UP's westbound VP special has been cruising along since leaving Clinton, but that good speed has come to an end. UP seemed to be in meltdown mode on their east-west main thru Iowa today. Dead trains were parked all over between Watkins and Tama, leaving crews without rides. This train would have to make a meet, then pickup 2 dead crews in the last 18 miles. Going from 96 miles in hour and 45 minutes, to just 25 miles in the next hour. Someone on the train commented when they stopped at MP 117 to pickup the last crew they still needed to make North Platte tonight and the dispatcher owed them one! Here the train slows for the last pickup outside of Belle Plaine.
