stlouielady
Lead Service Attendant
I don't know why I didn't post any of this stuff sooner, but, anyway, here goes. I'm headed up that way in a couple of weeks, which made it pop back into my head. Since this is rail related, I figured I'd post it; someone is bound to enjoy it.
If anyone finds themselves in central Iowa, a must see is the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad. Their website is here: B&SV Railroad. The do daily excursions through the Des Moines River Valley, including some dinner trains on Fridays and Saturdays. They purchased one of the last, if not the very last, steam locomotive built by Datong in China. I rode it several years ago in one of their open cars; what a blast!! And, for those of you with young children and grandkids, Thomas the Tank Engine will be there again! Woohoo!!
There's other pretty cool rail-related things to see and do in the area. I grew up 7 miles west of Boone; it is right on the main East/West track of the Union Pacific (formerly Chicago Northwestern) Railroad. Upwards of 100 trains a day, all of them having to cross the Kate Shelly Memorial High Bridge; the longest and tallest double track bridge in the United States. It is 186 feet high, and 2386 feet long, and opened for service in, gulp, 1901! The trains have to cross one at a time now, but, its amazing that it is still in service. They have finally started construction on a new bridge to replace it though, as it creates lots of congestion with the trains piling up. If anyone is interested in seeing some video of trains crossing it, and the related construction of the new bridge, do a search for 'kate shelly high bridge', and you'll get lots of interesting information.
If anyone finds themselves in central Iowa, a must see is the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad. Their website is here: B&SV Railroad. The do daily excursions through the Des Moines River Valley, including some dinner trains on Fridays and Saturdays. They purchased one of the last, if not the very last, steam locomotive built by Datong in China. I rode it several years ago in one of their open cars; what a blast!! And, for those of you with young children and grandkids, Thomas the Tank Engine will be there again! Woohoo!!
There's other pretty cool rail-related things to see and do in the area. I grew up 7 miles west of Boone; it is right on the main East/West track of the Union Pacific (formerly Chicago Northwestern) Railroad. Upwards of 100 trains a day, all of them having to cross the Kate Shelly Memorial High Bridge; the longest and tallest double track bridge in the United States. It is 186 feet high, and 2386 feet long, and opened for service in, gulp, 1901! The trains have to cross one at a time now, but, its amazing that it is still in service. They have finally started construction on a new bridge to replace it though, as it creates lots of congestion with the trains piling up. If anyone is interested in seeing some video of trains crossing it, and the related construction of the new bridge, do a search for 'kate shelly high bridge', and you'll get lots of interesting information.
