In 1899, the Inter-Urban Railway was constructed to serve Des Moines.  This route was built along the north side of Des Moines.
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A second line was built from Des Moines to Colfax in 1902.  This new 23 mile route followed city streets and the Rock Island Railroad.  
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Another line, the Perry Route was built in 1906.  Extending north out of Des Moines, the route featured two lines; one to Perry and one to Woodward.
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By 1922, the IUR was reorganized as the Des Moines & Central Iowa Railway.  Near the end of the decade, the route suffered significantly due to the depression.
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The first passenger route was discontinued in 1941.  Routes to Colfax and Woodward were reduced to freight only.
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In 1946, the Woodward and Colfax Branches were abandoned.  
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By 1948, the route from Granger to Perry was abandoned.  The last of the route was discontinued in 1954.  
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Local trackage around Des Moines was used for freight traffic by the DM&CI until 1981, when it was absorbed by the Chicago & North Western.
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After this purchase, most of the lines were abandoned.  The remaining routes became part of Union Pacific in 1995, when C&NW was purchased.
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Today, portions of the route near Des Moines are trails, while others are operated by Union Pacific.