The QJ 7081 at Atlantic, IA.
The front of QJ 7081.
Two views of the Atlantic Rock Island Station. We then did a Photo Runby at Atlantic after the engine had been serviced.
The QJ 7081 does the Photo Runby at Atlantic.
Iowa Interstate Spreader 95000.
The train backed up to pick us all up.
QJ 7081 at Atlantic, Iowa. We all reboarded the train.
Leaving Atlantic behind. I went inside and worked on the story for a few minutes before I returned to the open platform of the Hawkeye.
The view behind.
More windmills along our route today.
The Rock Island did a major line relocation from here into Council Bluffs with plenty of fills and cuts.
The hills are covered with windmills.
Two views looking back from where we came from.
Our train went underneath this bridge.
Crossing a pair of bridges.
More former Rock Island signals.
Hillis Siding.
Iowa Interstate 718 West at Hillis, IA.
The west end of Hillis Siding.
Hancock Jct, IA.
The train crossed two more bridges on this line.
A rural grade crossing.
A higher bridge on our route.
Riding across a high fill.
The train crossed this bridge.
More straight track.
The train ran under this bridge.
We crossed over this bridge.
The train ran by the former Peter Siding.
Looking north as we drop down the grade towards Council Bluffs.
McClelland Siding.
View looking north.
Straight track behind our train.
Crossing a bridge.
Another wooden bridge.
Another set of Rock Island signals.
The train crossed another bridge.
Yard Limit sign for Council Bluffs.
The train crossed another pair of bridges.
We crossed over the old Milwaukee Road now operated by BNSF.
More former Rock Island signals.
The eastbound Iowa Interstate freight train was waiting for us to arrive before it left for points east.
View of the motive power.
The DPU at the end of the freight. We ran through the Iowa Interstate Freight Yard in Council Bluffs.
A unique BNSF blue paint scheme on this unit.
The train crossed the BNSF at Council Bluffs.
The train pulled into the Council Bluffs Rock Island Station.
Later the QJ backed the train into the Iowa Interstate Freight Yard for storage until Saturday's trip back to Des Moines.
Another view of the Council Bluffs Rock Island Station.
Iowa Interstate 601 and Slug 650.
The pair at work at Council Bluffs. I waited for Enterprise to pick me up which they finally did and I got a Honda Accent. Just as I was leaving Henry Posner III walked in without his wallet and ID which he left in his sweater on the train. I drove him back to the yard and he walked over to the train to get his stuff. We had to take a detour due to an Iowa Interstate crew switching and blocking the only crossing we could use. We went the long way around the yard and I dropped Henry back off at the Enterprise Rental Car office. I then drove to the Best Western for my two night stay and walked over to Arby's to get some dinner. I returned to the room and spent the evening working on this story.
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