I remember seeing an article on this in Model Railroader as a kid in the 80s. This is cool to see these electric powered locomotives hauling freight in Mason City. I hope that they continue to serve the community for many years to come! Thanks for all you do Brian!
@@jeffgentle6497 I remember the issue was devoted to Iowa. "Half its trains dont go there anymore. " I had several stacks of Trains that got lost in my move back to Chicago. That was one of them.
Originally the Mason City and Clear Lake Railroad. Ran passenger service between Mason City and Clear Lake Iowa. My Great Grandfather worked on the MCCL . I grew up watching it every day on the run between Mason City and Clear Lake.
Hey, JT, I'm glad to see you recording these short lines. Class I and II railroads are fascinating to watch, but it's the Class III short lines where all of the REAL railroading takes place! Railroads with perhaps a half-dozen locomotives on the roster, maybe 10 miles or less of track, and 50 employees. This is where railroaders REALLY earn their pay! You all can have the main line stuff. I'll take the Class III's; they are the hard-working denizens of railroading! I do like watching switching and shoving! JT, I do hope you can do more recording of more of America's short lines.
Did some research on it when you posted a pic the other day, it's such a neat little shortline! Also if you ever want a neat place to railfan, come to Cynthiana, Ky. We have a CSX mainline that runs through town and out in the edge of town it runs right next to our airport, you can sit and watch both trains and planes on pretty day.
I looked it up on Google Maps. I don't think that I have been there although I have filmed in Falmouth and in Paris, Ky. I definitely want to film there
Beginning of video: Electric engine pulling from the front of the train and second engine pushing from behind. I like the sound of the horn, too. I didn't know Iowa had an electric freight line. Would be nice to see them return all over the country, for the new generations to enjoy. Near the end of the video, "But wait, there's more!" Your dog was having a fun time and doing what dogs do! I was waiting to see another train come by. You caught me off guard that time. Thank you for your compliments.
I think I first read about this railroad in 1986. Glad to see it is still in operation. It may have been that or another article where someone said that all it would take would be a good wind storm to end electric operations. You're right, that UP SD40 is also pretty special in 2021!
That is one of the coolest things I have seen in while! Thanks! There were some 1920s vintage electric locomotives working some copper mines in Chile until about 5 years ago, but this has them beat.
Hey JT, did you notice the electric traction loco's still ran on the original journal boxes? Still had the doors on the journal boxes so I believe they didn't have the bearing upgrade. Very old and very cool, thanks.
@asteinmann Usually when the roller bearing conversion is done, they leave the doors,(flaps) off to indicate they were converted. BUT, I don't think that's carved in stone. I'm sure someone with more knowledge can provide the answer.
Whenever there’s a conversion of journal bearing to roller bearing the journal boxes remain, I’d assume that by this point they’ve made the conversion. Best way to tell is if the journal box has a hole drilled in the bottom to prevent someone from oiling it and or water from pooling.
I will post more when I get time to put more of the video together. I am shooting in 4K now. It looks good if you watch in 4K but it sure takes a long time to make a video with it. I filmed them switching a grain elevator. They set off a few cars and picked up a couple and that was awesome
You did it again, JT. You found something waaaay cool to film for us train lovers. This is amazing. Reminds me of trolley cars one sees in old photos, movies and TV shows. Thanx for sharing. U D Man!!
Dang it, I missed you being here. Wish I would of known you were coming. Could of got you a VIP tour of that railroad. If you ever make it back here let me know. I’ll hook you up on a VIP tour.
There is another electric line operating. The Deseret Power Railway hauls only coal from the Deserado coal mine in NW Colorado to the Bonanza power plant in Utah. The Black Mesa and Lake Powell ceased operations in 2019.
Jaw you have out done yourself. That is so very cool to find these days, push-pull traction still operating. Traction in the cornfields. Be safe traveling ok.
I used to drive to Mason City a lot for work, and I always heard about this loco, and I drove over the tracks all the time, but I never got to see it in person!
There still are poles from the electrified track that ran where I grew up. I am 44 years old and NEVER saw them used. Only started panic when they started to decay and drop the inactive wires in the track. Today the steel poles still stand. All the wires were removed. Other than a trolley, I have never seen an electric train in action.
