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Milwaukee Road 261 Grand Excursion Trips: Chicago to Rock Island, Davenport to Savanna, Rock Island to Bureau, Davenport to Dubuque and Dubuque to La Crosse 6/25-29/2004

After a great continental breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express in Kenosha, Wisconsin, I walked back to the Metra station and waited for Metra 316 to come out of the overnight yard then boarded cab car 8452 for my trip back to Chicago on a beautiful clear morning; Metra trains almost always run with the locomotive pushing the train. We had cab car 8452, coaches 7243, 7256, 7797 and 7781 with F40PH 128 as our power and this train ran more or less as an express from Waukegan, skipping eleven stops which are covered by Train 318 that was following us.

We arrived at Chicago early and I walked over to Walgreens on my way to Chicago Union Station.

I went to Gate B and was greeted by Joe Harper, the videographer from Washington State who was chasing the rare mileage trips in Idaho and Montana last month. Just after 10:30 AM, Milwaukee Road 4-8-4 261 reversed into Track 29 and I was at the door for the press event which started he Grand Excursion of 2004. The original Grand Excursion of 1854 was a celebration by the Rock Island Railroad which comprised a passenger train from Chicago to Rock Island with the 13th President of the United States, Millard Fillmore, aboard. Once in Rock Island, they boarded a fleet of steamboats for the trip up the Mississippi River to St. Paul and on to the Falls of St. Anthony in Minneapolis. The Grand Excursion of 2004 was a year-long event celebrating and commemorating the historic Grand Excursion of 1854.

I was interviewed by the press about my being here to ride the train and once that was done, I boarded Southern Pacific coach 2378 "Golden Sand" for the journey to Rock Island. The consist for the weekend's worth of excursions was Milwaukee Road 4-8-4 261, auxiliary tender 250002, Amtrak P42DC 125 and P42DC 135, NSR 1615 "Grand Canyon", NSR 31 "Minnesota River", PPCX 800861 "Arizona", UP "Echo Canyon", SP "Golden Sand", Santa Fe "Tolani", CB&Q "Silver Larch", Amtrak Horizon coaches 54153 and 54578, Pennsylvania Railroad "Henry Hudson", Santa Fe "Mohave", NSR 3103 "Wisconsin Valley", PPCX 800797 Lancaster & Chester "Golden Tower", MKT 1202R "J. Pinckney Henderson", PPCX 800197 "Montana", PPCX 800702 "Lambert's Point", PPCX 800275 "Sierra Hotel" and PPCX 800040 "Cedar Rapids".

Milwaukee Road 261 departed Chicago Union Station at 11:03 AM to officially start the Grand Excursion of 2004 and we made a smokey exit as we turned west onto the BNSF, climbing the short grade then rolled down the triple track mainline Aurora Speedway before crossing the Des Plaines River. We stopped at LaGrange station and Stone Avenue stations to board passengers, then later at Route 59, several more rare mileage passengers boarded, whom I knew.

We sped through Aurora passing the former Chicago, Burlington and Quincy roundhouse and Metra station before curving through town to cross the Fox River. I rode in the vestibule off and on, wearing my safety glasses as Milwaukee Road 261 is a coal-burning steam engine as it steamed across the Illinois countryside, crossing Big Creek and flying through Plano at track speed. Little Rock Creek was next, followed by passing through the town of Sandwich. Somonauk Creek was crossed just before the town of the same name and US 34 joined our route, so watching the chasers was fun. Little Indian Creek was crossed before Leland and later Indian Creek before we reached Earlville with the former Chicago and North Western (now Union Pacific) crossing then we traversed across Sutphens Run before Meriden and ducking under Interstate 35.

