Ellis & Eastern at Sioux City yard

Growing up on the Grand Trunk Western gave me an appreciation for the versatility of the SW1200RS. Here an ex-Central Vermont unit leads an ex-CP SW900 and an old Rock Island hopper.

An eastbound Ellis and Eastern local freight heads for downtown Sioux Falls, SD on Oct. 9, 2013 with SW1200RS No. 7 and SW900 No. 17.

An eastbound Ellis and Eastern local freight crosses the Sioux River in Sioux Falls, SD on Oct. 9, 2013 with SW1200RS No. 7 and SW900 No. 17.

Ellis & Eastern rock loads pass through Beadle Park shortly before crossing the Big Sioux River.

Eastbound Ellis & Eastern rock loads head across 11th Street on the west side of town.

No. 7 heads out of downtown over the bike trail and across the Big Sioux River bridge.

Ellis & Eastern No. 17 wakes up the Phillips Avenue neighborhood while making the morning run into downtown Sioux Falls with a loaded gon to interchange with the BNSF.

Ellis & Eastern No. 7 eases across the bike trail in Sioux Falls while returning to home base on the western end of the city.

The crew of No. 7 shuffle hoppers in the downtown yard.

An Ellis & Eastern crew works the downtown Sioux Falls yard at Eighth Street. Number 7, an SW1200, and Number 17, an SW900, handle the duties today.

Ellis & Eastern No. 7 charges up the hill through central Sioux Falls.

Twenty street crossings in less than two miles on 100-pound rail dating to 1927. That’s today’s Ellis & Eastern grinding away on a former Chicago & North Western branch through the residential... (more)

Complete with a brass bell, Ellis & Eastern No. 7 brings empty cement hoppers into Sioux Falls for interchange to BNSF. We were here for the Dakota & Iowa, but the E&E was a very pleasant surpris... (more)