Iowa City, Iowa (MP 236.8) (from Chicago)
So, continuing our trek around Illinois, Wisconsin and now into Iowa, we roll up the former Rock Island territory again in Iowa City, IA. We check into our Comfort Suites in Coralville, IA just outside of Iowa City. I notice the tracks that run right next to the hotel. This area was not a bad side of town, but actually pretty nice. As I'm unloading the van, I hear a train horn. I go to take a photo and the camera battery dies. Oh complete sadness! Although, I'm not sure how good of a shot it would have been as the light was low and the headlights on the locomotives were extremely bright. I did watch a mixed freight Iowa Interstate (IAIS) train head westbound with lots of corn syrup tank cars and grain covered hoppers. Sweet! I'm thinking it was BICB (Blue Island to Council Bluffs) train.
While enjoying the awesome pool, hot tub and 100ft indoor water slide inside the hotel (hands down the nicest Comfort Suites I have ever stayed at), another IAIS train rolls by eastbound. I'm assuming maybe the counterpart CBBI as it was mixed freight as well. You gotta love railfanning from the confines of the hot tub.
The next morning, we get up and head down to Iowa City to explore. We drove down to the yard which is easily accessible via some neighborhood streets without trespassing.
Taken from South Van Buren Street looking north into the yard.
Taken from South Van Buren Street looking north into the yard.
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Taken from a parking lot off the end of Webster Street.
We spotted a Westbound train working the yard. I have no idea what train this might have been. I would think either the BICB (Blue Island to Council Bluffs) or ICCR (Iowa City to Cedar Rapids) freight.
Photo taken from South Gilbert Street looking north.
Photo taken from South Gilbert Street looking south.
The Iowa City former Rock Island Depot. Again, notice the portico. Pretty small for a cart to fit through.
North side of station looking west.
The east end of the station.
Mmm....The ROCK!
North side of station looking east toward Chicago.
South side of the tracks, looking east toward Chicago.
The same westbound train seen before from Gilbert St. It is sitting on that bridge in this photo.
We had to wait about 40 minutes or so as it appeared the train was going to leave soon. I got bored so I was snapping additional photos of the RI station. My family's patience was awesome!
A ballast shot for the modelers.
A reflection on times passed.
Finally, the train headed west! Very nice!
The paint scheme on these locos throws the auto focus and lighting off on the camera. The bright yellow nose and then dark sides creates for some crazy shots on my point-and-shoot camera I was using at the time.
The Westbound IAIS Mixed Freight crosses South Clinton Street headed out of town.
We took a break from trains to explore the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library, Old Capital Building, University of Iowa Campus and grab some lunch at one of the local eateries. We returned early afternoon (one more time) to check out the IAIS before heading down to Missouri.
I found a trio of Norfolk Southern locomotives working the yard on a westbound freight. Lovely! I drive over a thousand miles to see and explore new areas just to have the NS Black follow me there! Damnit! I would have loved to see some older IAIS EMD units instead.
This train kept messing with me pulling up a little further each time picking up and dropping off various cuts of cars. Never did he come up to the station so I can get a photo similar to the IAIS freight earlier that morning. I had monkeyed around with this train long enough and knew we had a ways to drive on our next leg of our adventure. So, I called it quits taking this last photo as the train crossed South Dubuque Street on the east side of the station.
With this, on the afternoon of day 3 of our mini-vacation, I was done with the ROCK until next time. I enjoyed my brief, but very exciting exploration of the former ROCK lines. I look forward to returning to explore more in the near future!
Maybe one day I can start in Chicago and just follow the line west to see all the remaining Rock Island heritage.
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