The excursion train curved into Mendota and stopped to service the engine, during which time most of the town came out to see the train arrive and depart. We left Mendota and continued across the rolling farmlands of Illinois, passing through Clarion and Arlington before Zearing then steamed across Bureau Creek before rolling through Malden and Princeton and crossing Epperson Run. Bureau Creek was crossed again, followed by Maple Grove Creek and the town of Wyanet then Hennipen Creek before going over the former Rock Island line, now Iowa Interstate, the route of Sunday's excursion. The landscape became more rolling as we approached Buda with the station still standing and crossed the former Chicago and North Western (now Union Pacific) line on a high fill. We crossed Coal Creek, flew through Neponset, crossed Tomahawk Creek and rolled by the Amtrak station at Kewanee then steamed through Galva, crossed Mud Creek and continued through Altona, passing the Southwest Chief.

We sped through Oneida before slowing at Galesburg Junction, where the track that Milwaukee Road 261 would be taking diverged in the opposite direction to which we were travelling. The steam engine was serviced before we passed the Galesburg Amtrak station where there was thousands of people and signs welcomed Milwaukee Road 261 to Galesburg Railroad Days that was starting tomorrow. We then proceeded to the junction of the Peoria Line and ran down it beyond a switch where we reversed around a wye onto the Quincy Line, which was a little new trackage. We pulled forward to the junction with the BNSF mainline where 261's left rods were greased.

Our train stopped at the Amtrak station since the lounge car needed ice before we departed Galesburg and returned to the junction, now pointing in the correct direction, and started up the BNSF Barstow Subdivision, also known as the Peavine Line, which was also the beginning of my new mainline mileage. This line is single track with sidings and first passed the short siding of Bouhan before crossing Henderson Creek for the first of two crossings. Milwaukee Road 261 steamed through Henderson then crossed the creek of the same name before we reached Rio and continued through Alpha and Ophiem before crossing Mud Creek. The line's undulating profile continued to Lynn Center then we crossed Camp River.

Milwaukee Road 261 continued to curve with the contours of the land to Orion, where we followed Mosquito Creek, crossing it three times before Warren. When we reached the Rock River floodplain, we ducked under Interstate 74 then proceeded through Briar Bluff and steamed into Colona, where there used to be a crossing of the Rock Island, but an Iowa Interstate train derailed and took out the crossing, which was replaced by a switch to the east. Trains use the BNSF linies from Moline to reach their tracks east towards Bureau.

We steamed across the Rock River at flood stage before rolling into Barstow and the train was walked slowly around the west leg of the wye so we could proceed west towards Rock Island then made our way west, running to the north of the former Rock Island Silvis shops. The Mississippi River came into view to the north as we steamed into East Moline, passing underneath the Interstate 74 bridge into Moline then we slowly travelled the last few miles into Rock Island as there were people everywhere waving and taking pictures of the steam engine and train. We passed the former Rock Island depot and Jumpers Casino as we made our grand entrance, where the next day's newspaper said that over 5,000 people had come down to welcome Milwaukee Road 261 to Rock Island.

The steam engine was cut off from the train and the Amtrak locomotive then pulled the train to the unloading area, where our excursion ended and what a welcome the people of Rock Island gave us!

The Government Bridge in Rock Island.

After I detrained, I found a taxi which took me to the Best Western Steeplegate Inn for $17, where I relaxed for the night.

Up early, I walked over to a closed cinema which was a shuttle stop location but unfortunately, no shuttle arrived during my nearly hour stay and there were no signs or anything else. As I sat there, John and Sharon, now living in Davenport, were looking for the shuttle as well. After waiting together and no shuttle to take them to their river cruise today, they drove me to Davenport Union Station where I waited for Milwaukee Road 261 to arrive. Here I met Ken Hanson and we shared a great conversation. Ken later reversed his truck so I could gain elevation over the throngs of people here when the train arrived at 8:45 AM. I boarded "Golden Sand" once more and this time chose a seat in the middle of the car.

Milwaukee Road 261 departed at 9:10 AM, starting out on new trackage today and looking back, I could see Lock and Dam 16 with the railroad bridge to Rock Island behind as the Mississippi River was still at flood level. At the village of East Davenport, there was a Civil War re-enactment occuring in Lindsey Park.

