I was up at 5:30 AM and after I posted the last two stories on Trainorders.com, I went and had breakfast then checked with the front desk about my ride back to the RailsWest Museum. However, they did not have a record of me after I had checked for two days in a row. They decided to take me with a gentleman going to the airport so after I gave directions to the driver, I was taken there. Karla had the station open and we all had a nice visit while awaiting the train to arrive.
On A very cold morning sits Chicago, Burlington and Quincy 4-6-0 915, ex. Burlington and Missouri 715, nee Burlington and Missouri Railroad 44 built by the railroad in 1902. Fourteen of these K-4 Class locomotives were built and this one was one of several later converted to burn oil and fitted with 64" drivers for local and branch line work.
The Burlington and Missouri Railroad was acquired by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy in 1872, then served as a subsidiary until 1904 when it was finally consolidated into the CB&Q. The K-4 class was gradually retired from service between 1931 and 1953 and 915 was donated to the City of Council Bluffs in 1965.
The Council Bluffs Rock Island station built in 1899.
Inside the depot is the dispatcher's board from Council Bluffs to Atlantic. After enjoying some good conversation, I saw steam moving in the yard from the bay window of the depot and went outside to get a picture as the train reversed into the station.
The station from afar.
The train stopped for the stop sign at the BNSF crossing east of the station.
On the move again towards the sation. I will now show you our train.
Iowa Interstate business car "Hawkeye", ex. Kansas City Southern 1887 "Arthur E. Stilwell", exx. Midsouth "Prospector", exxx. Ontario Northland "Moosonee", exxxx. St. Louis-San Francisco 3, exxxxx. St. Louis San Francisco 4, exxxxxx. St. Louis-San Francisco "Oklahoma", exxxxxxx. St. Louis-San Francisco 6, exxxxxxxx. St. Louis-San Francisco 1924, nee St. Louis-San Francisco buffet-coach 1702 built by American Car and Foundry in 1912.
Iowa Interstate dining car "Abraham Lincoln", ex. Kansas City Southern 40 "Kansas City", exx. Amtrak 8096, nee Union Pacific 4812 built by American Car and Foundry in 1949. This would be the car in which I ride again.
Iowa Interstate tool car 9201 built from a 40 foot box car in 1956.
Iowa Interstate water car 8000.
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Iowa Interstate QJ 2-10-2 7081.
QJ 7081 reversing the train into the Council Bluffs station.
QJ 7081 has the train at the station and then boarded and took the forward table again in the "Abraham Lincoln". After all the passengers boarded and a safety briefing was conducted, we departed at 8:18 AM, going through the yard before leaving Council Bluffs for good. About ten miles east, we were stopped by something blocking the tracks.
The view from the observation platform. Once on the move again, it happened a second time.
I walked back for another view.
The crew finishing removing the debris on the tracks, which was a result of last night's wind storm.
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The train ran to Hillis siding, where we entered it for an 86-car westbound freight that was holding the mainline.
Our QJ 7081 took the train into Hillis siding.
The freight crew had aligned the switch for their westbound movement and we were allowed to get off the train to photograph the freight and our reverse move out of the siding.
Iowa Interstate 508 West with 86 cars.
Iowa Interstate ES44AC 508 built by General Electric in 2008.
Iowa Interstate ES44AC 507 built by General Electric in 2008.
The rear of Iowa Interstate 508 West.
QJ 7081 blew down before reversing.
QJ 7081 reversed to get out of Hillis siding.
Pulling forward to pick us up and we all reboarded.
The drumhead of our train as I reboarded. Next stop would be Atlantic, our servicing stop for this train this morning.
QJ 7081 and train at Atlantic.
The author and QJ 2-10-2 7081. Everyone reboarded and the we proceeded towards Des Moines and I relaxed the rest of the way back, watching the chasers on the highways and enjoying the view on this cold windy morning then called Let's Talk Trains and told them about my stories and today's excursion.
The bar in the "Abraham Lincoln" with the Iowa Interstate emblem. We arrived at Des Moines, ending a great trip behind Iowa Interstate QJ 7081.
The rear of the train.
The front of the train. I retrieved the car from the parking structure for $25 then drove out of town on Interstate 235, which I took east to Interstate 80. I filled the car at Casey's in Colfax, drove east to Newton for dinner at KFC thencontinued east on Interstate 80 to Grinnell, where I exited and went into town to find the station.
The Iowa Interstate crosses the Union Pacific at Grinnell with the former Minneapolis and St. Louis station at the northwest corner of the diamond. The station is now the Depot Crossing Restaurant.
The Grinnell, Iowa station built in 1892. Across the street was a surprise.
The Grinnell Railway Express Agency building which houses a model railroad club. From here I checked into the Best Western Pioneer Inn for the night and listened to Let's Talk Trains while I wrote the end of the story then relaxed the evening away before calling it a night.
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