Trip Report- Oelwein's RR Museum (Dial-ups beware)

Trains Magazine General Discussion
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I ventured north this morning to check out Oelwein, Iowa’s RR Museum based on info from Dingoix that they were having an open house of sorts this weekend. What I found was very interesting, and worth the trip for me. Here’s a general view of the museum-

Some close-up shots of the rolling stock parked outside the building-




This switcher was occupied by one of its former operators showing off a DVD on a small portable TV that had video footage he shot while they worked the spur lines around Waterloo back in 1999 using that very engine. Very cool!

I nervously made my way up to the tower platform and got these shots-


They were doing a good job of entertaining the kids there-

On the way home, I stopped in Independence and snapped off a shot of this unit on display next to the CNIC East/West main-

Then, I followed the CNIC east hoping to catch some action. Alas, all I could find was this crew-less consist sittin

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Brian-Nice shots! How tall was that tower? From the shots, it looks like you were 5-6 stories up in the air.

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Right on, looks like it was alot of fun. Thanks for the pictures. Great spot for a museum next to the yard.

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I would put it at seven stories, probably around 60-70 feet up. Discomfort got the better of me on the observation deck, and I couldn’t muster up enough courage to walk the narrow deck around the outside of it. Very un-nerving to place your feet on a thin web of steel with nothing below it for that distance…

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LOL, tell me aobut it. I was there.

I went in early afternoon- IANR GP38-2 #3810 was put on display around 2:00. I saw it come in running long hood forward (no train) Ed, (the engineer) then gave cab tours.

I got permission to walk WAY back by the shops. And, believe it or not, many tracks that used to lead to the shops are still there. Theres a small creek that most of them crossed and there are still a few bridges.

[IMG]http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/7057/tracksnexttocoa

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Great shots guys, thanks for shareing.

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Heh- weather cooperated better for you, dingoix. I had to make it down to Kalona for a family birthday gathering by 3 PM, so I couldn’t stick around.

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Nice shots guys. Thanks for sharing!