Most surviving riverboats have become floating casinos, such as this one in Rock Island. We passed the Island of Rock Island with the Arsenal and a Confederate Cemetery holding over 8,000 souls then went under the Memorial Bridge carrying Interstate 74 over the river. Kathy Hall was my seatmate, and an excellent guide, who was travelling with three other very interesting and fantastic lady friends. We steamed through Bettendorf, Iowa then rolled by the huge Alcoa Aluminium Plant and entered Riverdale with the town located on the hill. The Bettendorf/Riverdale area used to be the Onion Capital of the World.

We next rolled through Pleasant Valley, which lived up to the name before going underneath Big Hill. Lock and Dam 15 was passed next with Le Claire Canal and Smith Island off to the south then we ran through Le Claire, a suburb of Davenport, home of Buffalo Bill, before passing under Interstate 80, where the river turned north. At MP 178, we rolled by the Buffalo Bill Museum as we steamed by the river's edge then Le Claire Quarry was passed as we crossed Silver Creek and minutes later, we travelled through Princeton then by the Princeton State Wildlife Management Area to the east and cornfields to the west. We crossed the Wapsipinicon River, named for a Indian boy and girlfriend who drowned in the river, and this area reminded me of bayous in Louisiana. We passed another gravel pit and went by Rock Creek County Park before steaming through Saffton and then the town of Comanche, where a Union Pacific coal train was in the siding. We arrived at Clinton with the former Chicago and North Western (Union Pacific) mainline with yard to the north and the large Archer Daniels Midland plant to the south with four plant locomotives.

We crossed the Union Pacific mainline right as it crosses the Mississippi River into Illinois. A few minutes later, across the river, was the town of Fulton then we passed Lock and Dam 13, Deer Creek siding and went under Eagle Point then through Burgess Hollow. The Mississippi River is at its largest width along here. We trestled over Silver Creek and ran into Pomme de Terre Prairie then crossed Elk River and under Bald Point then passed through Cooks, Mound, Dixie and Hubbel Islands, all in the Mississippi River before going under Waneta Point.

Milwaukee Road 261 ran to Sabula Junction and at Sabula, we came across Camp Drink-A-Lot, a camp I would never attend. Here we wyed the train by pulling forward, reversing, forward and finally reversing the rest of the way to Savanna.

We reversed over the Mississippi River bridge into Illinois then crossed a causeway with Edick Lake to the east. As we reversed into Savanna, we crossed the former Chicago, Burlington and Quincy (BNSF) line before stopping to service Milwaukee Road 261.

An Iowa, Chicago and Eastern freight train was waiting to depart. I borrowed Debbie Crimmin's cell phone to call Let's Talk Trains and the ICE freight proceeded into Iowa before we departed Savanna at 12:48 PM.

We followed the freight train out to the bridge slowly.

The Lilly Belle paddle boat passed us.

I spent most of my time in the lounge car socializing on the return journey.

At Clinton was Archer Daniels Midland (ADMX) SW14 1456, ex. Illinois Central Gulf 1456, nee Illinois Central SW9 9468 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1952. We arrived back at Davenport at 3:24 PM, ending another excellent Milwaukee Road 261 adventure.

Kathy and her lady friends offered me a ride back to the Steeplegate Inn so that took care of getting me back. Everything works out if you let it. I went to an early dinner and while looking at my Grand Excursion route guide, James and Elaine of Oswego, Oregon, introduced themselves and later offered me a ride to the train in the morning, solving yet another problem. I went to the Shell station for some supplies before watching California State Fullerton Titans and the Texas Longhorns in Game One of the College World Series. The Titans won the game in a best of three. Bob Riskie arrived at the hotel and we had organized to share a room so at 9:15 PM, he had plenty of stories to tell, after which we called it a night.

Following another free excellent hot breakfast by the hotel, James and Elaine drove Bob and I over to Rock Island to wait to board and at 8:35 AM, we boarded Santa Fe coach "Tolani".

