Even the largest operating steam locomotive in the world is dwarfed by the grain silos that dot the prairie. Lucky for us, a stack train in the background just cleared out before 3985 appeared.

A perfect reason to drive halfway across the country from Jersey; sights like the 3985 leaving Trenton early in the morning.

Thanks to a meet with a southbound grain train, we had plenty of time to set up for this shot off of the CR D bridge.

After a servicing stop in Des Moines, 3985 gets back up to speed quickly as it entertains the people in the small town of Elkhart.

The last shot of our 3985 chase is typical Midwest: flat land, grain silos, and fast trains.

The caravan grew as we proceeded north into Iowa. 3985 passed a northbound train here, which can barely been seen in the distance.

Just a few miles north of Trenton, 3985 quickly gets up to track speed on the single track Spine Line.

The latest in diesel superpower passes one of the surviving examples of steam superpower. A crewmember is hanging off the walkway taking a picture as his train rolls past the 3985.

Midwest Rail 201, a GP9, is seen sitting in front of a grain complex along the BNSF transcon. This engine started life on the Rio Grande and then was leased to the South Orient Railroad. It still ... (more)

BNSF 5191 leads a CN unit and two BNSF sisters as they race west past a group of grain silos in Norborne.

A detouring westbound manifest, led by UP 8524 and 8500, is seen on the CN/IC line in western Iowa due to trackwork on the parallel UP (ex-C&NW) main.

A UP rack train with surprise CP and Soo power come through Mason City, as one of Iowa Traction's 4 Baldwin built electrics looks on in the background.

Milwaukee Road 261 and train come through Lyndon Station in the last few minutes of sun before the clouds gathered.

Many thanks to the crew for laying down that beautiful plume of smoke to cover up that ugly silver thing behind the aux tender.

While waiting for Milwaukee Road 261 east of LaCrosse at MP 261, we caught this WB CP manifest rolling through the bucolic Wisconsin hills.