Steam & Excursion > Today's UP special

I got several runbys of today's train on Iowa Interstate; first one was the best one at Homestead.

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3-4.  The special met regular road freight BICB (Blue Island to Council Bluffs) at 1st Ave. in Iowa City.

5.  Atalissa with a new steel roof on the depot since the last time I was there.

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7-8.  The train stopped east of Atalissa while the crew looked at 5511's bearings.

9.  Bad snow squall at Wilton.

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10-11.  And 5 miles east at Durant we had bright sun.

12.  Going away shot east of Walcott.

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13.  Coming down the hill into Davenport at Missouri Div. Jct., where RI's old "Golden State" line to Kansas City branched off to the left.

14-15.  Looking east at the Jct.  High speed clouds made a lot of shadows when it wasn't overcast or full sun; lotta variety in the lighting conditions today!

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16.  Centennial on the Gov't Bridge in Davenport.

17.  After the special left Rock Island, IAIS's RI switcher is going west to run interchange to CP's West Dav yard.

18.  Transfer run is on the "Golden State" connection between Missouri Div. Jct. and West Dav. Yard.

Thanks for looking!

Andy

 

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You really covered the special in IA quite well !  Thanks for sharing your work despite the harsh weather .

Thanks for sharing your images.  Nice variety and mix
of back drops.  Second the comment on the harsh weather.
They were plagued by high winds from the moment they 
departed Cheyenne ...

Odyssey
Evergreen, CO

UP951West Wrote:
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> You really covered the special in IA quite well
> !  Thanks for sharing your work despite the harsh
> weather .

Andy; Good shots of an obsure special in an unbique land. Tim in Omaha (brc600)

Odyssey Wrote:
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 Second the comment on the harsh
> weather.
> They were plagued by high winds from the moment
> they 
> departed Cheyenne ...

I don't want this to sound like a complaint because I appreciate UP donating the equipment, and was glad for the opportunity to chase the train yesterday, but I did wonder why they didn't push the trip back to next spring.  

There sure were a lot of people out in spite of the weather.  I was surprised.

Andy

"push the trip back to next Spring" Union Pacific wanted the charitable contribution this year?

Do they have a propane or kerosine heater in 5511 cab?

Thank you Andy for covering this train

That Big Jack Centennial is still very impressive even dead in tow!

Jim Baker
Riverside, CA

Good stuff there AB. I thought about going but had my fill of it Friday and some of the people out there. 

Good stuff there AB.

Tominde Wrote:
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> Do they have a propane or kerosine heater in 5511
> cab?

Don't know about that but they did have a tarp stretched across the back of the cab when in transit.

Andy

RailRat Wrote:
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> That Big Jack Centennial is still very impressive
> even dead in tow!

Agree!  I told one of my friends that I'd rather see the Centennial in service than the Challenger, but he didn't agree with me.

Andy

Great coverage Andy! I also like that you included the regular trains that the special had to work around.

Cold or not, I would have made the trip from the Western Chicago burbs if I hadn’t pulled an all-nighter with the Scouts Friday/Saturday.

Posted from iPhone

Thanks for the pics...

Great pics, reminds me of when 4014 was towed from LA to Cheyenne.  I'm glad the equipment is being preserved.

Nathan