Trackside Log for Friday, August 10, 2007

I woke up in… Wait, I remember where I am. Sioux Falls, South Dakota! That's it. I first drove downtown to check out the Burlington Northern Santa Fe yard. Just after I got there a switch move was pulling through.

• 0919 CDT Sioux Falls, South Dakota - BNSF switcher - BNSF 3454-BNSF 3464

Then I went to turn around and found some parked power.

• 0923 CDT Sioux Falls, South Dakota - BNSF power - BNSF 2984-BNSF 1527-BNSF 2977-BNSF 3644 (photo)

My first stop of the day was to be Alton, Iowa but while passing through Sioux Center I ran across a Burlington Northern Santa Fe train just pulling in.

• 1100 CDT Sioux Center, Iowa - BNSF northbound - BNSF 4322-KCS 3163 (photo 1, photo 2)

After a few photos I continued on to the grain elevator in Alton to see the GP7 that I knew was located there.

• 1139 CDT Alton, Iowa - Midwest Farmers Coop - #701 (photo 1, photo 2)

My next stop was going to be Mason City, Iowa. Once again while passing through town I discovered a train. This time the town was Spencer, Iowa on the former Milwaukee Road track. The train was a westbound Iowa, Chicago and Eastern. I had to wait for a bit for the train to move, but I was patient.

• 1316 CDT Spencer, Iowa - Iowa, Chicago & Eastern westbound - DME 6053-DME 6078 (photo)

After my waiting paid off I continued on to Mason City by way of Clear Lake. I found the western terminus of the Iowa Traction Railway and followed it east toward Mason City. First I encountered a variety of Iowa Traction Railway equipment.

• 1554 CDT Emery, Iowa - Iowa Traction Railway equipment - IATR 40-IATR 31-IATR 32 (photo 1, photo 2, photo 3)

Behind that was a parked motor outside the shops and in the weeds.

• 1601 CDT Emery, Iowa - Iowa Traction Railway power - IATR 51 (photo)

I continued following the tracks and in short order met a westbound train with a cut of gondolas. Luck was on my side.

• 1611 CDT Mason City, Iowa - Iowa Traction Railway westbound - IATR 50 (photo)

After a few photographs I continued along and discovered a parked motor at the AGP elevator.

• 1621 CDT Mason City, Iowa - Iowa Traction Railway power - IATR 54 (photo)

I figured I did rather well with the Iowa Traction Railway and set off for Greene, Iowa and the Iowa Northern. Just as I arrived at Greene I could see a westbound pulling through town. My timing was spot on. I turned around and found a nice location for a photograph.

• 1717 CDT Greene, Iowa - Iowa Northern Railway westbound - IANR 3811-IANR 3801-IANR 3810-IANR 3804

My luck today was really good. I ran across trains by accident and managed to stay ahead of the ominous clouds that were constantly behind me to the west. Somehow I was always just ahead of them. I continued driving east until I got to Urbana, Iowa. I noticed a Super 8 motel and decided I really didn't want to drive any longer so I called it a day.