We departed Rock Island and on the way out, passed the former Rock Island depot which is now a banquet hall called Abbey Station. Today was the first cloudy day of these trips and there was a chance of rain as we slowly rolled through Moline then steamed through East Moline and later, the former Rock Island Silvis shops again. We would not be on the former Rock Island until we reach Colona but continued east to Barstow, where we slowly went around the southwest wye then crossed the Rock River, still flowing high at flood stage.

Minutes later, we slowly rolled onto the former Rock Island, now Iowa Interstate, at Colona and crossed Green River as it entered a dense forest and passed a series of lakes. Most of the town of Green River came out to see our special train steam through their town before we continued east across the farmlands and forests.

We arrived at Geneseo where the entire town came out to see Milwaukee Road 261; this was a passenger stop. Speeches were made and after a twenty-five minute stop, we departed at 11:20 AM and proceeded east across the Illinois farmlands through Atkinson.

I enjoyed watching the pacers on US 56 as the made our way under Interstate 80 on the way to Annawan, with the highway hijinks continuing as we rolled through Mineral. The train travelled through Sheffield with the Rock Island station still standing in a white paint scheme with no bankrupt blue then went underneath the former Chicago and North Western (Union Pacific) Nelson-to-Peoria line. At Wyanet, we ran under the former Chicago, Burlington and Quincy (BNSF) line that I had always ridden over on Amtrak, as well as 261, two days ago. The Hennipen Canal came in on the north side with Lock and Dam 3 then we crossed Bureau Creek several times, passed Lake Arispie and then Hennipen Canal before arriving in Bureau Junction.

We passed Iowa Interstate GP10 484, ex. Iowa Interstate 8084, exx. Illinois Central Gulf 8084, nee Illinois Central GP9 9084, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1955, on a local before going down the siding with a tight curve to the Peoria line, which we pulled down.

Milwaukee Road 261 reversed up the mainline, passed the former Rock Island depot in the middle of a huge wye with a sea of people all waiting for us. Once the switch was thrown, the train pulled up to the depot on the Rock Island mainline to be serviced and watered.

The steam engine and train departed at 1:20 PM for the journey back to Rock Island and I spent the rest of the trip socializing with various people I knew. We ran back to Geneseo, where the engine was once again serviced and departed at 4:42 PM on its way west to Barstow, where we had to stop to align a switch then slowly made our way into Rock Island, ending another exciting Milwaukee Road 261 adventure when we arrived at 6:30 PM.

Davenport Union Station (Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific, Davenport, Rock Island and Northwestern and Chicago, Burlington and Quincy) built in 1924. Keith Johnson, a railfan from Cedar Rapids, gave Bob and I a ride back to the hotel so we got lucky again not having to pay for a cab, then the two of us went to dinner at the Thunder Bay Grill, with Erika our wonderful server, who brought me a delicious steak. When I returned to the hotel, I checked my e-mail and then found out that California State Fullerton had defeated the Texas Longhorns 3-2 to became the 2004 College World Series Champions. We called it the end of another great day and had a very good night's sleep.

Following another great free hot breakfast, we waited in the lobby for a taxi down to the train and a different cab company sped us downtown and I walked over to look at the jail before photographing the former Milwaukee Road freight house, built in 1917, as well as Davenport Union Station. While we waited, jokes about taxi cabs in Davenport, among other local related events, were made. Milwaukee Road 261 finally steamed by us to the loading locations before all the passengers boarded. I was second on "Golden Sand" and chose the Mississippi River side for this journey to Dubuque.

We departed at 10:19 AM and it would be a repeat of the trip to Savanna, as far as Sabula Junction, so I just relaxed.

We crossed the Union Pacific at Clinton and once we reached Sabula, there were no Camp Drink-A-Lot boaters present today. The steam engine was serviced at the north end of the Sabula wye.

We departed there at 12:40 PM and I would be on new trackage until River Junction, across the river from La Crosse tomorrow. We passed the small yard at Samoa before crossing under the highway that runs from Sabula to Savanna. Bards Lake could be seen through the trees followed by Joe Day Lake. The former Milwaukee Road mainline used to be double-tracked to Green Island as this part of our route used to be part of the mainline to Omaha, used by the Union Pacific City trains on the Milwaukee Road. We then passed Emay Slough, which is part of Cavanaugh Bottom, then Beaver Creek was crossed on a former double track bridge before we steamed by Little Kelly Lake with Rip Rap Island in it.

