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Appanoose County Community Railroad Albia Limited August 16, 2008

8/15/2008 I awoke at the Depot Inn & Suites in La Plata, Missouri and following a continental breakfast, took the golf cart to the Chris Guenzler Million Mile Lookout Point for some train watching. This morning, there were five westbounds: four BNSF and one Union Pacific, as well as one eastbound BNSF and Amtrak's Southwest Chief, running a few minutes late. I then gave a tour of the Exhibition of Amtrak History to two of my rare mileage friends who both stayed at the hotel last night. I called Enterprise rental car for a noon pick-up but they arrived late.

Because of their lateness, I caught this Amish buggy passing in the front of the hotel on US Highway 64. Enterprise arrived and took David and I up to Kirksville to get our rental cars; I received PT Cruiser. I then went to find the depot Carl and I spotted previously.

The former Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Kirksville station last used in the mid-1970's when the line from here to West Quincy was removed. I stopped at KFC for lunch which I took back to the hotel, then did laundry and relaxed the afternoon away in the Pullman Suite before going to the Red Rooster for dinner. Later, I returned to the Lookout Point to wait for the westbound Southwest Chief then before going back to the Inn for the night.

8/16/2008 I was up at 5:30 AM and after a quick breakfast, loaded the PT Cruiser and off I went north on US Highway 63 to Lancaster. I turned left on Missouri Highway 202 and in Glenwood, went by where the Wabash had a bridge over the road, which followed the old grade into Iowa as the road became Iowa Highway 202. I took that to Moulton, turned left onto Iowa Highway 2 which took me to Centerville, after I drove under the old Wabash line on the tracks we would be riding today. In Centerville, I turned left on Iowa Highway 5 and another left took me to a line of motive power in storage.

A mixture of Union Pacific, Burlington Northern and First Union Rail locomotives. Looking down the tracks I saw where our train was so drove over to it and parked.

I was met by Bart Jennings, the trip organizer then went to the train, checked in with Sarah Jennings, put my bag on the rear seat and detrained for pictures.

It was a beautiful, clear and cool morning.

Appanoose County Community Railroad GP7 116, nee Missouri-Kansas-Texas 1526, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1951, was our power for this trip along with two un-numbered covered open cars.

The train poised ready for the trip. Now we would wait for the rest of the rare mileage riders to arive.

The City of Centerville formed the Appanoose County Community Railroad in 1983 after the Burlington Northern had applied to abandon their line through town. Using local funds to match state and federal grants to purchase the line, they ran their first train on December 18, 1984 using ten miles of former BN and Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific to reach the Norfolk Southern interchange near Moulton. The former Wabash Line from Moberly to Des Moines, now NS, announced plans to abandon its line from Moberly to Albia, again cutting off the rail connections to the outside world. More funds were raised and they acquired the Moulton to Albia trackage to interchange with the BN.

With everyone aboard, we departed backwards to the end of track on the former Chicago, Burlington and Quincy line portion on this railroad.

Crossing O'Briant Street.

The diamond crossing of the Rock Island line, which we crossed.

We entered the scrap yard and the end of track then reversed direction and started the trip to Albia.

Passing the Appanoose County Community Railroad shops.

Here a grain car was being loaded.

Going by the stored motive power, including Burlington Northern SD40-2 7526, nee Colorado and Southern 7526, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1980, waiting to go to the Relco shops in Albia.

A new grain elevator was being built. There were two other large plants that ship cars by rail.

One of those industries can be seen at the left.

Except in the cities, most crossings are protected by crossbucks.

New rails and ties have been added to the railroad.

The line ran through the Iowa natural forests.

Going over 540th Street.

A line through the woods.

We came to the former Chicago, Burlington and Quincy signal for the crossing of the former Rock Island Railroad.

Our route ran east through the trees.

A box car on a hill at a farm.

Rounding a curve as we neared the former Rock Island crossing.

The connection to the Rock Island on which we would soon be travelling.

This is where the Rock Island line went west and crossed the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy at the CB&Q connection. We stopped here for a pair of photo runbys.

The reverse move.

Photo runby 1.

Photo runby 2. We all reboarded and continued the journey.

The train was now rolling east on the former Rock Island segment.

Passing beneath another road bridge.

The view looking back.

An old Rock Island signal control box.

We travelled a little further and once we came to Church Road, all detrained for another photo runby.

Photo runby 3.

The view looking down Church Road before we returned to the train.

Straight and true through the woods our train went.

A set of Rock Island block signals.

We crossed the Chariton River.

Proceeding through the trees.

Passing through the Iowa countryside.

Our tree-lined route was very scenic.

A third highway bridge.

A second set of Rock Island block signals.

Our passengers enjoying the fresh air and views.

I found this part of the tracks very interesting. They are on a fill and to hold the support for the tracks on the fill, steel cables run underneath to hold both sides together.

A small cut.

This is the location of the switch which took the former Rock Island mainline into a cut and and under Moulton Junction. This track was removed in 1993. We were now on the former Rock Island connecting track to the former Wabash Railroad.

The former interchange connection to the Wabash.

Our train taking the new connection at Moulton Junction to get onto the Wabash portion.