OCTOBER UPDATE

           THEN AND NOW.....

cgw-yard.jpg          CGW's former "South Des Moines Yard" has been completely torn out... compare this photo with the one from 1998 below....

cgw-yard-1998      A former CNW GP40 pulls out of Bell Yard with a cut of stored covered hoppers from the exact location five years earlier     

cnw2990.jpg          In South St. Paul, one "cnw" 2990 sits at the fuel track at South St Paul, catching a breather
cnw2990b.jpg        after a trip on the MDMSS.  The UP shield has revealed the old "CNW" lettering on this engine
                              which is a similar phenomenon to the "cnw" 3043.
cnw6858.jpg          In April, the same engine, looking MUCH better, idled in the exact same place.     
 
 cp-derail.jpg           To add to the misery at the CP, this derailment happened last week.... Free lumber at Dunn!
 cp5778.jpg             At East St. Paul, this CP train rounds the corner on the BN.  Note the BN tunnel under                the UP

  FALL IN ST. PAUL

bn6234.jpg             A BN SD9 takes a spin on the turn table at the old Jackson St. Roundhouse
bn-relics.jpg            Only at St. Paul can you catch a GN SD45 waiting in the clear for an SD9 on the turntable!!
cp-dunn.jpg             A look at the switcher near the hump yard on the CP.  Some nice fall colors...
cp-fall2.jpg              A step back, less zoom.  Looking west toward Hwy 61/10
cp8270.jpg              You gotta love freshly painted GP7's in the year 2004!  Pig's Eye Yd.
crowded-ssp.jpg      Four southbounders are ready to go at South St. Paul.... who let the BN in?!?
gn-shops.jpg            The GN still lives on at Jackson Street
gn400.jpg                The famous Great Northern "Hustle Muscle" SD45 idled at Jackson St. Roundhouse
ice6424.jpg             I heard the IC&E get permission to depart, so I rushed down to Newport and barely beat it to this crossing.
soo4415.jpg            Two SOO GeePs do industry work at Newport.  This is the same track, only across the river, that leads to the old double decker swing bridge.  The CPRS uses the track right up to the bridge.
up755.jpg                UP 755 leads a CP-UP transfer across Robert St. Bridge
up755b.jpg              The "YSPCP" train had 116 cars in tow... is it time to merge yet???
up755c.jpg              The transfer train navigates the cluttered scene at Robert Street.
wc781.jpg               The CP was delivering a dead-in-tow Wisconsin Central GeeP
yspcp&american-queen.  The YSPCP cruised past the "American Queen" showboat along the Mississippi River 

    CATCHING THE 261:

 milw261.jpg            We caught 261 at Dayton's bluff....
 milw261a.jpg           If it weren't for my girlfriend pointing out all the fans gathered around I wouldn't have even
 milw261b.jpg           known the train was coming!!

 passengers.jpg         The end of the train.....

   MISC!

 soo6057.jpg             Anyone seen my prime mover?
 up2014-iais.jpg         UP RCL on the IAIS at SE 18th ST. in Des Moines
 

avon-road.jpg           Crossbucks protect this grassy knoll at Avon....

bnsf2247.jpg            Two units in ATSF paint.... can't complain about that!
 
bnsf981.jpg               Nice consist... gotta love that paint on wide cabs

up3108.jpg                MSSPR roars through central Wisconsin