Western Railroad Discussion > UP in the NE/IA Snow

Had to come back to the farm in Iowa this week to catch up on a few things this week, so I decided I'd follow UP across and take advantage of the snow and heavy frost (from overnight freezing fog) to get some winter shots

1 - An eastbound auto rack train near Dow City, IA.
2 - The same train finds a bit of sun (and speed) coming down into Carroll, IA.  From about Vail to Glidden I had sun, but the temperature dropped to the low teens.  Everywhere else, gloomy but warmer.
3 - UP 8509 westbound coming through the crossovers on the east end of the Boone, IA yard.

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4 - UP 7400 - the breast cancer awareness unit - leads a train switching at the west end of the Boone yard and tying up nearly every crossing in town.  My understanding is that this one came off the Spine Line and had been bucking drifts up north, hence the snow in the pilot.
5 - Some power company is getting an expensive new toy.
6 - UP 3028 - a Tier 4 SD70ACe (or as UP calls them, SD70AH) - leads a loaded grainer between Ames and Boone

 

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7 - The trailing motor on the grain train is NS 4509 - the first DC to AC AC44C6M I've seen in person, and clean one at that.
8 - A little out of order, but UP 5469 leads a huge freight drag outside of Columbus, NE.
9 - And finally NCRC 1005, idling away in Central City, NE.   The nose lights are a clear giveaway this isn't originally UP power.  Apparently it was originally ACL GP40 919, rebuilt as a Helm GP38-3 and eventually sold to UP, then Nebraska Central.
 

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Conditions I am glad I did not have to endure during my career in Southern California! Nice bunch. Especially number one.
JB

Some fantastic snow shots—really like #1
Brian Stevens

Posted from iPhone

A good collection!  That NS GE looks sharp!

Andy

That new toy you spoke of  as of late 1-22 was still sitting in Boone.
Ed

Nice! also, brrrrrr.

Good to see the door open on the 1005 to avoid having fogged windows.

Out