On April 11, 1998, the IMRL put on a new local job that ran from Mason City to Marquette and back the next day. I was award the conductor on the 954 local when it started in 98. Over the years the... (more)

Here we see IMRL 4th Sub action in the form of this westbound Marquette to Mason City freight train. The train has alittle of everything for extra power from eastbounds that setout power due to th... (more)

I made friends with the farmer that owns the land around MP 11 on the Marquette Hill. There are some cool views from the fields as the railroad curves all over to keep the grade as the railroad dr... (more)

The Spencer Local crew cabbed into Mason City to bring out an empty bean train for loading in western Iowa. This is about a month after the DM&E boys took over the IMRL at the end of July 2002. Th... (more)

A westbound Marquette to Mason City freight train battles the curves and the grade out of the Mississippi River Valley west of Marquette. Here the train is about to MP 11 as the top is around MP 1... (more)

Here we see IMRL 4th Sub action in the form of this westbound Marquette to Mason City freight train. The train has alittle of everything for extra power from eastbounds that setout power due to th... (more)

I & M Rail Link train 98, Kansas City to Twin Cities hit a truck as the train entered street running in Bellevue, Iowa. Luck was with the crew, truck driver and local residents as there were no s... (more)

Sometimes when extra empty covered hoppers came into Mason City off the Marquette Trains, an extra job would be called to go out and spot them. As is the case with this job this day. Here the extr... (more)

An extra local out of Austin rumbles south down the Owatonna Sub in northern Iowa. The train is passing thru Grafton and is 14 miles from Mason City. These left over IMRL units held some time in t... (more)

I remember this chase very well! The 942 Spencer Local would come into Mason City sometimes on Tuesdays and Thursdays because they didn't connect with 940 in Spencer. That meant somedays there wou... (more)

In the late 90's the Iowa Northern became power short. They borrowed alot of power from different sources. One source was a couple of IMRL GP9's. Here the North Crew does work at Shell Rock with t... (more)

The Stone Train was local out of Nahant would go down the Industrial Main towards Montpelier and do all the customer work south of Nahant. Back in 2002 this job had a pair of GP9's. Here the crew ... (more)

A westbound IMRL freight train heads towards Mason City out of Marquette. The train is seen here 8 miles west of Marquette near Spook Cave and campground. The train is working the 13 mile grade ou... (more)

Back in 2001 the 2 Wells jobs worked days and nights. The day job made an Austin turn out of Wells, then the night job would make a Jackson turn. Here the 948 day job is westbound for Wells with e... (more)

The section boys watch as this eastbound train pulls into Marquette from Mason City. The train is about to pass under highway 18 at the west end of the yard. Train slowly creeps into town due to y... (more)