Loved the shot's of the electric locomotive and the Uion Pacific one. But the part of Chessie taking a dump, not so much. Give the dog some privacy! :)
🇳🇱That is much, much better than all those diesels here in europe, diesels are in the minority and all trains run on electric power greetings from roosendaal the netherlands.👍👍👍👍👍👍🍀
"Here in Europe" Europe is a very big place. I'm sure you're right about the Netherlands but, for example, nearly all freight in the UK is diesel-hauled. Mainline passenger service and commuter trains in the south-east are mostly electric but most secondary routes outside the London area are diesel-powered. Ireland is entirely diesel except for one electrified passenger line around Dublin. About two-thirds of Germany's track is electrified; a little over half of France's; about half of Italy. But then in Finland and Romania, only about a third of the track is electrified.
Good stuff. I worked for U.P. for about 12 years....the majority of the time as an engineer. Mason City was my "away from home" terminal for most of those years.....and I ran a switch engine in the yard there. Can't say as I really miss the company....but do miss the job.
Thanks for traveling 700 miles to preserve history for us. Want be long before they ditch these little engines and then there will be no more actively running. Take care. 😎👍👌
I remember when I started long distance trucking in the 90's, and on my first trip I saw one of these electric trains. It was near Philadelphia, PA. I have never seen another one since then.
Nice to see you come up and check this out. I work for CP Rail in Mason City. Are yard is close by. And UP big yard is north of there. Then there is the IANR ( Iowa Northern Railroad) that ends in Manley, IA north of town. Safe travels
Thanks for the info! I never heard of the Iowa Northern Railroad. Wow, I should have filmed that one. I did film a CP train near the graveyard and road overpass
Excellent video!! How cool is the sweet electric loco? UP is my road here in Oregon City, OR. Love Chessie the Doggie! Please keep up the great videos! God bless!
Now that's something you don't see every day (unless you live in Mason City). Documenting the very last electric freight railway in the USA, real history in the making. Great catch JT !!
@@beeble2003 Absolutely correct, but wait ! There's more ! Iowa Traction is the only one (I believe) with a railroad connection to another carrier. The others are isolated lines with no outside connection. You're right, super cool in 2021 !
@@Steve-xf4uv Yes -- the other two just run between a coal mine and a power station. They also run mainline locomotives, rather than these little guys.
If its unusual -youve got it covered Jawtooth -didnt know the line was still operating -but now I'm real interested ! Cool action with the old U.P too. Good to see some road side action that close to the highway still ! This is Jawtooth at his best !! Regards
Well done Mr Jawtooth! You obviously travelled a long way to video the electric locomotives working…many thanks, they’re fascinating! Isn’t it amazing that a country the size of the USA only has one ‘green’ electrically operated freight line. The locomotives are direct current operated at around 750V I assume? We had similar short freight lines here in England years ago. Southampton on the south coast of England (where the liners RMS Queen Mary and RMS Queen Elizabeth sailed to and from New York) had a very short line running across the main road from Southampton Central railway station to a local power generation station, carrying coal for the steam boilers. I seem to remember it used a pantograph on the overhead wire, not a trolley pole. No trace of the line remains nowadays. Several large Mental Hospitals (they called them ‘Asylums’ in Edwardian times) had short electrically powered branch lines to carry coal for central heating purposes. Very few carried passengers but they are fascinating to research and see on maps. Perhaps you could give us a few more technical details on your latest discovery? What power are the little locos fir example? Do they have a rectifier substation or (very old fashioned nowadays) original rotary converters …a.c. mains in, d.c. 400 to 1000v out? Very best wishes and thank you for the (always fascinating) Jaw Tooth videos. Rob, Bournemouth in England.
Hi Brian? Nice video, until a few years ago there was a coal train, unit, operating in northern New Mexico, on the reservation. I think the power plant has since closed and the line shut down?this was all electric power and ran from the mine to the power plant. Great video thanks for posting.
I know the power plant at Page, AZ used a setup like this. Was something like 30 miles of track to bring the coal to the power plant. Whole thing was shut down only like a year or so ago.
