A piece of history

[fiatfan]

Last Sunday my wife and I decided to go train chasing.  First stop was just east of Webster City, IA where we found this freight holding.  While we were taking pictures it received clearance and started to move.


Moving on to Iowa Falls, IA we found this bridge.  


The track running to the left runs up a fairly steep grad to reach the mainline above.


The next stop was Mason City, Iowa, where we hoped to possibly see one of the traction engines of the Iowa Traction Railway.  As luck would have it, all four were visible!








The salmon colored building to the left in the last shot is the IATR shop.

We pulled off on a side road to turn around and as I crossed some tracks I looked to my left and almost had a heart attack.  This was sitting just short of the crossing.  I thought that in my excitement over finding the IATR engines that I had overlooked the crossing signal.  Fortunately it was holding just short of the crossing.  


The IATR also interchanges with both the ICE and the UP in Mason City.  I caught this light(?) engine movement.


Mason City is quite busy with railroad activity.  It will be fun to go back there and spend a day train chasing.

All in all, it was a great day!
 
Tom

[yippinyahoo]

Cool!  I liked reading this & seeing the photos.  Excellent presentation - thanks

[trainfan1221]

Nice photos, looks like you had a good day of train chasing.  The first picture is impressive, those wind machine things even make a train look small.