CP Iowa line

[MP173]

Thanks to everyone for the recent thread on Traverse City, Mi.

Now to Iowa...

Yesterday I travelled to Muscatine, Iowa and took the river route from Davenport which parallels the CP line (ex Rock Island).  This has always been a favorite route of mine, even if Rt. 61 is a little quicker.  Nothing like railroad tracks and the Mississippi River for a view.

I have made this trip numerous times over the past 25 years and yesterday the CP was a traffic jam with 4 trains between Davenport and Muscatine.  Two westbounds and two eastbounds.  There was a WB ethanol train and a general freight.  Both of these were in sidings while EBs moved - both general freights.

Never seen this amount of traffic on this line.  Coincidence or has business picked up for CP?

Ed

[CShaveRR]

Rd, it's been a couple of years since we've been out that way, but I know the route well--Iowa 22.  I'm ready to go again, given the slightest encouragement.  My favorite area for gathering equipment sightings was that block of industries by Buffalo.  Fortunately, I got the ancestries for those IMRL/ICE covered hoppers inherited from the Soo Line before they started disappearing.

I didn't see the increased traffic when last I was there, but I saw a considerable amount of maintenance taking place--lifting the line out of the mud as it were--and I figure it's going for something.  

The thread about CN and CP elsewhere on the Forum confirms the increase in traffic.  This is probably KCS' main connection to the Twin Cities and perhaps Chicago, and probably CP's answer to UP's Spine Line for routes between those points.  

Of course, you may have seen congestion cused by track work or a maintenance window.

[MP173]

Returning back from Muscatine around noon today there was an eastbound, more than likely a local.

It had one unit - CP5036 which made a nice view against the blue sky and the Mississippi.

I believe one of the trains yesterday was this same local....had a similar locomotive.  Today's train had 13 cars, yesterday had nearly 70, but it might have worked the industries at Buffalo.

Lots of local shippers on that line between Nahant and Muscatine.  

 

Ed

[jeffhergert]

Anecdotal evidence from other railfans makes me think the CP (former MILW) line to Kansas City is pretty busy these days.  I do know they've been hiring trainmen (and some engineers) recently for Davenport.  Earlier this year they even had sign-on bonuse for certified engineers and trainmen.

Jeff 

[CMStPnP]

jeffhergert

jeffhergert wrote the following post an hour ago: Anecdotal evidence from other railfans makes me think the CP (former MILW) line to Kansas City is pretty busy these days.  I do know they've been hiring trainmen (and some engineers) recently for Davenport.  Earlier this year they even had sign-on bonuse for certified engineers and trainmen. Jeff 

Somehow they landed a good share of the Military trains headed between the East and the West via their Dallas to Meridian, Miss line.    Back when both wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were going full tilt, KCS was really hauling a lot of military equipment unit trains.     So the Dallas to Meridian line must figure highly in DoD traffic routing because it is a very tiny line segment compared to other routings.    I know of their recent deal with NS for part of the line.