This reminds me of the pictures I've seen of the now long gone electric locomotives of the British Columbia Electric Railway of the early 20th century.
Very interesting. Nice video. Hey @Jaw tooth pin this comment.
Okay, here
@@JawTooth thanks :)
@@SoCalOCRailfan ? Pp
Is your comment really deserving a Pin 📌?
@@morganfboylejr4059 wth?
That is a very unique little line that deserves more attention, being the last electric freight railway and all. That's awesome!
It sure is!
I remember seeing an article on this in Model Railroader as a kid in the 80s. This is cool to see these electric powered locomotives hauling freight in Mason City. I hope that they continue to serve the community for many years to come! Thanks for all you do Brian!
Me too! That is the coolest railroad that I have ever seen. I will post another video of it soon
Im pretty sure it was in Trains magazine in the mid/ late 80's.
@@djfitzgerald111 Quite possibly as I subscribed to both.
@@jeffgentle6497 I remember the issue was devoted to Iowa. "Half its trains dont go there anymore. " I had several stacks of Trains that got lost in my move back to Chicago. That was one of them.
@@djfitzgerald111 wow...you do have an impeccable recollection...thanks for the info!
Now there's something you don't see every day. Way cool JT!
Originally the Mason City and Clear Lake Railroad. Ran passenger service between Mason City and Clear Lake Iowa. My Great Grandfather worked on the MCCL . I grew up watching it every day on the run between Mason City and Clear Lake.
Hey, JT, I'm glad to see you recording these short lines. Class I and II railroads are fascinating to watch, but it's the Class III short lines where all of the REAL railroading takes place! Railroads with perhaps a half-dozen locomotives on the roster, maybe 10 miles or less of track, and 50 employees. This is where railroaders REALLY earn their pay!
You all can have the main line stuff. I'll take the Class III's; they are the hard-working denizens of railroading! I do like watching switching and shoving!
JT, I do hope you can do more recording of more of America's short lines.
Sad to see the electric factor slowly going under. Thanks for the video!! 🦮😊👍🇺🇸
Holy crap!
That's awesome!!!
And that UP engine is SHARP!!!
My dad photographed this line in the early 60's same locomotives back then!
#50 was built in 1920 and 54 was built in 1923
Chessie practicing her middle-linebacker stance there at the end..
Thanks for the video.
Thanks for the Iowa Traction, and UP 1705, how cute was that trailing DPU.
😄😎👌👍
That electric train is some very cool history. Excellent catch Jawtooth, absolutely excellent !
Ok that is amazing!! Had no idea anything like this was still running
I have wanted to see it for years. Thankfully it is still hanging on
Did some research on it when you posted a pic the other day, it's such a neat little shortline! Also if you ever want a neat place to railfan, come to Cynthiana, Ky. We have a CSX mainline that runs through town and out in the edge of town it runs right next to our airport, you can sit and watch both trains and planes on pretty day.
That's only two hour from Cincinnati. I'll have to check that out once I get my car fixed. Nissan CVT is too flakey for road trips right now.
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@@msnpassjan2004 Good luck & safe travels once you get rolling!
I looked it up on Google Maps. I don't think that I have been there although I have filmed in Falmouth and in Paris, Ky. I definitely want to film there
😍The magnificence of a wonderful professional photography
Thank You for Sharing, Great Railroad History still alive. I like the SD-40 as well!
Thanks for visiting our town, hope you enjoyed your stay!!
Wow. What a find! Feels like the 1920s again, JT!
That is awesome and you dont see electric freight trains everyday so that is extremely rare and fun to see
Alex Aseltine-Just where can you find a cord long enough to plug it in at? 😆😆😆😆😆😆
@@kevinmiller6380 yay I dont work for the railroad im just fan
The GG1's on the Pennsylvania RR. we're electric locomotives. They ran freight and passenger trains. They were neat then.
Wow! That was really cool. Never even knew this existed. Great video JT! I always learn something watching your videos and reading your summaries.
Beginning of video: Electric engine pulling from the front of the train and second engine pushing from behind. I like the sound of the horn, too. I didn't know Iowa had an electric freight line. Would be nice to see them return all over the country, for the new generations to enjoy. Near the end of the video, "But wait, there's more!" Your dog was having a fun time and doing what dogs do! I was waiting to see another train come by. You caught me off guard that time. Thank you for your compliments.
