Source: Osceola Centennial Issue 1851-1951, section 5, page 1.
The Sentinel editor, J. B. Dague, wrote about the first train in the January 17, 1868 issue.
The B & M railroad has at last "come to town." On the 15th of October last the company commenced to extend the road west from Chariton, laying ties, iron, and building bridges; the grading having been nearly finished. After three months of eager expectation, and disappointment, on the part of our citizens, the track was completed to our village on the 15th instant. In a few days all trains will run regularly and we will no longer plod along in our "old accustomed paths" but will be within speaking distance with our friends on the Atlantic coast.
This is the old Burlington "Wahoo" locomotive that first plied the rails through Osceola in the late sixties [1860's].
From the same issue of The Sentinel comes word of a north-south rail line.
The railroad meeting called in the interest of the north and south rail road through this place took place Thursday, hence we are unable to give any particulars until next week. The call is signed by L.H. Sales of Leon, president of the road, and is to the effect of having interested parties of Des Moines, Indianola, Osceola and Decatur county meet here for the purpose of putting the road through to completion. It wasn't until 1884, however, that a north-south road was finally built. It was called the Des Moines, Osceola and Southern and ran from Des Moines to Cainsville, Missouri. The principal offices and shops of the line were in Osceola. The station was located where the Langfitt elevator now (1951) stands, in fact part of that structure is the old passenger and freight station. The round house and shops were on the land now occupied by the Greenhouse and the Paul Ostrus residence on South Park Street.
The line was first a narrow gauge and was made standard in 1896 and 1897. The company had financial difficulties during much of its existence and was finally acquired by the Keokuk and Western which leased it to the Burligton in July, 1900, and sold it to them on January 1, 1901. The line was abandoned in 1933 from Osceola to Van Wert and eventually the entire line to Cainsville. Service on the north branch to Des Moines was continued until 1947 when floods washed out a portion of the line and it was never rebuilt.
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