After an interesting walk around Fort Madison, I got myself ready for dinner.
From my room with old Fort Madison and a riverboat with the mighty Mississippi River behind. I went down to the Alpha's On the Riverfront for dinner with the owner of the Kingsley Inn, Fayek Andrawes and James R. Noll of the Fort Madison Bank & Trust.
We talked about a future project of having a short piece of railroad so a Doodlebug Rail Car could shuttle people along the river. Amtrak will be moving into the old Santa Fe Station a few short blocks away and they have plans for a railroad museum and model railroad museum. I suggested a viewing platform be built down by the railroad/highway bridge across the Mississippi River so the public could have a safe place to photograph trains as well as to watch river traffic. I enjoyed a New York Strip which was excellent. After dinner we went up to Fayek's residence and talked for a little more before I had to take some interesting night pictures.
The northwest view of the Kingsley Inn.
A closer view of the north side.
The sign out along the highway.
Two views along the highway of the Kingsley Inn.
A Holiday Display of Lights out in Riverview Park.
Two views of Santa Fe 4-8-4 2913 in Riverview Park. I then walked through the Holiday Display of Lights in Riverview Park.
What caught my eye first was the train.
The fountain was next.
The Angel.
A Hot Air Balloon
Various Subjects.
Cinderella's Coach.
A Space Ship.
Christmas Reef.
A Cement Truck.
Anchors.
Sailboat.
Rodeo.
Steam tractor.
Statue of Liberty.
Tractor.
Ferris Wheel.
Christmas Ornament.
Santa Fe Bridge across the Mississippi River.
A car with a Christmas Tree.
The Eiffel Tower.
The Hot Air Balloon with the Train just as the westbound Southwest Chief went through Fort Madison on the way to its stop in the BNSF yard. I returned to the Kingsley Inn to write this part of the story before I used the Sauna Tub then called it night.
12/19/2007 Early in the morning I had taken a walk and took some extra pictures with my 35 MM Camera and I will share now with you.
Old Fort Madison.
Riverboat Catfish, a former Casino now out of business.
Santa Fe Station now a museum but will become the Amtrak Station for Fort Madison next year.
A westbound BNSF freight passed the Santa Fe Station.
An eastbound BNSF freight came throug town next.
A BNSF freight on the old CB&Q passed the former CB&Q Station. I returned to the Kingsley Inn to work on that story. After I got done with the Kingsley Inn story and got it proofed by Carol Walker via e-mail and Winston Walker via the phone, I decided to head out to the Santa Fe Bridge across the Mississippi River and hoped a westbound would come by. I walked via the Fort Madison Marina and after asking it was ok to take pictures from their property, I walked down along the edge of the harbor.
I caught a westbound UP train crossing the bridge.
The Mississippi River.
A few minutes later a westbound BNSF train came across the Mississippi River. I was satisfied and walked back to the Kingsley Inn. As I neared there I heard a train horn and knew this one was on the old CB&Q which I caught across the street from the Kingsley Inn. Back to the Emporium where I had stashed my bags, I put away the camera then walked to the Alpha's for an early dinner. I had Filet Mignon wrapped in Bacon which was excellent.