Thank you very much!
Those traction engines are 100 years old. Amazing
That's one for the record books - -I've never seen an electric freight loco before. And thanks for the Chessie footage - always enjoy that pup!
Been there twice. Really great operation and friendly employees!
I think I first read about this railroad in 1986. Glad to see it is still in operation. It may have been that or another article where someone said that all it would take would be a good wind storm to end electric operations. You're right, that UP SD40 is also pretty special in 2021!
Excellent catch of that electric locomotive ... Hope Chessie don't get to much '' Crap '' for striking a pose at the end ... Lol ...
That's an awsome catch there. I never knew that existed in the US.
That is one of the coolest things I have seen in while! Thanks! There were some 1920s vintage electric locomotives working some copper mines in Chile until about 5 years ago, but this has them beat.
Now that's really cool JT, cute little locomotives and DPUs also, thanks.
Awesome! Mason city has a lot to offer when it comes to railfanning. Can’t wait to see your other videos
Wow ~ read about this little line in TRAINS somewhere in the last century ... great to see 'em Still There !
You da Man , JT
Hey JT, did you notice the electric traction loco's still ran on the original journal boxes? Still had the doors on the journal boxes so I believe they didn't have the bearing upgrade. Very old and very cool, thanks.
That is really cool! I guess they get by with it since they never leave their own tracks
@asteinmann Usually when the roller bearing conversion is done, they leave the doors,(flaps) off to indicate they were converted. BUT, I don't think that's carved in stone. I'm sure someone with more knowledge can provide the answer.
Whenever there’s a conversion of journal bearing to roller bearing the journal boxes remain, I’d assume that by this point they’ve made the conversion. Best way to tell is if the journal box has a hole drilled in the bottom to prevent someone from oiling it and or water from pooling.
Awesome video Jawtooth, that electric train was awesome. It's the 1st I've ever seen moving freight!!!!!
JT. Great video of the last eletric freight line. Thanks for all your traveling across the USA to find these gems of railroading.
@@rickledges4412 your welcome!!!
Thanks for the effort of getting this video, now that really was cool. Keeep the videos coming son.
Bravoo! Great report! And great idea for a model layout. Thank you very much Mr. Jaw Tooth!
More than I ever wanted to know about Chessie...........
Great video on the Iowa Traction. Fascinating.
Hope you had a chance to try Casey's General Store? Their pizza is to die for.
Meh...
I didn't see it. It must not have been by the tracks. lol
Indeed. I find myself grabbing a couple of slices and a Mello Yello on the way home from work!
Always got to stop for Casey’s pizza
Literally to die for, you won't poop for a week. Tastes good though.
That is the coolest thing I've seen in a long time! It's great that those electrics are still running, and being used for what they are designed for.
Couldn't agree more!
You have the most interesting channel on youtube. Thanks for all you do!
I love the bell on that locomotive!
That is something I can honestly say I have never seen before. That was Really Cool to See. Thx!👍
I will post more when I get time to put more of the video together. I am shooting in 4K now. It looks good if you watch in 4K but it sure takes a long time to make a video with it. I filmed them switching a grain elevator. They set off a few cars and picked up a couple and that was awesome
Nice shot Jaw! I'm already excited to see the part 2 of those operations! When you go in Iowa, this is a must to see for sure. :)
Cool to see small railroad doing real work!
It sure is!
You did it again, JT. You found something waaaay cool to film for us train lovers. This is amazing. Reminds me of trolley cars one sees in old photos, movies and TV shows. Thanx for sharing. U D Man!!
Cool, thanks!
I myself have never seen one before. So it's good to get a surprise Cameo appearance
That is really cool, like a trip down memory lane when electric trolley's where everywhere, and those switcher engines too !!
Awesome video !! 👍 👍
Excellent catch Jaw Tooth. Always nice to see a good shunt:)
I am so repetitive. But, hey, y’all deserve praise for capturing things like this before we lose them. Woo!
It's likely the railway will keep operating for a while. They're considering opening a second line.
