Fort Madison, Iowa~7/10/2011

Took a trip down to Fort Madison, Iowa to visit a friend and to do some train watching. On the way down to Fort Madison I noticed that there where several trains waiting to cross the Mississippi River from Gulfport, Illinois to Burlington, Iowa. Just south of Burlington I noticed a train sitting just east of the road that appeared to be stopped. I then did a u-turn and caught a northbound grain train lead by BNSF 2903 (GP39E) in BN green. This same train was still sitting there on my way home. First time 1300ish hrs second time 2100 hrs.

When I finally made it to Fort Madison my first stop was the Amtrak station. The first train that passed the Amtrak station was a Norfolk Southern lead mixed freight lead by NS 9301 (dash 9).

I then went to the north side of the Amtrak station to take a picture of a BNSF stacker that spent much of the day behind the Amtrak station. It was lead by BNSF 7588 (ES44DC)

Next up was a BNSF manifest lead by BNSF 5948 (ES44AC)

Following that was a BNSF westbound stacker lead by UP 8589 (SD70ACE)

Following that was a BNSF manifest lead by BNSF 8863 (SD70MAC).

Following that was an eastbound stacker lead by BNSF 7244 (ES44AC)

Next up was a BNSF eastbound with an ex. Santa Fe unit up front (BNSF 781 C44-9W)

The last train to pass the Amtrak station before heading to the train bridge that crosses the was a westbound stacker/intermodal lead by BNSF 7252 (EC44DC).

We then moved over to the bridge. The first train to pass was a short westbound lead by BNSF 4511 (C44-9W)

Next up was an eastbound 1x1 stacker lead by BNSF 6717 (ES44AC)

 Following that was an eastbound manifest lead by BNSF 5282 (C44-9W)

 After that I decided to try an across the parking lot shot, with ok results. This train was a stacker lead by BNSF 7588 (ES44DC). This was the train parked behind the Amtrak station when I arrived in Fort Madison.

 We then went back to the Amtrak station to wait for Amtrak to arrive. Before he did a westbound stacker/intermodal lead by BNSF 7207 (ES44DC) showed up for a recrew.

 Following that another westbound BNSF stacker/intermodal showed up lead by BNSF 4957 (C44-9W). This train also stopped for a crew change. The train in the background is the westbound from the picture before. Needless to say there weren't any eastbounds for awhile.

 Finally Amtrak showed up lead by number 10. This train was rather unique for me because many of the people in the last car were Amish.

 The last train of the day for me in Fort Madison was this westbound covered coal gondola train lead by BNSF 4910 (C44-9W). The cars were full of wet distillers corn according to my friend Paul who was with me.

 On my way home I stopped in the Burlington, Iowa BNSF yard and caught this coal train headed west under the power of BNSF 5977 (ES44AC)

That was the last train of the day for me. From this point I continued on my journey home.
That is all, Matt.

June 6th, 2011, Rochelle, Illinois

Decided to go to Railroad Days in Rochelle this year due to the fact I've always wanted to catch Miss Katy, plus the fact this would probably be my last chance of going there. When I got there I went straight to where Miss Katy was:

The reason for the caution tape was due to the crew derailing the other special unit, UP 2010 (Boy Scout Unit), in the yard.

Next I went to the rail park where I was told that there had only been 1 train through in the last 2 hours. Well, a half hour later a BNSF hotshot came through lead by BNSF 1023 (dash 9).

That was followed quickly by another hotshot BNSF train lead by BNSF 4305 (dash 9):

And a westbound manifest lead by BNSF 4079 (dash 9) came through. The second unit was a creme and green 70MAC.

Finally the UP made an appearance with a Union Pacific stacker lead by UP 7860 (AC45CCTE):

 Then an eastbound BNSF hotshot went through lead by 4479 (dash 9). By this time I was wondering if this was going to be a weird day on the point that it is normally 1 BNSF train to 4 Union Pacific trains. So far it was 1 Union Pacific train to 4 BNSF trains.

Following the eastbound hotshot it was all Union Pacific and the traffic level really picked up.
First a stacker heading to Global 3 lead by UP 4651 (SD70M).

Then a stacker came out of Global 3 headed east with UP 4410 (SD70M).

Then UP 7860 came back through after picking up some loaded well cars from Global 3.

I then wondered over to where the Boy Scout unit had been left to grab a couple shots, here is one of them.

I then went just west of the yard and caught a UP stacker waiting to go across the diamond. The stacker was lead by UP 7691 (AC45CCTE).