More bottom lands were travelled through as we ran along prior to Upper Brown Lakes then traversed Smith Creek then at Green Island, there was a Chicago and Eastern Illinois train in the siding. The grade of the former Milwaukee Road Line could be seen to the west then we crossed MMaquoketa River and paralleled the Upper Mississippi River Wildlife and Fish Refuge with Browns Lake in its boundaries. The fields along here were still partially flooded while the highway was full of pacers. We returned to some river running before reaching Bellevue where Lock and Dam 12 is located. We passed Potters Mill, now a bed and breakfast, before turning and street-running on 2nd Street. The whole town came out to see us as the steam engine used both whistles and air horn. As we passed through Bellevue, the Delta Queen steamed by on the Mississippi River at the same time.

North of Bellevue, the floodplain widened and farming took over. We proceeded along Bellevue Slough with boats chasing the train as we made our way to Gordons Ferry.

The paddlewheeler Jula Belle Swain, out on the river, before we passed Hole Island and crossed Tete Des Morts Creek then through Massy, under Horseshoe Bluff and across Catfish Creek. We had to wait at Woods for a westbound Canadian National freight on the former Illinois Central, before we continued to Dubuque.

A flotilla of small boats had to wait for us to move before they could pace us into Dubuque, including the Anson Northrup from Minnesota.

We arrived at Canadian National's Adair Yard and went underneath the Julien Dubuque bridge, arriving in front of the former Chicago, Burlington and Quincy station at 3:08 PM.

Once in Dubuque, the transportation mess started all over again. No taxis! We were told to walk to the Grand Excursion headquarters and transportation would be provided for free by buses. I asked Bob if he wanted to go and find a cab in town, but he wanted to wait for the bus. The competition was on. Who would get to the hotel first? I found a cab on the road into town and the driver called a cab to meet me at the Dubuque County Building. I arrived there and called that taxi company to confirm then walked out in front and within two minutes, the cab arrived and took me to the Best Western Dubuque Inn for $9.25, where I arrived at 3:48 PM, checked in and ordered the shuttle for 8:30 AM to take us back to the train.

Bob arrived at 5:00 PM and later we went to Perkins for dinner then I went to see the Jackie Chan film "Around the World in 80 Days", which was very good, but it had no outtakes at the end. Bob took the shuttle bus back into town and walked across the Mississippi River to East Dubuque and beat me back from the film. Following a few phone calls, we called it a night.

Following another excellent hot breakfast, this one with great waffles that you make, I went to the store for more supplies then Bob and I took the hotel shuttle (thank you, Dubuque Inn} to the former Chicago, Burlington and Quincy depot which I visited. Milwaukee Road 261 reversed the train into the depot on a beautiful cool summer morning and I boarded "Golden Sands" at 9:07 AM in my now usual seat.

We departed at 10:00 AM and at CN Junction was a train with Illinois Central and Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railroad locomotives. We proceeded through an industrial area before curving through the yard then picked up speed and steamed through Eagle Pond then past Lock and Dam 11 before travelling through Edmore and by the large industry to the west of the tracks before crossing Maquoketa River and going through Rose.

We slowed to cross Leisure Creek and the Julia Belle Swain was seen again as we made our way north with a BNSF freight across the Mississippi River. Spechts Ferry was passed next, along with Rosebrook Island, followed by Cameron.

Out on the river was Harriet Belle and Anson Northrup before we spotted two more, but they went behind Hurricane Island and we went through some forest. The Lilly Belle was docked at North Buena Vista with Sweeney Island out on the river. Out in the Mississippi River, the Picayune Chute takes the main channel away and we ran by Wood Duck Slough then Dean and Spring Lakes before crossing Turkey River prior to reaching Guttenburg, where Lock and Dam 10 is located. We passed through the town where everyone came out to see our special train and the highlight for me was the man drinking out of a paper bag sitting against a building in the shade being woken up by Milwaukee Road 261 steaming by and all the children in the city pool who stopped swimming to wave at the train.