Your dog is so cute. Of course the train car is cute too.
Awesome video Jawtooth! Cool to see such a unique railroad! Thanks for sharing it with us!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Dang it, I missed you being here. Wish I would of known you were coming. Could of got you a VIP tour of that railroad. If you ever make it back here let me know. I’ll hook you up on a VIP tour.
Awesome! That would be worth the trip for sure. I have more video of it to post
JT you make and have the best videos on RR's and equipment!! Been watching all your videos for over 3 years now!!
A push pull switcher - Excellent - conductor never has to ride long shoves on the side of a car !
Hope you and yours are okay. Always a pleasure watching your videos
Here is one "Muscular Locomotive" Mr.Tooth!
Neat powerful little Buggers
1,098,000 total YT competitive railfanning points awarded.
Definitely cool. Complete with an end-of-train DPU!
Awesome video! I really want to see the Iowa Traction Railway in action! Thanks for sharing!
I also have video of them switching a grain elevator that I will post soon
@@JawTooth Sweet! I'll make sure to watch it!
I've never seen a train like that. Thank You. For sharing.
Yes that was COOL. I always enjoy watching your videos during my lunch break. Keep up the great work.👍🚂
That's quite the "Outfit" Mr. Tooth!
I have seen that before but at night! Nice catches! And the UP trackage is a Spine line off the UP Boone/Clinton Subdivision.
There is another electric line operating. The Deseret Power Railway hauls only coal from the Deserado coal mine in NW Colorado to the Bonanza power plant in Utah. The Black Mesa and Lake Powell ceased operations in 2019.
Jaw you have out done yourself. That is so very cool to find these days, push-pull traction still operating. Traction in the cornfields. Be safe traveling ok.
Nice video Jaw tooth. Really don’t see them do electric freight train to much
Amazing heavy trains being pulled with only 600 volt trolley power. The current load in Amps must be huge to provide enough Horse Power.
Thank you, sir, for showing us this. Very interesting and thorough on-the-spot description of the operations. What a rare subject. I love it! ❤️
Thanks! I will be posting another video of it in a few days or so. I'm going to work on a new video of it today when I get home from Kentucky
Enjoyed the description. Awesome Catch.
Those traction locomotives were cool! 👍🏻👍🏻 up for that one son! Love the UP switching scene. Nothing like a SD 40-2 under load.
I was just wondering if you ever took a video of Chessie taking a dump and There it is! LOL Nice train video too.
If it’s different, JT will find it! I totally enjoyed this latest effort WONDERFUL!
Thanks so much!
I used to drive to Mason City a lot for work, and I always heard about this loco, and I drove over the tracks all the time, but I never got to see it in person!
Love the electric info, but I must confess "I always stay for the end and your companion" God I love that dog and wish I had one like that. :)
I agree ! Your pup makes me smile ear to ear ! 🧡🌞
There still are poles from the electrified track that ran where I grew up. I am 44 years old and NEVER saw them used. Only started panic when they started to decay and drop the inactive wires in the track. Today the steel poles still stand. All the wires were removed. Other than a trolley, I have never seen an electric train in action.
Adorable fox at the end
That is so cool!! I am so glad that this line is still active,truly amazing
Loved the shot's of the electric locomotive and the Uion Pacific one. But the part of Chessie taking a dump, not so much. Give the dog some privacy! :)
Pretty cool, Iowa Traction... Cool....Son
Cool little electric freight railroad. Thanks, JT.
Thanks for watching!
Thank you very much for all the wonderful videos you post. Lots of hard work & travel.
Thank you very much!
🇳🇱That is much, much better than all those diesels here in europe, diesels are in the minority and all trains run on electric power greetings from roosendaal the netherlands.👍👍👍👍👍👍🍀
But it's the ONLY one in the USA!?
"Here in Europe"
Europe is a very big place. I'm sure you're right about the Netherlands but, for example, nearly all freight in the UK is diesel-hauled. Mainline passenger service and commuter trains in the south-east are mostly electric but most secondary routes outside the London area are diesel-powered. Ireland is entirely diesel except for one electrified passenger line around Dublin.
