I drove out to Dubuque, Iowa today, one of my favorite drives and stopped in Galena to see if the wig wag was still in place.
Sure enough it was still there. Now if CN would have been running a train, I could have seen it in action.
BTW, the East Dubuque setting of the BNSF/CN crossing with the curved tunnel and the bridge is very interesting.
I dont think you could devise a more interesting configuration in a basement with model trains.
Gabe…you ever been there? Well worth the drive.
ed
Ed
I go to Dubuque several times a year and always look at the tunnel and old great western bridge that crosses the river. I don’t recall ever seeing a train on the bridge or in the tunnel but I always look to see if there is one. The last time I was there we stopped at the Mississippe River museum near the Highway 20 bridge on the Iowa side. It was a very good museum. We also stopped at the lock and dam at the north end of Dubuque and watched some boats go through the locks. Very inteseting.
Larry
Too bad you didn’t catch any trains in the tunnel or on the bridge. Have been out there several times and caught trains on bridge and in tunnel every time. Makes for a great photo oppurtunity. Does take patience though. Have had to wait several hours to catch a tunnel shot.
The eastbound, M338 usually pops out of the tunnel about 10:00am. The local usually follows behind it to switch IL industries. Its an easy chase from the tunnel to the wig-wag at Galena. Twenty minutes for you and 45 minutes for the train. Northwest IL and the Mississippi River valley is one of my favorite places to railfan, head out every couple months or so. Buckhill Rd. east of Galena is another good spot to catch the train. This crossing was once protected by wig-wags, but they are gone.
Thanks guys for the info on that area.
M338 at 10am would be pretty good for the tunnel. How far east does the local run?
How much industry does it switch?
I assume M338 has a westbound counterpart. When does that run? Is that it for the action on the line? Any coal or grain trains?
If that is it, I question how the line could fit into CN’s overall plans.
ed
The local switches Phoenix Chemical, near IEI Barge Terminal in East Dubuque. The local also interchanges with BNSF. The counterpart is M337, I think in runs thru in the early morning hours at night. BNSF runs a coal train on the CN/IC arcross Iowa and thru the tunnel to the Barge Terminal. 2 - 3 per week. BNSF & CN/IC regularly interchange grain trains in E. Dubuque. Some keep the BNSF power across Iowa. Out in Freeport, there is a local that runs between Seward and Lena. Hope this helps.
1218:
thanks for the info.
If I recall, the grain trains originate on the CN in Iowa and instead of running all the way to Chicago and then making a right hand turn…they cut the corner by taking the BNSF down to Galesburg, then to Peoria where they return to the CN.
So, typical action thru the tunnel would consist of
337/338 manifests
daily local…out and back
perhaps one grain or coal train per day
Who controls the bridge? Is it manned or remote control?
ed