Western Railroad Discussion > Question about Waterloo, IA

I may be visiting Waterloo, IA and was wondering what the traffic is like per day.
Thanks

Posted from Android

Being an Iowan I can try to help here.

CN runs a daily frieght on the old IC. M338 is usually Listed(i.e. call time) for around 0900-1200. There is also a WB M337 that gets into WLO around daybreak. L571 that goes west to Ft. Dodge is usually listed 1300-1600
and counterpart L571 arrives late evening. I dont know what runs up the line towards Osage someone can answer that better than I can. Grain and ethanol extras run at anytime.

Iowa Northern has a yard in Waterloo, and there really is not a set schedule per se. The Cedar Rapids job leaves to go south in the late evening and gets back around sunrise. There is also a job that runs on the old CGW out to Fairbank and Oelwein. I cant give you really any details on north of Waterloo to Manly. Things seem to change from one day to the next.

Best thing is to have a scanner. CN uses 161.190(road) and yard channels 160.290 160.755  and 161.460. IANR uses 161.385 and I think they use 160.290 on the CN.

Good luck!
MILW86A

Thank You for the info

Posted from Android

> I may be visiting Waterloo, IA and was wondering what the traffic is like per day.

Hello,

I can't provide details, but will give you a general overview until someone else (hopefully) steps up.  

Waterloo, for it's size, is a big disappointment these days as far as train traffic is concerned - nothing like it was in the "old days" when ICG, CNW and RI were all running trains there.  I believe CN operates only a couple of regular manifest trains daily, locals, plus occasional coal, grain, and ethanol unit trains.  So roughly 4-5 trains total in a 24-hour period on average.  I believe IANR runs roughly a train in each direction daily along the x-RI plus occasional extra trains (units); also running to/from Oelwein on the x-CGW as needed.  That's about it for regular operation.  Your best best for seeing things would be to visit the yards to see what might be moving there, CN and IANR both have yards and engine facilities in the area that may have some activity for you.  Take a careful look at IANR enginehouse - it was built by Amish contractors using the same woodworking techniques they used to build barns, really interesting structure.

Hopefully someone else can add to this.  Enjoy your trip,

Mark   

 

There's a little UP yard along Martin Luther King Blvd on the East side of town, theior big switch is the Tyson Pork Plant. MLK goes
over the CN and you can view the still life in their yard.

Out 

callum_out Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There's a little UP yard along Martin Luther King
> Blvd on the East side of town, theior big switch
> is the Tyson Pork Plant. MLK goes
> over the CN and you can view the still life in
> their yard.
>
> Out 

Last I heard UP pulled out of Waterloo, their yard and the handful of industries left is now served by the Iowa Northern with their Waterloo switch engine and the Oelwein job.
JC

Posted from Android

Wow, leave the area and things change!! Thanks or the update.

Out