General Discussion

Greetings,

Just got back from a Photo Special that may have broken a record.  This past weekend the Iowa Interstate Railroad and the owner of the Chinese QJ's Henry Posner hosted a Photo Special put together by steamspecials.com.  The doubleheaded QJ's pulled westbound on Saturday.  They pulled a 4212 ton revenue train. This might be a record for modern steam revenue freight.  The train went from Des Moines, IA to Council Bluffs, IA with return on Sunday.  Sunday's train was much lighter. 

The weather Saturday was AWESOME !!.  Not a cloud in the sky.  Sunday was still nice but it was mostly cloudy with some breaks of sun.  On Saturday the QJ's were working hard. The combination of the heavy train and decent grades in western Iowa even caused there to be an extra water stop and they cut the train to make sure they could make it all the way to Council Bluffs.

Here are some photos from the trip. 

Westbound just west of Booneville, IA

At Casey, Iowa

Westbound at Hickory Ave west of Adair, IA

West of the waterstop at Anita, IA

Atlantic, IA

On the bridge at Hancock Junction, IA

Second waterstop west of Hancock, IA

One Sunday June 10th Eastbound on High Bridge over McPherson Road in Council Bluffs, IA

Eastbound at Stuart, IA

On Highway 6 bridge outside Council Bluffs, IA

The Steam Crew/IAIS Crew and Mr Posner(middle) pose with the QJ's at Booneville, IA on Sunday June 10th.

As the sun sets on the QJ's (taken Saturday) it was a great trip. 

BIG THANKS to the Iowa Interstate for allowing this happen. To Mr Posner for allowing the QJ's to come out and play. And also to the people at Steam Specials for arranging the Photo Special, it was worth it.

PS - Mike Yuhas, I would have loved to have stopped down at Rochelle this past weekend, but this kind of got in the way. 

Keith Schmidt

BNSF_GP60M wrote:

Did you see the intermodal cars in the train? Would this make this the first "mostly" intermodal train pulled by steam?

I don't think so.  I believe UP #3985 or #844 pulled either an autorack train or a doublestack train that had stalled out in Wyoming where one of the steamers was doing some break in work or returning from an excursion. 

Keith

What is that tank car doing in Stuart? I cannot see what they are putting into that tank car there.

Great photos.

Even though this is **COUGH** CHINESE **COUGH** steam, it's still good to see a steam set running revenue freight in the USA.

The sunset photo is perfect. Good shot!

kschmidt wrote:

BNSF_GP60M wrote: Did you see the intermodal cars in the train? Would this make this the first "mostly" intermodal train pulled by steam? I don't think so.  I believe UP #3985 or #844 pulled either an autorack train or a doublestack train that had stalled out in Wyoming where one of the steamers was doing some break in work or returning from an excursion.  Keith

Actually, didn't UP 3985 pull a 142 car (or unit) double stack train to inaugerate some service?  I think this must have been 20 years ago, but I am almost positive I saw it somewhere.

Gabe

Since 1990 UP 3985 pulled several trains with more tonnage like the train the QJs pulled few days ago. The 144 car double stacker in 1990 was the heaviest I believe - more than 7000 tons. And I think N&W 1218 has been used on coal trains of comparable or even larger size, too.

However, the photos are very nice and show a great happening! Thanks for sharing! 

gabe wrote:

kschmidt wrote:  BNSF_GP60M wrote: Did you see the intermodal cars in the train? Would this make this the first "mostly" intermodal train pulled by steam? I don't think so.  I believe UP #3985 or #844 pulled either an autorack train or a doublestack train that had stalled out in Wyoming where one of the steamers was doing some break in work or returning from an excursion.  Keith Actually, didn't UP 3985 pull a 142 car (or unit) double stack train to inaugerate some service?  I think this must have been 20 years ago, but I am almost positive I saw it somewhere. Gabe

Several years back; it was a "Calendar Shot" publicity for Maersk Lines, and it was, I think in the vicinity of El Cajon, one of the video companies used to run an add with a photo of the train.

  Big Steam Gives Me Chills!

Great photos, Keith...

I kinda like seeing my old friends working again!

Safety Valve wrote:

What is that tank car doing in Stuart? I cannot see what they are putting into that tank car there. Great photos. Even though this is **COUGH** CHINESE **COUGH** steam, it's still good to see a steam set running revenue freight in the USA. The sunset photo is perfect. Good shot!

Thanks,

I believe that there was a string of tank cars in Stuart in storage.  Alot of almost new ethanol cars stored all over the IAIS. 

Keith

Ok. Maybe I should have said that it was the first this year with Chinese steam pulling almost a full intermodal train.

BNSF_GP60M wrote:

Ok. Maybe I should have said that it was the first this year with Chinese steam pulling almost a full intermodal train.

Oh man, there has to be some irony in that statement somwhere.

Either way, Great Photos!  And I haveto admit, pretty freakin cool to see steam pulling a modern freight train.   A Modeler's dream come true!

This is from their inaugeral run last fall.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKxroW2VopU

I like the juxtaposition of the old technology of steam with the new "digital" technology...

Dig that digital whistle...   !!!!

kschmidt wrote:

PS - Mike Yuhas, I would have loved to have stopped down at Rochelle this past weekend, but this kind of got in the way.

Aw shucks, Keith. Ya think?

Cool photos!