This summer, I had the privilege to witness UP 4014, Union Pacific's restored "Big Boy" 4-8-8-4 steam locomotive, ply the rails of the UP mainline once again, this time leading the "... (more)

UP 4014 pulls the Heartland of America Tour. train through the small town of Woodbine, IA

A rebuilt AC4400 leads grain loads around the sweeping curve west of Woodbine.

Lathrop-bound stacks swing through the sweeping curve west of Woodbine on the former C&NW main line.

Westbound UP 7283 glides down the Boyer River valley near Woodbine, IA on an August afternoon in the Heartland.

CN's rather elusive Council Bluffs local heads west through the broad curve at Woodbine with a nice pair of former Oakway SD60s leading. Union Pacific's Boone Subdivision can be seen in the backgr... (more)

With the virus affecting business this spring, CN had really cut back on people and service days thru out Iowa. The west end had been pretty much went to 3 days a week service including the jobs o... (more)

With the virus affecting business this spring, CN had really cut back on people and service days thru out Iowa. The west end had been pretty much went to 3 days a week service including the jobs o... (more)

2CROPP-11 is by Woodbine. The former C&NW unit is in fresh UP paint and this railroad will be double tracked in the near future.

It is almost nostalgic to see a coal train these days but just a few years ago they ran in profusion. Here another set of empties heads back to Wyoming.

This view at Woodbine shows the 7023 & 8033 on another empty coal train. SD50/60's and Dash 8's were the state of the art power on these trains for some 8 years until the first Dash 9's and C44AC'... (more)

A nice broadside view of UP4014 gives one an idea of the size of this engine as it rolls thru the Boyer River valley in Iowa.

The Big Boy has just departed from a servicing stop in Woodbine, IA as it makes it's way thru the Boyer River valley on the run from Des Moines to Omaha. This is one of the return legs of "The Gre... (more)

This long Proviso to North Platte drag has one unit on the point and a mid-train DPU which can barely be seen just to the left of the crossbuck in the picture.

Amidst a very dry fall season a bit of railroad color ameliorates the bleak surroundings as UP 8084 cruises downgrade west of Woodbine, IA. By Christmas the landscape would be snow covered and the... (more)