I am going to be traveling out from Aurora to DesMoines, IA later this month and will be taking I-88 to the border and picking up I-80 west to DesMoines. I am planning on staying one night in the Cedar Rapids area and then moving on the next day. If anybody has any good suggestions for decent and safe railfan spots in Cedar Rapids I would surely appreciate your passing them on to me. Thanks.
Jim, I suspect Brian Hanel ought to be able to help you with Cedar Rapids–he’s taken me to a few interesting spots there that I’m not sure I could find again.
However, I’d also suggest downtown Ames as a good spot to stop for UP action. Plenty of grade crossings and other public or quasi-public access. And the Hickory Park restaurant in Ames (barbecue, mostly) gets high marks. We met Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Hergert there a couple of years ago. After you’re done with Ames, Des Moines is just a hop, skip, and jump down the road.
PM me with the exact day of arrival and where you’re staying, and I can probably arrange to pick you up for a personal tour.
EDIT: And I’d also avoid I-80 like the plague, especially when there are such beautiful stretches of US-30 running alongside the UP Transcon between Rock Falls and Cedar Rapids.
I agree. As a “frequent driver” through Iowa, I-80 is a wasteland as far as railroad stuff is concerned. I take it only because I want to minimize my driving time. Rt 30 is the way to go if you want to see trains. Boone IA, by the way, not only has the UP mainline (a couple of miles north of Rt 30 at this point) and the new Kate Shelley Bridge, but the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad, which uses remnants of the old Fort Dodge, Des Moines & Southern interurban, and runs trolleys right through the middle of town.
I second that!!! While I have not been too many places I did think Boone, IA was awesome. The ride on the Boone and Scenic Railroad is worth the time and money! While you are waiting for departure the UP mainline is just a block away. Also the connecting line between the scenic railroad and UP has many wounderful scenes of interurban railroading through residential. Even if you don’t ride the BSVR stopping there to see the equipment on display is worth the detour. I also believe they are in the process of restoring another steamer (someone correct me if that is incorrect).