tracks on the south side, a grade crossing, a bridge over a street, a grade crossing, a brick depot on the south side (not used for passengers), a grade crossing, and the two sets of manual crossovers at Fairfield (MP 255.4), where there are extra tracks and rail-served silos on the north side and a Rock Island line once crossed at grade.
There are two grade crossings, a road bridge overhead, Intermediate Signals at MP 252.5, a dirt road grade crossing, a detector at MP 251.6, a dirt road grade crossing, crossovers at CP2502 (MP 250.2), replacing the crossovers at Beckwith (MP 250.1) in March, 2012, two dirt road grade crossings, a divided highway alongside to the south, Intermediate Signals (MP 247.5), jogging south-southeast past Glendale, three dirt road grade crossings, with a 79-50 on the westbound main from MP 250.0 to 243.0, MP 246.5, and a spindly road bridge overhead, and continuing east past Intermediate Signals at MP 245.0, a bridge over a road, a cemetery on the south side, crossovers at "MP 244" (Lockridge), Intermediate Signals (MP 243.1), two dirt road grade crossings, Intermediate Signals (MP 240.9), Rome, a rail-served industry on the north side, a bridge over a road, a bridge over a river, Intermediate Signals (MP 238.9), dual road bridges overhead, a road bridge overhead, a bridge over a stream, a road bridge overhead, Intermediate Signals, three grade crossings (one is Bromberg St., MP 233.6, and the last is Adun Street, MP 233.4), the brick depot on the south side at the Mount Pleasant passenger station, with a platform on the north side, a grade crossing east of the depot (Lincoln St., MP 233.3), 3-4 extra tracks on the south side, two grade crossings (Lee St., MP 233.0 and Cherry St., MP 232.8), the extra track trailing in, and dual road bridges overhead (US 61), to the two sets of manual crossovers at Mount Pleasant (MP 233.2), with a head-end-only speed limit of 60-50 between MP 233.8 and 232.8.
The line turns east-southeast, with new signals turned sideways between Mt. Pleasant and Burlington in June, 2012, past Intermediate Signals at MP 232.0, a spur from industry trailing in on the north side, a grade crossing, dual road bridges overhead, a third road bridge just to their east, Intermediate Signals and detectors at MP 229.9, a dirt road grade crossing, Intermediate Signals at MP 226.4, a dirt road grade crossing, a bridge over a road, grain silos on the south side, a grade crossing, and grain silos on the south side, with a spur trailing in on the south side, the crossovers at New London (MP 224.6), and then southeast past three dirt road grade crossings, Intermediate Signals at MP 219.8, a dirt road grade crossing, a divided highway alongside to the south, a grade crossing in Danville, where there are silos and a spur on the south side, a dirt road grade crossing, two dirt track grade crossings, a dirt road grade crossing, a dirt track grade crossing, and a dirt road grade crossing, east at Middletown past dual road bridges overhead, a grade crossing in Middletown, a dirt track grade crossing, MP 214, a grade crossing, extra track on the south side, a dirt track grade crossing, detectors at MP 213.1, a grade crossing, and crossovers at Dayman (MP 212.5), where there are spurs south into the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, as well as extra track on the south side, and three spurs on the north side serving a silo complex to the north.
There is a grade crossing, MP 212, a dirt road grade crossing, MP 211.6, dual road bridges overhead, the speed limit becomes 79-50 at MP 211.0, two grade crossings, MP 210, extra track on the south side, a footbridge overhead, two sets of crossovers at West Burlington (MP 209.3), with West Burlington Shops on the north side of the line, sidings for Maintenance of Way on the south side, and an industrial track heading south, a road bridge overhead, the speed limit drops to 50-40 at MP 209.0, and the line heads southeast down the hill, past a grade crossing, a road bridge overhead, and dual road bridges overhead, MP 208, and MP 207, the speed limit drops to 40-20 at MP 206.8, and 2MT, CTC, replace the DT, ABS, TWC at Lucas Street (MP 206.7), where there is a signal bridge. There is a road bridge overhead, dual road bridges overhead, a road bridge overhead, three grade crossings (incl. 6th St., MP 206.13, and 4th St.), a dirt road grade crossing, a road bridge overhead at MP 206, and a grade crossing, and the speed limit drops to 12-8 mph at MP 205.9, where the line turns south as a spur (the remains of a former line along the west bank of the Mississippi trails in from the north) trails in from the north, three grade crossings (one is Third Street, MP 205.81, and another is Main Street), a location sign for Main Street, and the concrete Burlington (MP 205.4) passenger depot is on the west side of the line with two platforms with concrete umbrella sheds, to the west of the westernmost track, and between the tracks, and a stub south-facing track on the west side of the western platform, south of the depot, as well as a stuffed-and mounted steam loco, #2003, on the west side, and 6-8 yard or staging tracks on the east side of the line.