June 20th--Eastern Iowa

[nscnotp1]

Did some going about in Cedar Rapids then out to Wheatfield, IA for some action on the UP Clinton Sub(Clinton-Boone, IA-ex CNW east/west mainline).

While running a couple errands in downtown Cedar Rapids, I managed to catch two ex GT's still in their original scheme shoving some cars in the Quaker Oats yard. The GT's are part of the Chicago Central and Pacific (owned by Canadian National). After dropping off my daughter at home, I went out to focus a bit on the CRANDIC. Caught the CIIC 118 crossing Wilson Ave heading southward.

Later we head out to the Smith-Dows Yard and see Job #12 pulling some freight back toward town. Then onto J Ave SE to catch an eastbound UP Coal Drag with a 8202 leading a patched SP toaster. A little bit later went out to River Road to catch an Eastbound Stack train with a SD70M/SD70ACe mix of power overlooking the Cedar River.

I gave chase to the Eastbound Coal Drag for a bit until I got to Calamus, IA where the 17 year Cicada's are chirping, man were they chirping. 

Met the coal drag coming back westward at Lowden, IA, along with several other eastbounds. A UPS 'pig' train came by the West Clarence CP, splitting the westbound signals. Then met up with the stack train from earlier at the Cedar River and got all four units as roster shots while sitting before getting a diverging signal at West Clarence.

Met a manifest train betweem Stanwood and Mechanicsville behind the stack train. Caught an 'on the fly' shot of a short autorack train east of Mechanicsville and a coal drag west of Mechanicsville with a DPU on the tail-end, shortnose west.

I will have the photos available in the next few days after I copy them to CDROM.

Until then, CYA