North of Guttenburg, Milwaukee Road 261 ran along French Town Lake then passed Fresh and Hovie Islands before steaming through Clayton. Staying under the bluff, it whistled by the cement plant before passing beneath Aram Point, the Effigy Mounds State Reserve and on to McGregor. I went to the concession car for a Milwaukee Road 261 hot dog and found none other than Mr. 261, Steve Sandberg, serving hot dogs as we passed the Delta Queen on the river. It was interesting to watch the pacers on the highway as we passed more of the Effigy Mounds State Reserve South Unit. We then crossed the Yellow River, where we lost the pacers then ran under Eagle and Hangman Rocks. I talked to Alex from LaGrange about some of the excursions with 261 that I had been on as we passed through Harpers Ferry then we continued north across the fields with the palisades to the west before traversing Oil Spring Creek, and later Wexford Creek, as we returned to the river-running.

After a stop at Lansing, we departed there at 2:14 PM and immediately crossed under the highway bridge across the Mississippi River and passed Lansing Marina.

I enjoy more highway hijinks that kept my interest as we cut away from the river along the National Wildlife Refuge to the siding at Kains then crossed the Upper Iowa River before arriving at New Albin then entered Minnesota and crossed Winnebago Creek before travelling along Ice Haul Slough and under Twin Bluffs. Later we ran through Reno, under Fairy Rock and by Wildcat Bluff with the highway traffic having to slow for Brownsville before we steamed along some really nice wetlands. We crossed Root River then arrived at La Crescent and after the junction switch was aligned, we ran on the east leg of the large wye to the mainline where we sat for thirty minutes waiting for river traffic.

Milwaukee Road 261 crossed the Mississippi River into Wisconsin, followed by crossing the Black River into La Crosse, arriving at the Amtrak station at 4:35 PM, ending my Milwaukee Road 261 riding until Friday's circle trip from St. Paul to La Crosse.

Milwaukee Road 4-8-4 261 at rest at La Crosse.

Bob checked the luggage with the Amtrak agent in the beautiful SOO Line/Milwaukee Road station built in 1926.

In the yard was SOO Line GP38-2 4450 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1980 and another SOO Line locomotive. For dinner we walked over a mile into downtown La Crosse to a Burger King.

We returned to the bridge that overlooks the station, first catching a train with former Conrail, CSX and Canadian Pacific Railway locomotives switching.

The second westbound had a green First Union Rail and CSX locomotives. We went and reclaimed our luggage before relaxing on the "La Crosse Leisure Lounge Chairs" at the east end of the station since our train to the Twin Cities was running an hour and five minutes late at last report at Columbus, Wisconsin. A nice couple of German descent joined Bob and I for some unique conversations.

Next a westbound Canadian Pacific train with CEFX, two Canadian Pacific Railway locomotives, one in the new paint scheme and the other in the old) and two white SOO Line units. Next was Canadian Pacific Railway 9640 West with 28 cars and once he cleared, the fun began.

The Empire Builder arrived at 8:22 PM and after the conductor took everyone's tickets on the platform, we boarded the 2815 car and departed at 8:32 PM. Minutes later, we passed Skytop observation car "Cedar Rapids" before crossing the Mississippi River back into Minnesota for a beautiful reddish twilight trip into night. Led Zeppelin and a little Chicago rolled the miles away. After we crossed the Mississippi River at Hastings, I went to the lounge car to spot Canadian Pacific 4-6-2 2816 in their Pig Eye Yard then returned to my seat to find a couple sitting in our seats who were going to Portland. Since the car attendant had taken down the seat checks, the conductor thought no one was sitting there. We stopped short of the station to cut off the express cars before arriving at Amtrak Midway station fifty-five minutes late and Bob and I were first off the train to a taxi cab and for under $10, we were taken to the Best Western Normandy in downtown Minneapolis, where we checked in for a short night of rest.

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