Before departure & On-The-Road-Home pics

Before departing:

A Downey Woodpecker helps itself to a feeder

that Bill and Connie set up.

This by far is my best shot of the hummingbird 

that comes around to feed off the nectar feeder.

On-The-Road-Home photos:

Field of soybeans turning colors and corn on top

of a Wisconsin hill.

Farm in the rolling hills of SW Wisconsin.

The haybarn once again on the way back this time going

southbound.

 

After passing Dubuque, we pass another scenic farm
close to Cascade, IA.

A BIG Bird, lake sunset

A BIG bird. A crane?

 

  

  

 Sun setting in the clouds on the horizon @ Lake Kegonsa.

 

On-The-Road Pics, Boat Troubles at lake--September 4th

Sacred Heart Church-Fillmore, Iowa

Yard crew working the CN Yard in Dubuque, IA

 

 Ex GTW unit sitting in the "house" track in the Dubuque CN Yard.

 

Hay barn southwest of Mineral Point, WI.

An equestrian stable near Mt. Horeb, WI.

 

 When we arrived at Lake Kegonsa, Bill and Big Papa(Ron Hagen)

were having a bit of boat trouble.

 

Bill became the boat motor while Ron rides in luxury.

Click here for video of Bill walking in his boat on Lake Kegonsa.
Listen for Julie's comment about "quiet motor".

Indian Creek flooding

Some photos from the recent flooding of Indian Creek

in Marion, IA from August 27, 2009.

Look toward town on Central Ave.

A field on the westside of Central Ave flooded.

Geode Street was closed.

Lininger Park was flooded next to Indian Creek.

Trains, State Fair, Zoo

IAIS GP38-2 711 works the #2 track, getting ready to head eastbound, while an eastbound merchandise train waits for a crew.

September 2, 2009-Iowa City, IA.

 On our way to Des Moines, seen this sign. 

Yes there is such a place called "What Cheer" in Iowa.

Iowa State Fair Aug 14, 2009

State Fair Logo for 2009.

 

The Capital Building in downtown Des Moines, IA

It's several "Great" pumpkins.

Isaac watching the chicks.

The kids riding some John Deere.

 

Blair Park Zoo, Aug 15, 2009

 The next day was the Blair Park Zoo just south of Des Moines. 

A Gecko sitting on bambo.

One of the many species of birds in the zoo.

Blue fish.

Sea Otters

Peacock watching over the turtles.

All different forms of fish on a feeding frenzy after throwing

feed into the water.

Couple Giraffe's necking

An American symbol, the Bald Eagle.

Lioness perched on a rock.

Kids watching some baboons.

Another species of bird.....

....and another.

Bass Pro Shops east of Des Moines in the suburb of 

Altoona, IA.

Railroad Photography

A compilation of railroad photos taken around
Eastern Iowa and ON LOCATION sites;
from "eastern iowa railpics".

NEW!!! July 2009: Iowa Interstate coal train, PE-CR, wedges
thru a cut @ MP14 on the CRANDIC Amana line.

NEW!!! July 2009: Union Pacifc eastbound Z-Train, a.k.a. "The Bird"
in the midst of a field of corn near Bertram, IA.

NEW!!! July 2009: Wisconsin & Southern GP38 3801 @ Pleasant Springs, WI

NEW!!! July 2009: WSOR SD40-2 4053 @ Stoughton, WI

NEW!!! July 2009: WSOR MP15AC 1503 @ Stoughton, WI

5/29/2009: Iowa Northern's ex GTW "transfer" caboose sitting in
the CRANDIC's Wilson Yard, waiting for pick-up to take back
to Waterloo with 40 plus cars.

5/29/2009: UP's Z Train, "The Bird", zips across the Cedar River Bridge.

5/29/2009: UPY 659(Job 52) waits to get clearance to head
to Wilson Yard to exchange cars with the CRANDIC; seen here
near MP 86 on the Clinton Sub.

5/29/2009: CIC 121, slug 125(Job 2) eases around the "S" curve southward
taking some Iowa Interstate hoppers to the 900 yard.

5/29/2009: CN 5268(SD40-2W) with 17 cars, passes under the 32nd Street NE
overpass.

May 2009: Eastbound stack train coming into Beverly Yard while
a merchandise train works the southside of the yard.

April 2009: Iowa Interstate's PECR heads down the other side
of Walford Hill on the way to Cedar Rapids with 120 loaded
coal cars. 1 of 7

Iowa Interstate PECR with ES44AC 502 on the lead;
passing MP 12(Walford, IA) on the Amana Main. 2 of 7

Iowa Interstate PECR passing thru Walford, IA. 3 of 7

PECR passing by Fairfax, IA. 4 of 7

PECR coming into Cedar Rapids. 5 of 7

Nice view of Iowa Interstate's PECR coal train. 6 of 7

ES44AC 510 bringing up the rear. Coal cars reporting marks
are NOKL. 7 of 7

February 2009: Iowa Interstate's ICCR with IAIS ES44AC 500
on the lead-Tipple Creek.

February 2009: IAIS ES44AC 503 leading CRIC back to Iowa City;
seen here south of Fairfax, IA.

April 2009: GTW 5859(CN)-Cedar Rapids, IA

January 2009: Depot--Ft Madison, IA

January 2009: ATSF 4-8-4 2913-Ft. Madison, IA

January 2009: Union Pacific ES44AC-Mechanicsville, IA

January 2009: UPY 657-Cedar Rapids, IA

January 2009: CRANDIC MP15DC 121-Cedar Rapids, IA