About two-thirds of Germany's track is electrified; a little over half of France's; about half of Italy. But then in Finland and Romania, only about a third of the track is electrified.
100 year old locos still going strong- Brilliant. (they are cute, too)
Love your dog yes good video old Electric Locos and The UP loco SD45 to say Thanks
Many thanks!
Good stuff. I worked for U.P. for about 12 years....the majority of the time as an engineer. Mason City was my "away from home" terminal for most of those years.....and I ran a switch engine in the yard there. Can't say as I really miss the company....but do miss the job.
that bell sounded like someone hitting a horse shoe on a wash tub.
You are correct this is cool. Good job JT
Thanks for traveling 700 miles to preserve history for us. Want be long before they ditch these little engines and then there will be no more actively running.
Take care. 😎👍👌
I remember when I started long distance trucking in the 90's, and on my first trip I saw one of these electric trains. It was near Philadelphia, PA. I have never seen another one since then.
Nice to see you come up and check this out. I work for CP Rail in Mason City. Are yard is close by. And UP big yard is north of there. Then there is the IANR ( Iowa Northern Railroad) that ends in Manley, IA north of town. Safe travels
Thanks for the info! I never heard of the Iowa Northern Railroad. Wow, I should have filmed that one. I did film a CP train near the graveyard and road overpass
Loving the channel. Thanks jaw tooth
That traction video was pretty cool
Jaw Tooth, you done it again! I heard of this railroad but never saw it in action. Thanks much.
Very welcome
Live action son! 💚🤘🚂💨☕ Thanks never seen that before 🚎👍
Excellent video!! How cool is the sweet electric loco? UP is my road here in Oregon City, OR. Love Chessie the Doggie! Please keep up the great videos! God bless!
Thanks for watching!
Now that's something you don't see every day (unless you live in Mason City). Documenting the very last electric freight railway in the USA, real history in the making. Great catch JT !!
It turns out that there are two others -- the Deseret Power Railroad and the Navajo Mine Railroad. Still super-cool, though!
@@beeble2003 Absolutely correct, but wait ! There's more ! Iowa Traction is the only one (I believe) with a railroad connection to another carrier. The others are isolated lines with no outside connection. You're right, super cool in 2021 !
@@Steve-xf4uv Yes -- the other two just run between a coal mine and a power station. They also run mainline locomotives, rather than these little guys.
If its unusual -youve got it covered Jawtooth -didnt know the line was still operating -but now I'm real interested ! Cool action with the old U.P too. Good to see some road side action that close to the highway still ! This is Jawtooth at his best !!
Regards
Well done Mr Jawtooth! You obviously travelled a long way to video the electric locomotives working…many thanks, they’re fascinating! Isn’t it amazing that a country the size of the USA only has one ‘green’ electrically operated freight line. The locomotives are direct current operated at around 750V I assume? We had similar short freight lines here in England years ago. Southampton on the south coast of England (where the liners RMS Queen Mary and RMS Queen Elizabeth sailed to and from New York) had a very short line running across the main road from Southampton Central railway station to a local power generation station, carrying coal for the steam boilers. I seem to remember it used a pantograph on the overhead wire, not a trolley pole. No trace of the line remains nowadays. Several large Mental Hospitals (they called them ‘Asylums’ in Edwardian times) had short electrically powered branch lines to carry coal for central heating purposes. Very few carried passengers but they are fascinating to research and see on maps. Perhaps you could give us a few more technical details on your latest discovery? What power are the little locos fir example? Do they have a rectifier substation or (very old fashioned nowadays) original rotary converters …a.c. mains in, d.c. 400 to 1000v out? Very best wishes and thank you for the (always fascinating) Jaw Tooth videos. Rob, Bournemouth in England.
Hi Brian? Nice video, until a few years ago there was a coal train, unit, operating in northern New Mexico, on the reservation. I think the power plant has since closed and the line shut down?this was all electric power and ran from the mine to the power plant. Great video thanks for posting.
I know the power plant at Page, AZ used a setup like this. Was something like 30 miles of track to bring the coal to the power plant. Whole thing was shut down only like a year or so ago.
This reminds me of the pictures I've seen of the now long gone electric locomotives of the British Columbia Electric Railway of the early 20th century.