Illinois/Iowa Action
Author: Mike Woodruff
contemporary Class I and regional action in Illinois and Iowa, with perhaps a few outliers from Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Photo Gallery
Eastbound un-stacked train ducks under the Santa Fe-era signal bridge at Edelstein.
Southbound vehicle train on the former IC mainline.
Southbound manifest on the former IC mainline.
RCL GP38-2 pressed into road service, southbound approaching the diamonds at Tuscola.
Northbound tonnage on the "Mainline of Mid-America" approaching the diamonds at Tuscola.
Westbound manifest on the former C&EI approaching Tuscola.
Eastbound manifest on the former ATSF.
Eastbound bare table train passes under the signal bridge at Edelstein.
UP in Galesburg? Yes, with a westbound haulage rights train on the former Santa Fe. Shot from the N. Pearl Street crossing before BNSF closed it, about two blocks from my Dad's boyhood home.
Westbound stack train on the Clinton sub behind a pure EMD lash-up.
A westbound UP manifest with an all-EMD lash-up swings off the Mississippi River bridge at Clinton.
Eastbound stacks on the Aurora Sub about to cross the IC&E at Savanna.
Westbound vehicle train crossing the Mississippi River bridge.
This westbound manifest has just crossed the Mississippi River bridge into Iowa.
Westbound coal empties on the Clinton sub, headed back to the PRB.
After waiting patiently for opposing traffic to clear on the UP, BNSF's Aurora sub local charges westbound past the platform with a sizable consist. BNSF 2765 was rebuilt to GP39E from Southern high-hood GP30 2630.
Westbound intermodal with a former C&NW leader.
Westbound intermodal. The presence of those two GP15s in the consist suggest this is an IG1G3 transfer. UP 2986 was originally C&NW 6854, later rebuilt to UP SD40N 1806:2.
Westbound manifest behind a nice trio of EMDs. UP 3087 was originally C&NW 5924, later rebuilt to UP SD40N 1595.
Westbound intermodal behind a pair of mismatched SD70Ms.
A former Frisco GP38-2 sits on the sidelines as eastbound coal loads pass through Clinton under the watchful eyes of Mr. Peanut.
A pair of UP GEs with an eastbound train of HFCS. Probably should be a Key train. UP 9098 was originally C&NW 8551, later became CN 2133.
Westbound stacks duck under the signal bridge and are about to cross the BNSF Aurora sub.
Eastbound Z-train charges through Toluca on the former Santa Fe.
Southbound manifest on the former IC.
A "naked Catfish" with NS train 70T is parked and waiting for a recrew at Mount Carmel.
Southbound intermodal crosses the Big Muddy River at Halsey on the Chester sub.
Northbound intermodal on the Chester sub.
Northbound empty hoppers on the Chester sub.
A northbound empty grain train running 1X2 crosses the Big Muddy River on the Chester sub.
A westbound stack train at CP A108 on the Clinton sub between Blairstown and Luzerne, IA.
Iowa Interstate power at their downtown Iowa City facility before everything was moved to South Amana.
Eastbound local on the Aurora sub.
Westbound intermodal at Glen Haven on the Aurora sub.
Westbound stacks and pigs at Cassville on the Aurora sub.
Eastbound track geometry train on the Aurora sub.
Westbound intermodal on the Aurora sub.
Westbound manifest on the Geneva sub.
Plenty of power on this westbound manifest on the Geneva sub.
The wrong unit was leading! Eastbound manifest crossing the UP at Rochelle.
Eastbound vehicle train on the Aurora sub crossing the UP at Rochelle.
Eastbound stacks on the Aurora sub crossing the UP at Rochelle.
UP's SP heritage unit heads up a Global 1-Global 3 transfer passing under the old C&NW coaling tower at DeKalb.
An eastbound manifest on the Geneva sub behind a pair of howling EMDs crosses the BNSF at Rochelle as the engineer waves at the fans.
Eastbound bare table train crosses the BNSF at Rochelle. At least he has an EMD leader with wings, flags and flares!
Eastbound manifest with a bunch of reefers running 1X1 crosses the BNSF at Rochelle.
Eastbound stacks pulling from Global 3 put on a show for the assembled multitudes. UP 5501 appears to be suffering an identity crisis; is she 5501 or 550?
Eastbound stacks on the Geneva sub crossing the BNSF at Rochelle.
A pair of Big MACs with a westbound manifest on the Geneva sub passing the Metra depot at La Fox.
Eastbound manifest on the Geneva sub at West Chicago