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Tour of the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway February 8th, 2003
Courtesy of the Crandic (Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway, CIC) and Mr. Frank Morosky, the Iowa State Railroad Club was given the opportunity to tour the railway's facilities in Cedar Rapids, IA. Led by Mr. Fred McCoy, in charge of the railway's motive power, the club was given an excellent tour. First the club toured the Crandic's engine house, where we viewed a good portion of the CIC fleet. He first took the club inside a few engine cabs to view the onboard computers that the Crandic has installed on its locomotives to increase fuel efficiency and pulling power. Next on the tour was the freight car cleaning facility next door, which had a large master control panel. Continuing on, the club viewed the Maintenance of Way storage building and then the painting bay where CIC 100, the lone high hood on the CIC was found as well as CIC102 and 104 sitting outside. After seeing the main facilities of the Crandic, the tour continued with a few more stops including the operational headquarters and old shops. The tour then went to ADM plant south of US 30, where club members were given the opportunity to experience some industrial switching with the engineer, Richard, and crew. Following the switching, the club toured the Crandic's other yards and customers in Cedar Rapids. CIC 112 was being moved back into the engine house as the tour arrived back at the main facilities. The tour ended where it began as the club thanked Mr. McCoy and crew for an outstanding tour.
After grabbing some lunch, the club went out on its own and found GTW 5816 (for alumni club member Mike Endres) sitting in the CN yard and CIC 97 switching Penford Products. Making our way back toward the Crandic facilities, CIC 107 was found bringing a coal train out of the yard. The club then went toward ADM and found CIC 114 sitting at Smith-Dows Yard, waiting to depart for its run to Iowa City. Shortly thereafter, it departed. The club managed to catch it at Fairfax and at an overpass, catching it as it approached and going away. The train had to stop at Amana until the Iowa Interstate Railroad cleared up. The Crandic portion of the trip stopped here as the club made its way toward Des Moines' Short Line Yard, where SSDM was found at Hull Ave and CNW 6877 was found third in another consist waiting to depart (sorry, too dark for those pictures). The club then proceeded home to Ames after a very good day. Thank you again to the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway for giving an excellent tour.
***Additional Shots*** CIC 114 rounding the curve at Fairfax
Click here to view trip reports from last year. |
