Western Railroad Discussion > Just West of Cedar Rapids Iowa on July 4th

So today, July 4th, two friends and myself spent a hot day on Union Pacific's Clinton subdivision just West of Cedar Rapids Iowa.  The Clinton sub runs from Clinton Iowa MP 2.1 (Mississippi River) to Boone Iowa MP 201.7.  The Clinton Sub runs across the South side of Cedar Rapids (Bertram MP 73.8, Otis MP 77.8, Cedar River Bridge MP 78.6, & Beverly Yard MP 86.2), Fairfax Iowa MP 89.6, Norway Iowa, Watkins Iowa MP 100.3, Blairstown Iowa MP108.1, Luzerne Iowa,  Belle Plaine Iowa MP 118.5, Chelsea Iowa, and Tama Iowa MP 130.6. 

1. The second train of the day was a Eastbound double stack train. UP 8011 passes MP 95 (between Fairfax and Norway) and the defect detector.  You can get to MP 95 on 32 Ave, minimum maintenance road.  Enter at your own risk.  The road was fine today, but minimum maintenance roads in Iowa can be an adventure.
2.  The next train was a Westbound.  UP 7963 and UP 6236 (SP Patched Locomotive) glides pass the corn fields of Eastern Iowa with this inter-modal train.  Picture was taken from 17th Ave just east of Luzerne Iowa.  
3. A little closer to Luzerne another Westbound train passes by, an empty coal train.  UP 5653 was on the point and UP 2645 was the DPU pushing on the rear.  Taken from 77th Ave just East of Luzerne.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/04/20 20:41 by kjangel.

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4. Back to 17th Ave (just East of Luzerne) a Eastbound oil or ethanol train passes by with UP 8917, CSXT 3474 and CSXT 4530.  
5. A few train later UP 2580 and UP 6765 run through Norway Iowa, Westbound on a manifest train.  Taken from the South-side of the tracks in Norway Iowa. 
6. Three trains later UP 7789, CSXT 282  and CSXT 263 flew through Norway Iowa on a empty coal train.  Taken from the North-side of the track in Norway Iowa.
 

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7.  A second Westbound empty coal train passes through Norway, UP 8875 and UP 6794.  Again picture taken from the North-side of the track in Norway.
8. A few trains later UP 8884 and UP 6770 controls a Westbound auto-rack train passing a patriotic tractor Numerous tractors were along the road side today with American flags.  Taken just West of Norway from the North-side of the tracks.  
9. Another shot of the patriotic tractor. International 1066.   

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10. The last train of the day, UP 5253 and mid-train DPU UP 8631 head West on a long Inter-modal train.   Train picture was taken East of Watkins from 77th Ave. I tried to work a couple more tractors (older John Deere and a newer MF) into the shot but just could not do it.  

Happy 4th to all.  

Kevin 

 

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Thanks for sharing, my recently retired dad was a conductor out of Boone. He worked the east pool quite a bit.
JC

Posted from Android

Excellent stuff Kevin. I take it you were with RWL and Alex?

MILW86A 

Nice bunch, especially the Chessie power!

Andy

Nice area to catch the UP. Thanks for sharing.

Gppd stuff, Kevin, thanks for posting.  

Minor nitpick: The location listed for Belle Plaine is the control point west of the town.  The detector at MP117 is at the west edge of town.  Just to help those not familiar with the territory.


Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

Nice series!