I enjoyed your photographs. Can you report on what the latest details on local changes in the railroad scene in Ceder Rapids and nearby places? Visited a long time ago, summer 1952, arriving and leaving via the Waterloo and Ceder Falls interurban car from Waterloo, but did not get to ride Crandic. I’ve heard that passenger service of some type might be revived. Is there that much traffic congesiton?
Thanks, Dave, for looking at them! I’m sorry I can’t provide a good perspective of now vs. 1952 (I’ve only been on the scene here since 1974), but that’s been long enough to see many changes- the abandonments of two mainlines through town (Rock Island to the south and Milwaukee Road east/west), several secondary lines, and the changing of hands several times of the former Illinois Central line out of Dubuque/Manchester, which is now CNIC. It is true that there is a group in town that is working towards re-establishing some commuter service between CR and Iowa City, but I’m not holding my breath. For one thing, such talk always revives memories amongst the senior set of the last such service dubbed the “Vomit Comet”. Getting past that image will be the highest hurdle this group will face, I believe. Another factor, the traffic situation on I-380, is not that bad in my opinion. Sure, it gets busy during rush hours, but you don’t see the LA and Chicago-style slowdowns to 10 MPH or slower. To overcome the effects of those factors would require a major upgrade to the CRANDIC line direct between CR and IC such that it could handle high-speed traffic- and right now it hardly sees ANY (most interchanges with IAIS go via the former C&NW line down through the Amanas). The line you rode on is now used by the Iowa Northern, which has maybe two trains a day at most.
Slightly off topic, but your mentioning the CRANDIC reminded me of something. When I lived in Washington I met this guy that was from Iowa. One day he was talking about a past job working on the railroad. I asked what railroad and he said the CRANDIC. I said “Oh, the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City”. His jaw dropped in shock that I knew about his “little” railroad 2000 miles away.
Psst, Brian, that’s the former Milwaukee line down through the Amanas.
Jeff
Does the CRANDIC do too much business with the IAIS ? Perhaps Iowa Interstate will buy the CRANDIC.
Oops. Shows you how much I pay attention or research.
Dale, I dunno, I guess anything is possible. I’m not sure that CRANDIC even ventures in to Iowa City anymore, as the IAIS handles the interchange at the new yard they’ve built just south of Beverly.
I’ve heard the Crandic still goes down there original line as needed. I know there was a few active customers at North Liberty.
Since the IAIS is interchanging at Beverly and operating the road trains in and out, does the Crandic venture down towards Amana? There were a couple of active or semi-active customers at Fairfax and Walford. Who switches them when needed? Technically, I think the IAIS only has trackage rights from Yocum to Beverly (Actually I think it is called Dows Yard, the sign is engraved on a rock, pretty fancy) I’ve heard from a friend in Amana that the refrigeration plant may start using rail again also.
There were customers on the Crandic at Iowa City/Coralville, too. Does the Crandic have an engine down there? When I make it back that way, I tend to focus on the IAIS more than the CIC.
Jeff
PS, the IAIS fairly recently moved their corporate office from Iowa City to Cedar Rapids. I think the Iowa Northern has done the same.
It’s been awhile (a couple of years) since I snooped around downtown Iowa City, but last I saw, CRANDIC wasn’t using their Iowa City yard for anything. They may still service a couple of North Liberty businesses via the direct connection, but I think they avoid running the south end of that line through Coralville like the plague. Their website doesn’t list any customers other than the major ones in Cedar Rapids. They may actually service the customers in the Iowa City/Coralville area by trackage rights on IAIS. Unfortunately, I don’t know anyone who lives close in to that area, so unless I suddenly gain lots of free time, I have little chance to improve my knowledge. Maybe when I catch the Chinese excursion at Yocum, I’ll get a chance to chat with a CRANDIC employee.
I’m the second-shift Paramedic here at Amana Refrigeration. I’ll see if I can find someone who can verify/deny the thought of rail service returning to the plant. I know they’ve had days (and nights) sweating bullets waiting for “just in time” delivery of coil steel…so it “could” be possible, in theory. I’ve been told the steel goes by rail from Mexico to Marshalltown, then is loaded onto trucks for the haul to the plant. I don’t get out back of the plant very often, so not sure how much of the track is left. I do know that where it used to actually come into the building, is gone…no evidence rail cars ever would’ve been in here. I’d like to see them go back to rail, but being on the other side of the facility, I’d probably never get to see it. Whirlpool has stated they will dump some bucks into the place…maybe returning rail service is included!!!
Fairfax and Walford are switched by the IAIS. Once in a rare while, if the planets align just right…I do get to see the IAIS running on that line. A tank car of, I think, asphalt; was set-out in Walford a few weeks ago. CRANDIC still does the MOW stuff on the line, they have a tie gang and surfacing gang out there now.
Hope this helps!
Chris Umscheid
Paramedic Specialist, Amana Refrigeration Products
Hey, [#welcome] to the forums, Chris! Always love to see more Iowans here. I didn’t realize that Amana Refrigeration no longer used rail service.
Looks like you’ve got a bit of a commute every day there- at least it’s on US 30, chasing the UP!
Thanks Brian!
Really like your pics, by the way.
