All aboard! Jasper County officially launches rail park with Iowa Interstate Railroad

When fully constructed and at full capacity, the Newton Rail Park — with its bevy of industrial businesses — has the potential to create thousands of jobs.

Local leaders and representatives from Iowa Interstate Railroad on July 30 gathered in the rotunda of the county courthouse in Newton to celebrate the finalized land acquisition and the official launch of the new rail park, which is the result of a public-private partnership between Jasper County and the railroad.

Other partnerships with entities like Jasper County Economic Development Corporation (JEDCO), Newton Development Corporation, the City of Newton, Alliant Energy, ITC Midwest and Black Hills Energy have bolstered the project to where it is today. Supervisor Brandon Talsma emphasized their importance.

“We do feel like this is truly a historic opportunity for Jasper County and all of Central Iowa,” Talsma said. “…Each entity, naturally, is looking after their best interests but often no entity themselves can deliver economic development on this scale by themselves. It takes work, understanding and patience.”

The rail park, located northeast of Newton, marks a significant economic development milestone for the region and Central Iowa. The county and railroad acquired 294 acres of farmland for this project and expanded already existing railroad property to establish the rail park, totaling 367 developable acres.

Talsma said the rail park and its ties to Iowa Interstate Railroad’s network and customer service sets the site up for positive economic growth. He also noted this process took a long time to finalize. Discussions, agreements, partnerships and extensive haggling between lawyers led to this becoming reality.

“This industrial site is poised to be the largest economic development opportunity in Jasper County for over 75 years and has a potential to have a generational impact,” Talsma said. “It is our hope not to just attract businesses and employers here in Jasper County, but entities that will complement and support our history.”

Especially the region’s history of manufacturing and farming. Jim Bowman, senior director of economic and site development at Iowa Interstate Railroad, told reporters the most desirable businesses the rail park wants to attract are major manufacturers and even food-related manufacturers.

“There are a handful of targeted industries that have been assessed for this site that we’re digging deep into,” Bowman said.

Concept plans show the site hosting up to eight businesses, with some roughly the size of the nearby TPI Composites. On paper there is a high capacity for job positions.

Bowman said it all depends on the final prospects that build at the rail park.

“But just given the land mass and the industries we are targeting, this has the potential — again, given the size — of having a few thousand jobs,” he said. “I would be shocked if we didn’t. If you look at TPI and you replicate that footprint and the number of jobs they have, it could create a significant amount of jobs.”

Joe Parsons, president and CEO of Iowa Interstate Railroad, LLC, said the multi-generational, family-owned business was founded in 1984 and operates roughly 500 miles of tracks. The company has prided itself in leveraging opportunities for significant growth for the next generation and beyond.

“Many of the railroads that went belly up in the early ’80s after deregulation don’t exist today,” Parsons said at the courthouse. “We’re still here. We’re a vital part of the community not only here in Newton and Jasper County but across every community that we serve from Chicago and the Council Bluffs area.”

Parsons gave special thanks to Jasper County and its board of supervisors for investing more than $6.2 million into the rail park.

“So, Brandon, to you and the other supervisors: Thank you so much for the financial support and your cooperation,” Parsons said.

U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks said the operative word in his project is — you guessed it — partnerships. The congresswoman loosely quoted Thomas Edison: “Opportunity is dressed in overalls and looks like hard work.” Miller-Meeks said a project like this requires vision, perseverance and work ethic.

“That’s what you’ve done,” she said. “On the federal level, we’re partners with our state and local government. We’re here. We’re working with you … I cannot be more excited for Jasper County and for Newton. Every time something happens economically here it’s always tough. You feel like the little sister to Des Moines.”

Miller-Meeks added she is ready, willing and able to assist on the federal level. Iowa House Rep. Jon Dunwell said as someone who serves on the Economic Development Appropriations Committee these partnerships are the kind he and his fellow legislators like to see happening in the community.

“I often tell people that leadership is little bit like being a surfer,” Dunwell said. “There you are, sitting on the beach and you look out on the water; and what you’re looking for is that right wave. But that right wave isn’t right in front of you. It’s out there in the distance. It starts out as something small.”

Dunwell added that economic development teams in the county were out looking for that perfect wave and he credited those leaders for finally finding it.

“I see the kind of leadership that Jasper County needs to move us forward to return some of the economic vitality that has been here in the past, that’s already here and needs to move forward in the future,” Dunwell said. “And I think it’s a great example of what awaits us.”