An empty grain train for the Iowa Northern races along the Dubuque Sub just west of Independence. The train is 22 miles from the interchange point with the IANR at Waterloo. New soybean plants at ... (more)

The IC 1000's have been Chicago based power for the past couple of years. Normally most of these units stay around Chicago on locals or in the Champaign district on A407/408. A few sets have come ... (more)

An empty ethanol train bound for interchange with the Iowa Northern in Waterloo has an EMD leader for power. The train is seen here climbing out of Independence on the CN Dubuque Sub. The train is... (more)

An eastbound grain train off the CN Osage Sub hammers along trying to get up to speed after meeting a super late 337 at Jesup. The train catches the last rays of the day as sunset is minutes away.... (more)

Iowa has seen a few solid IC SD70's consists come and go. Today the weather was not ideal, I will take the sun. The past few consists have had bad weather or I have been on them. Today a 2x1 DP-d... (more)

With an actual air temp of -7 degrees and a wind chill well below that, a late 337 makes the very cold final miles towards Waterloo at sunrise. With over 6600 feet of traffic bound for Iowa, this... (more)

Pretty unusual for us to get any westbounds on the CN in the evening around the house. Lucky for us this Arthur empty ethanol train rolls across the hogbacks west of Independence in decent evening... (more)

On Christmas Even the CN got somewhat creative and ran a doubled up ethanol train instead of the normal 338 with Iowa freight traffic. The lack of people probably drove the decision? The train was... (more)

The daily Waterloo to Kirk Yard manifest train rumbles downgrade into the Wapsipinicon River Valley at Independence. The train left Waterloo 18 mile back with a decent pair of CN units. Getting se... (more)

A late 337 train accelerates out of the Waspi River Valley west of Independence on this frosty morning. The daily Kirk Yard to Waterloo freight train normally gets into Waterloo overnight, but tod... (more)

337 has been working towards Waterloo for the past 36 hours since leaving Kirk. Extremely cold temperatures are not helping out the cause as they leave Independence. One more to meet at Jesup befo... (more)

I headed out today in hopes some drift action. 337 and 703 left Dubuque after sunrise on this bitterly cold day. The low at sunrise was around -15 with wind chills well above the -30's. Unfortunat... (more)

A super late 337 sees the late evening light on the Dubuque Sub as they make their way the last 21 miles into Waterloo. The train has been trying to make Waterloo for the past 36 hours since leavi... (more)

Winter is starting to set in alittle in early 2021. A winter storm is just finishing up dumping 7 inches of snow along with some wind. As you can see the drifts still aren't there on the Dubuque S... (more)

Nice sunny winter morning, even got a clean leader, but there seems to be that 1 thing that can just ruin it, and we have a nice black POS today!. An Osage Sub grain train bound for Reserve, LA, r... (more)