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Chicago and North Western Historical Society The High Bridge "400" 5/15/2009

I received an e-mail about the Chicago and North Western Historical Society convention that was to be held in Des Moines, Iowa in mid-May.

I waited for the announcement on their website and signed up as a member of their Society. Days later, I received my first magazine which was very impressive, then next came the announcement and tickets were ordered. Following that, my fantastic travel agent, Carole Walker of Bella Vista Travel, reserved my flights to Kansas City, Missouri and because of the Delta Airlines-Northwest Airlines merger, this would change from a direct flight to a stopover at Minneapolis before arriving in Kansas City. On the return, I would have to fly from Kansas City to Memphis then to Los Angeles. A Budget rental car was then reserved as were hotel rooms for the three nights. I worked at Jefferson Elementary as a California Achievement Test proctor to the day before I left on this trip.

I was up at 3:30 AM and after breakfast, drove to the Santa Ana station and parked in the lot then walked over to Track 1 where I bought my Metrolink ticket for the trip to LAUPT.

Metrolink 681 arrived and I boarded the cab car for Los Angeles. The train made good time and soon I arrived, where I bought a round trip on the Fly Away shuttle which took me LAX in twenty-five minutes. Security took less than five minutes and I waited for my first flight of the day.

Boarding commenced at 7:30 AM and people were still coming onto the plane at our departure time of 8:10 AM. We pulled away from the gate at 8:29 AM and finally took off at 8:42 AM while I listened to XM Radio Destinations and Hall of Fame Group Songs twice on the way to the Twin Cities. We arrived there on time and soon I made my way from Gate E24 to Gate C24, stopping at A&W on the way for a late lunch then waited for my flight to Kansas City.

The plane departed late due to a late incoming flight from Cedar Rapids. Once we boarded, we left the gate then sat on the tarmac for nineteen minutes while the crew waited for their plane weight fraction formula to be given to our flight crew. Once we were in the air, it was a quick flight and we arrived at Kansas City only a few minutes late. Another plane was having problems at the gate so we sat for twenty-five minutes before he left and our plane could move into the gate. Once off the aircraft, I waited for the shuttle to the rental car offices where I received a Nissan Versa from Budget and loaded my luggage.

I left Kansas City International Airport and made my way to Interstate 35, taking that north towards Des Moines. I stopped at the first rest area in Iowa, then in Osceola at an Arby's for dinner. Road construction delayed me but I arrived at the Holiday Inn in Des Moines, where I picked up my train tickets for the next two days' worth of trips. Now I drove back to the south side of Des Moines to the Best Western Airport Inn for my two-night stay. I learned on the way there that the during the NHL playoffs, the Anaheim Ducks lost on a non-reviewable disputed goal in Ottawa against the Senators. Why not? A seventh and deciding game should have had all goals reviewed, so that no team was short-changed. Just my opinion. I called it a night and requested an early wake-up call.

I was up early and after preparing for the day, left the Best Western for the Holiday Inn as it poured rain. On the way, the rain let up so I went to Casey's petrol station for a maple bar then walked over to the buses but I realized that a Union Pacific release was not part of my convention packet. I went back to the registration table where I was given one and and filled it out then took it back to the bus and was allowed to board.

The bus took us to Hull Avenue where we waited for all the buses to arrive. The gates went down and soon I saw something that fit right in with the theme of this convention.

Archer Daniels Midland SW1200 1218, nee Chicago and North Western 318, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1962. We were allowed to get out of the bus so we could get pictures of our train before departure.

The power was the last two unpatched Chicago and North Western locomotives.

Another view of our train for this morning.

Chicago and North Western C44-9W 8701 built by General Electric in 1994.

Chicago and North Western C44-9W 8646 built by General Electric in 1994.

The train pulled up to the grade crossing where we would board.

Everyone boarded and I chose a table in the lower level of the dome-diner-coach "Missouri River Eagle". This train had a consist of Chicago and North Western C44-9W 8701 and 8646, power car 207, Union Pacific lounge 9009 "City of San Francisco", Union Pacific coach 5483 "Texas Eagle", Union Pacific dome-coach 7015 "Challenger 7015", Union Pacific coach 5468 "Katy Flyer", Union Pacific dome-diner 80008 "City of Portland, Union Pacific coach 5473 "Portland Rose", Union Pacific dome-diner 7011 "Missouri River Eagle" and Union Pacific business car 114 "Feather River 114".

Union Pacific blocked the crossing with trucks as we boarded and we departed the Hull Avenue crossing in Des Moines for the Kate Shelley High Bridge. Why was that bridge so named? Let's go back to a night in July 1881 when the bridge was known as the Boone Viaduct. A thunderstorm flooded the Des Moines River bottom, washing out a bridge over a small ravine east of the river near Moingona. A freight train derailed into the flooded waters, killing the fireman who was never found, but the engineer survived. A fifteen-year-old girl named Kate Shelly learned of the washout/derailment and knew a passenger train would be nearing the washout. During the storm and heavy rains, with a lantern in her hand, she crossed the old Des Moines River bridge and flagged down the passenger train to a stop. In 1926, the high bridge was dedicated to the memory of Kate Shelley.

The train headed out of Des Moines into the farming world of Iowa.

The author riding on the Chicago and North Western Historical Society The High Bridge "400" train.

More of scenic Iowa.

View of the area where I was sitting.

View from the dome car "Missouri River Eagle".

Passengers enjoying the dome.

At South Chicago Junction, I started my new mileage.

West Chicago Junction.

South Kansas City Junction.

There is a lake in the middle of the wye at Kansas City Junction.

At West Kansas City Junction, we entered the former Chicago and North western mainline, on which we would travel west.

More of exciting Iowa.

Downtown Ames.

The Chicago and North Western station in Ames built in 1920.

Travelling west across the flat countryside.

Soon we were in Boone and here was one of the town's water towers.

Cars of the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad. After Boone, I walked back into the "Feather River" to capture our train crossing the Kate Shelley High Bridge.

Nearing it we passed beneath this farm road crossing.

A switch to tie in the future mainline across the new bridge being built.

Concrete ties ready to be installed once the new bridge is completed, which should be July 1st, 2009.

Ballast ready to be used.

New signals at the east end of the new Kate Shelley Bridge.

The start of the new bridge at the east end. The Kate Shelley High Bridge is 155 miles east of Omaha and spans the Des Moines River Valley. Construction started in early 1899 with the bridge being opened on May 19th, 1901. It has a height of 190 feet and a length of 2,685 feet, has 22 steel formed towers resting on stone pier foundations and the spans range in length from 45 to 75 feet. Across the middle is a 300 foot connected deck truss.

Now our train would traverse this famous bridge.

As we were crossing the Kate Shelley High Bridge, an eastbound Union Pacific freight train also crossed.

We had now completed our crossing of the Kate Shelley High Bridge and at the west end, we would be let us for a wonderful photo opportunity.