EDWARD A. OOM Iowa Northern Restores Service on Ex-Union Pacific Branch
ON NOVEMBER 4, 2011, THE FIRST IOWA NORTHERN TRAIN to serve the newly-acquired Garner Sub rolled west over Canadian Pacif- ic (ex-Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern) trackage just west of Ventura, Iowa, pulling an empty single-level covered auto rack for recreational ve- hicle builder Winnebago at Forest City and 35 empty covered hoppers for grain elevators at Garner and Forest City. The 28 miles of former Union Pacific track were purchased by North Central Iowa Rail Corridor LLC
for $1.5 million and are being operated by IANR under a ten-year lease- to-own agreement. UP had planned to abandon the line despite the exis- tence of small grain shippers who wanted to use rail service, since the big road did not want to operate anything less than 100-car unit trains. IANR serves the Garner Sub out of Manly using trackage rights over DM&E from Nora Springs to Mason City and then west to a new connec- tion at Garner, at about the midpoint of the new line.
Alaska Railroad
NEW BRANCH TO SERVE PORT: The Alaska Railroad will build a 35-mile branch line from Houston (MP 174, north of Wasilla) to Port Mackenzie, located across the Matanuska- Susitna Anchorage from the city of Anchorage. Currently accessible only by road, rail access will allow Port Mackenzie to expand its inter- modal and bulk materials export and import business. Construction should begin next sum- mer and be completed by 2015.
ARR JOINS AAR: The Alaska Railroad will become the 20th member of the Association of American Railroads. The move will give Alas- ka a voice in national policymaking.
Canadian National PAUL BURGESS It’s Santa Train Season
THE INDIANA RAIL ROADran its annual Santa Trains on December 2-4, 2010. The first day’s trip ran from Bargersville to Helmsburg, Ind.; the next day the train ran from Solsberry to Jasonville, and on the final day from Newton, Ill., to Sullivan, Ind. With Santa and Mrs. Claus riding the front deck of 25th Anniversary SD9043MAC No. 9025, the train rolled into Dugger, Ind., on December 3, passing Three Wise Men who appear to be intent on something other than the train.
22 FEBRUARY 2012 •
RAILFAN.COM
MATTESON CONNECTION COMPLETED: On November 7, 2011, Canadian National cel- ebrated the completion of the new connection between the former Illinois Central and Elgin, Joliet & Eastern at Matteson, Ill., which had been finished on October 3. The east-west run- ning EJ&E had crossed over the north-south IC on a bridge, with a single north-to-east con- nection from the IC to the J. $30 million later, Matteson features a four-way junction that al- lows traffic from either line to move to the four points of the compass.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60