 Then a loaded westbound rack train came through. I was having a hard time figuring out what they where, but in confident that at last one car had Chevy Silverado pickups in it. It was lead by UP 8597 (SD70ACE).

Then a westbound stacker came through the park lead by UP 7807 (AC45CCTE)

The final train of the day at the park for me was an eastbound manifest lead by UP 4855 (SD70M).

I then realized I need gas. The gas in Rochelle was 4.17, so I went west towards home and bought gas for 3.99 in Ashton, IL. While there I caught one train while pumping gas, an eastbound coal train lead by UP 5989 (AC44CWCTE).

When I finished paying for my gas, I went down to the crossing and could see a light in the distance to the east, which turned out to be a westbound manifest lead by UP 4255 (SD70M).

I hope you enjoyed viewing this trip as much as I did going on it.
That is all, Matt.

Blue Island, IL, June 2nd, 2011

Took a short swing over to Blue Island, Illinois. I had never been to Blue Island, but had heard about the number of trains that go through there every day. Well, when I finally got there I really began to wonder if they really had as high of a train volume as I had been told (took 30 minutes for the first train to show up). The first train was worth the wait, a CSX passenger train.

Next up was what I believe to be Iowa Interstates BICB, which was passing through to make a reverse move  later on.

After that it was three CSX intermodule trains to finish out the brief trip.
CSX 5287 ES44DC

 CSX 5278 ES44DC

CSX 689 AC60CW

May 27th, Northern Iowa area

Took a short trip through northern Iowa. First stop was Mason City, where I found the Iowa Traction Railroad # 54:

Next up was Union Pacific #697 GP38-2 switching cars.

Next up was CN 5777 just west of Cedar Falls leading a grain train.

Next up was the CN (ex. IC) Waterloo Yard in Waterloo, Iowa.

Finally, I caught a CN (IC 9520 GP38) train setting out some cars in Manchester. The train then tied down to wait.

Governor Bond Lake, May 12-16th

The crappie spawn is on right now. This is as easy as it will get, so I decided to take full advantage of it. Also of interest is the water temperature, which is up about 10 degrees and is finally at a more normal temperature. The bluegills are also starting to spawn, as well as the sunfish (pumpkinseeds). All in all its been a good time to fish.

Metro East Area of Saint Louis, May 8th

Today I decided to try and knock off the last two items on my list of train companies/engines in the Saint Louis area before I graduate from college. I was planning on starting out my trip in Dupo, Illinois, but it hit a bit of a surprise snag. That was a CSX train sitting under I-255 in Fairmont City. Of interest where the tanks on the head end. The train was lead by CSX 5410 (ES40DC)

 From there we (I went with a friend) went over towards the KCS East Saint Louis yard, but somehow ended up on the backside of the Alton and Southern Yard and caught this little scene:

We then headed over to the KCS yard and caught a couple of KCS units KCS 662 (SD40-2), 2812, and 2805 (both SD40-3s).

We than went up to Granite City and went to the Tri-City Port, where we caught several of the Respondek units; 3086 (SD40-2), 1800 (GP8), 14 (SW8), and 1239 (SW1200).

I then caught one of the Manufactures Railroad engines at the Cargill grain elevator in Granite City. That being the 255 (SW1500).

I then wondered down to 'Tower W' (Niedringhaus Ave crossing). The first train to show up showed up about 10 seconds before I did. That being a BNSF manifest lead by BNSF 6618 (ES44AC).

I then went back to the Niedringhaus Ave crossing and caught a BNSF lead coal drag, BNSF 9829 (SD70MAC).

That was followed quickly by a UP coal train lead by UP 5862 (AC44CWCTE).

Then 'the race' of sorts came through, a northbound Norfolk Southern manifest (NS 9875 C40-9W) and Amtrak (possibly the Texas Eagle).

That was followed by a UP northbound stacker lead by UP 4063 (SD70M) with a Ferromex unit (FXE 4685 (ES44AC) in the number two spot.

Then what I was looking for came through, a Terminal Railroad of Saint Louis switch move with TRRA 2005 and 2001 (GP38-3s).

That was followed by a UP coke train (UP 6459 AC44CW).

The only southbound of the day, a NS manifest was the next to come through. It was lead by NS 9292 (C40-9W) and two other NS units.

After that a loaded UP ballast train came through lead by UP 9329 (C40-8).

 The final movement I caught before my camera screwed up was a NS local lead by NS 6169 (SD40-2).

That is all, Matt.