Be very, very quiet ... we are going Alco hunting ... in Iowa

My pecking order when it comes to interest in locomotives goes like this: Steam, cab units, Alcos, and everything else. I imagine you’ve got your priorities, too. Everyone does. This is a tale of good hunting for one of my priorities.

On Thursday, on the way to meetings and a trade show in Omaha, Neb., I deviated from my usual journey along Interstate 80 (typically made with hopes of catching an Iowa Interstate train somewhere on the old Rock Island, or zipping up to drive portions of U.S. 30 along Union Pacific’s former Chicago & North Western main line) and went via Peoria and Galesburg, Ill., and Burlington, Iowa.

I saw a grain train on the move in Peoria and an eastbound Amtrak train (not sure if it was the California Zephyr or the Southwest Chief) at Galesburg, but the real prize came in Burlington. The catch was not on the BNSF Railway, where it crosses the Mississippi on an impressive bridge (made even more impressive by the high water flowing down stream due to heavy rains in the region). The pages of my own publication helped me to land a rare and celebrated locomotive. Here’s the back story.

Last week I was editing Chris Guss’ Locomotive column for our December issue, and he had supplied a photo of an Alco C415 in fresh paint at the Burlington Junction Railway. An Alco C415, of which there were only 26 built between 1966 and 1968, still alive and kicking, moving freight, and doing so on a daily basis? The model that Rock Island and Southern Pacific bought the most of – 10 each? The model that’s down to three working units, all on the same railroad but at different locations? That sounded like something I had to see. So, I decided to go looking for it, and as soon as I crossed the Mississippi River bridge, I got off U.S. 34 and headed north along tracks that looked like they belong to a short line. I didn’t go far before coming across No. 701, resplendent in a deep red, preparing to shove a cut of interchange cars down to the BNSF. I followed the unit and its short train through downtown Burlington to the interchange and followed it back up with another shirttail of cars. The whole visit was as if had been pre-arranged and scripted, which it wasn’t. It was just good luck and the power of showing up curious. I noticed that the city is preparing a floodwall when the Mississippi crests Sunday and that the Burlington Junction sure is close to the river at that point. I hope both stay dry.

As one who always admired the Century line of locomotives and caught a few on the L&N some 35 years ago before they were toast, this was a real treat.  So, fellow Alco hunters, make those pilgrimages to Scranton and western Pennsylvania for the big Alco railroading experience and lots of four and six-axle roadswitchers, but don’t forget that deep in the mid-west, there’s a C415 still burbling after all these years.