December 1879, courtesy of Cedar Falls Historical Society
In 1861, the first rail lines appeared in Cedar Falls. By the late 1880s, four rail lines connected in Cedar Falls, and the city was given the nickname Railroad City. These railroads connected Cedar Falls to the larger towns of Dubuque, Davenport, Iowa City, etc., but the only transportation from Cedar Falls and Waterloo was the horse-car line. In 1896, this would be replaced with an electric street railway system, the Waterloo, Cedar Falls, and Northern. The tracks for the WCF&N trolleys would be laid out in the middle of Main Street. After time these would also be replaced by newer and cheaper modes of transportation.