Hi, On Saturday, 10/12 we turned our attention to the Iowa Interstate. It turned out to be the most frustrating day of the trip. Because there are so few images I feel are worth sharing I am combining Saturday with our final day, Sunday, also spent along the Iowa Interstate.
After checking out the yard in Cedar Rapids where the Iowa Interstate power for the run down to the mainline would lay over we headed south following that line to South Amana hoping to find the train. It was a faint hope and not to be but we needed to go that way.
When we got to South Amana we found this set of road power switching.
The first photographs of this power set were taken shortly before 9:00 AM. About 11:00 AM a FRED was hung on the rear and a brake test performed. We thought we were in business. However, almost immediately we heard a westbound being given clearance to South Amana. We went to find it but it got by us. We were not very upset as it was a local with a single locomotive running long hood forward.
Much to our chagrin as soon as the local entered the yard switching began again, with the local's power working the west end and the road power the east end. Aha we thought, they are just adding some hot cars to the eastbound. Unfortunately at about 11:45 AM the crew uncoupled from the train, spotted the power on the engine house lead and walked away.
Here the road power is switching with the new engine facility at the left.
After lunch we went up to the UP. Again frustration as the expected parade of trains did not materialize.
We set up at Norway, IA where there were two old style elevators. The first westbound showed up at about 2:20 PM. We had been along the tracks for over an hour.
The second west bound ran over an hour later.
From the west end of town it was possible to photograph the train as it passed both elevators.
After exploring to the west a bit more we stopped at Blairstown, IA. Our final train of the day came along at 5:00 PM. No westbound trains got by us during the afternoon.
We spent the night in Coralville, IA, a suburb of Iowa City.
Before heading back to South Amana we photographed Iowa Northern's Hawkeye Express, which was parked on a siding in town. This train is used to bring Hawkeye football fans from Coralville to the stadium in Iowa City using Iowa Interstate track.
When we arrived at South Amana we found a different set of road power switching. It turned out this was train CBBI and on this day it would run only to Walcott, IA where the crew would park it and return to South Amana with a train mostly of empty tank cars.
About 9:30 AM the crew got their orders and left town. This view is just east of the yard.
About three miles east is the small town of Homestead.
We shot the train at Tiffin and tried to beat the train to the Iowa River Bridge in Iowa City; but missed it by a minute or two.
From Iowa City we beat the train to Downey.
At this point we encountered two major detours causing to arrive in Moscow seconds ahead of the train.
We found many views in Walcott, including this grain elevator and
a grade crossing on the east side of town.
Here the CBBI entered a siding. Because of work being done on the Mississippi River bridge between Davenport, IA and Rock Island, IL the train would remain here until ater 9:00 PM.
East of the east end of the siding the westbound sat on the main (above and below).
We photographed the westbound passing the CBBI (above and below). The gondola in the photo above is carrying a small panel truck and two pick up trucks.
The train stopped for a few minutes at the west end of the siding.
We shot it at Atalissa (above and below) and
then went directly to Iowa City.
Our final photographs were back at Homestead and
coming into the yard at South Amana.
All of us agreed the trip was very productive over all and very enjoyable. Thanks for looking.
After checking out the yard in Cedar Rapids where the Iowa Interstate power for the run down to the mainline would lay over we headed south following that line to South Amana hoping to find the train. It was a faint hope and not to be but we needed to go that way.
The first photographs of this power set were taken shortly before 9:00 AM. About 11:00 AM a FRED was hung on the rear and a brake test performed. We thought we were in business. However, almost immediately we heard a westbound being given clearance to South Amana. We went to find it but it got by us. We were not very upset as it was a local with a single locomotive running long hood forward.
Much to our chagrin as soon as the local entered the yard switching began again, with the local's power working the west end and the road power the east end. Aha we thought, they are just adding some hot cars to the eastbound. Unfortunately at about 11:45 AM the crew uncoupled from the train, spotted the power on the engine house lead and walked away.
After lunch we went up to the UP. Again frustration as the expected parade of trains did not materialize.
We spent the night in Coralville, IA, a suburb of Iowa City.
When we arrived at South Amana we found a different set of road power switching. It turned out this was train CBBI and on this day it would run only to Walcott, IA where the crew would park it and return to South Amana with a train mostly of empty tank cars.
We shot the train at Tiffin and tried to beat the train to the Iowa River Bridge in Iowa City; but missed it by a minute or two.
At this point we encountered two major detours causing to arrive in Moscow seconds ahead of the train.
Here the CBBI entered a siding. Because of work being done on the Mississippi River bridge between Davenport, IA and Rock Island, IL the train would remain here until ater 9:00 PM.
All of us agreed the trip was very productive over all and very enjoyable. Thanks for looking.
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