The mainline is separated into 4 Subdivisions: The railroad also includes the: The Iowa Interstate operates from Bureau to Chicago over the former Rock Island tracks controlled by CSX and Metra.

When the IAIS took control of the track, the former Rock Island signal system was already damaged beyond repair due to sitting dormant for several years.

IAIS subsidiary Rail Traffic Control formerly provided consulting services for dispatching and operating small- to medium-sized railroads worldwide.

Beginning in the mid-1990s, the IAIS mainline has been identified as a potential route for high speed passenger train service between Wyanet, Illinois (where the IAIS could be connected to the BNSF Railway), the Quad Cities and Iowa City, as part of the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative (MRRI).

The ultimate goal of the MRRI is to establish passenger train routes in a hub-and-spoke formation with Chicago as the hub that allow for speeds up to and above 110 mph (177 km/h).

In July 2019, a new transportation bill was passed by the Illinois state legislature, supported by Governor J.B. Pritzker, $225M was appropriated to begin Amtrak service from Chicago to Moline, IL.

[5][6] Since 2018, the 6988 has made several excursion trips to raise money for local volunteer fire departments and promote awareness of Operation Lifesaver.