Actually, I’ve posted before…under the “old” forums, I was CUFFEMTP, with a whopping 8 posts. I don’t post/reply very often, usually whatever I would say is/was already said by someone else… The drive is about 52 miles each way, and I usually get to see something on the rails. LOTS of new signals going up, lots of new crossovers going in. I really miss the CNW…but have come to accept the UP as an undeniable, unchangable fact of life.
Back to Amana, According to the storm water run-off plans, the grade for the siding “should” still be in place, coming off a passing siding (or two). There is at least one passing siding still along the main, I can see a line of tank cars (probably for ADM) sitting out there. They have a collection of aerial photos taken over the years…it’s clear that at one time, they were a good customer to the RI. I can’t really tell when rail service ended however. One seasoned gent working there has told me of the “fun” they used to have loading boxcars. When they switched to trucks, I think a collective “Snoopy dance” ensued!
Any IAIS experts or RI experts out there that can add to this? These are only my relatively uninformed observations!
I was born/raised in Cedar Rapids…have memories of standing on the steps of the old library (now the art museum) downtown and watching the infamous 4th St. switching boondoggles (pull ahead, block every crossing in downtown…sit for a small eternity, back up, stop, pull ahead again…repeat for another small eternity bringing the entire downtown area to an absolute traffic standstill). When I-380 was being built (this will “date” me), a buddy and I would meet the daily ICG northbound at 42nd St., and pedal like heck on our bikes to pace the train to the HWY 100 overpass. Some nights, we’d make it just in time to get blasted by the exhaust of the crusty old geeps passing underneath. I missed most of the local action: RI, MILW, IC, WLO. By t
Welcome aboard Chris, don’t be such a stranger.
really appreciate the update from all of you. thanks!
LOL, I have a similar very distinct memory, was stuck waiting for same back in January 2000 while trying to get my son to a TCR play rehearsal. When the very long line of covered hoppers were finally backed into the yard, I discovered that they were being pushed in by a trio of DM&E Geeps[:O], which obviously had pushed alot of snow around in transit to CR, assuming they came down the Iowa Northern line.
Thanks!
On the rare occasion I think I’ve got something worth contributing…I just might!
Stay SAFE…
Chris Umscheid, AKA: “Lucky”
“LOL, I have a similar very distinct memory, was stuck waiting for same back in January 2000 while trying to get my son to a TCR play rehearsal. When the very long line of covered hoppers were finally backed into the yard, I discovered that they were being pushed in by a trio of DM&E Geeps, which obviously had pushed alot of snow around in transit to CR, assuming they came down the Iowa Northern line.”
This memory is even better…its back from the days when they still had multiple tracks down the 4th St. corridor, with two trains working at the same time. I faintly recall a CNW SW or NW unit dying, alongside the 3rd Ave. parkade, with a long cut of cars. LOTS of smoke from what had to have been re-starts. Heck, I was probably 7 or 8 at the time…so who knows what was going on. I also remember a very poor looking MILW F-unit (recognized it from my Lionel catalogs) at the East end of their yard, just about to the crossing at Center Point Road. I’ve even got the memory of catching a fleeting glimpse of a red/yellow RI switcher shoving towards the National Oats plant.
Dang!
Where did all the good stuff go???
By the time I started seriously hunting trains (1987), it was just CNW, CC, CRANDIC, and IANR. Still, a heck of a lot more variety than what we’ve got today…or did it just seem that way??
Lucky
Has ADM opened their car repair shop in CR yet?
ed
News to me that they’re doing that… I shall endeavor to investigate. I do know that they’re planning on building a HUGE expansion of their ethanol facilities.
http://www.admworld.com/naen/pressroom/newspopup.asp?id=392&name=Site_Selected_for_Ethanol_Expansion
EDIT: Found this story in their archives-
http://www.admworld.com/naen/pressroom/newspopup.asp?id=320&name=ADM_Buys_Railcar_Facility
I would guess that since it already was operational for CRANDIC, ADM would have kept it open.
Wait a minute- I know what buildings they’re referring to there- the former CRANDIC headquarters off of 33rd Ave. SW. Next time I’m down there I’ll take a spin by it and see what’s happening.
The Milwaukee Road switched the Amana plant. To the best of my recollection, The Milw jobs came down from Marion. It seems like one came down in the afternoon, switched the plant, went to supper and then went back later in the evening to do some more switching. My first cab ride was on this Milw job. Rode from the depot over to the plant, 2miles more or less one way.
They may have came down twice a day. Or the other train could’be been the regular locals between Marion and Ottumwa. In the last Milw days, there was no thru train. They ran turns from either end going as far as needed and then returning to their origin.
The Crandic took over in 1980 when the Milwaukee cut back it’s operation. They wouldn’t or couldn’t come down daily. The refrigeration bought their own switch engine and the Crandic came down, I think 3 times a week at first, then as needed. It seems like it didn’t last long. At the time, about half of the plant’s production had been going to Kansas City for interchange to other railroads. I don’t know if the loss of a more direct line caused a drop in traffic. The trucking industry was also going through changes about that time. I think it was a combination of factors that led to the loss interest in rail service.
Jeff
“The Milwaukee Road switched the Amana plant.”
Thanks Jeff!
See where assumptions gets a guy?
I’m betting that they accessed the plant on tracks that no longer exist… I was just informed that what we refer to as “the 4 corners” (a major intersection inside the plant) used to be tracks…and outside. Time to sneak away from the Bandaid Station and find the pics in the conference room…
Chris