er” electric MU cars donated by Metra in 2007. Permanently coupled in pairs, they were purchased in 1971 by the Chicago South Suburban Mass Transit District and operated over Illinois Cen- tral rails into the Chicago suburbs. In the future, they may used to give rides on the electrified trackage. Other electric equipment includes an original 56-seat streetcar from the Des Moines City Railway, No. 512, and a pair of 85-ton steeple cab electrics from Kennecott Copper’s Bingham, Utah, mine, 702 and 703. (The latter were ac- quired primarily because of their re- semblance to FDDM&S steeple cab 209). All three are in storage awaiting restoration.
The Railroad Museum This summer the Iowa Railroad His-
torical Society will open the $1.5 mil- lion, 9000 square foot James H. Andrew Railroad Museum and History Center. The facility, which includes a library and theater, will house the extensive railroadiana collection of James H. An-
ABOVE: Five ex-South Shore interurbans were purchased in 1984 and have been used pri- marily as passenger coaches. Nos. 38 and 39, both built in 1929 by Standard Steel, have been converted to unpowered trailer cars, while 1926 Pullman combine No. 106 retains its pantographs and can be operated as an electric if needed. The others are used for parts. LEFT: Charles City Western combine 50 prepares to depart the Boone depot for a run downtown while NW-2 1003 switches off the main line on June 2, 2007. BELOW: Ken- necott Copper 703 is an 85-ton electric freight motor built by General Electric in Au- gust 1928. It worked all of its life at Ken- necott’s Bingham Canyon Mine west of Salt Lake City, Utah, and was retired in September 1983. It and sister 702 were donated to the Boone & Scenic Valley in 1985 and delivered in 1986. No. 703 was test run at Boone after its arrival, but has not operated in several years. Long range, the B&SV plans to restore 703 to resemble FDDM&S freight motor 209, with 702 providing replacement parts.
drew, a farmer from nearby Jefferson, Iowa. Besides donating his priceless 30- year collection, Andrew also gave a sub- stantial amount of money towards the buildings’ construction; the Historical Society is raising the rest through do- nations. “Andrew traveled all over the United States collecting, and while it contains items commonly seen, like baggage carts, a lot of the material he found is odd and unusual,” Stevenson explained, “When we open, it will be set up just like a train station of the 1940s or 1950s.” For more information about the
B&SV, and for current schedules and fares, visit their website at
www.scenic-valleyrr.com. Special thanks to Fenner Stevenson
and Steve Glischinski for their help preparing this article.
48 JUNE 2012 •
RAILFAN.COM
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