A Day at the Iowa Traction Railway: Vintage Electric Trains
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- Опубліковано 18 січ 2024
- Taken on: January 8th, 2024
The Iowa Traction Railway is quite the unique little line. It's the only freight railroad in the United States to use electric power. Hosting a fleet of 4 early 20th century-era motors (the oldest of which is 60, built in 1917), the IATR owns about 10 miles of track from Mason City to Clear Lake, but only 5 miles are used, ending at Emery. IATR keeps itself busy tending to the UP and CPKC interchanges and a handful of industries packed along the track. In 2023, Iowa Traction was given the Outstanding Railroad Historic Preservation Award, noting the upkeep of their 100+ year old locomotives. As of now, there's no plans to replace the little steeplecabs, so go catch them while you can!
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Thanks for watching! Photos of these trains can be found on my Twitter, Instagram, and Flickr (links in description). Check out my other videos from this trip!
Railfanning around Iowa (Cedar Rapids, Cedar Falls, Waterloo): ua-cam.com/video/-5xLWc7dCdI/v-deo.html
Driftless Area: ua-cam.com/video/bqD55q9c9uc/v-deo.html
Iowa Northern train busting a snowdrift: ua-cam.com/users/shortsEDW-uaPNc0Q
The fact that these are still in REVENUE FREIGHT SERVICE and not just museum pieces pulling some freight cars around is what makes this more amazing
I know, I can't belive it either!
It’s a cool little electric railroad system here. Also to let you know there is another electric freight railroad called the Deseret Power Railroad.
There are tons of these little electric powered railroads, but they arent connected to any mainline used by the Class I railroads, all are usually coal trains, only consist of 3 or 4 locomotives, and only go from point A to point B and back. The railroads never connect to any mainline.
This has to be one of the most unique and overlooked industrial/shortline railroad operating in North America. Thanks for the fantastic footage of this operation!
@chicagolandrailroader: This line sure looks like it has a promising future. I think they should get 2 more electric locomotives they could maybe purchase from a trolley museum. An electric line with a bright future!
Awesome getting to see IATR 50 (former W&OD 50). Kind of amazing that a 100+yr old train is still getting the job done.
I think they actually still have some vintage Interurban equipment in Storage
17:07 you can tell how hard the substation is working by how dim the light gets when throttle is applied.
You know I live around these they've been around for a L O N G TIME they're still going to strong metal trolley lines doing pretty good
Thanks for visiting my town!
I was expecting a museum piece running live, not antiques running proper shortline action! Amazing! Such underrated little locos, those steeplecabs. :)
"electric indeed electric indeed"
Yep
"Toby, snorted"
"Is it electric?'
Iowa Traction Railway number 60 used to go in front of my house on Youngstown And Ohio River RR. Until, the railroad closed in 1931.
@erer270: It became a victim of the Great Depression which began around that year.
Funny isn't it? I grew up around the IATR and before the freight service in downtown Mason City stopped No. 60 passed in front of what would become my childhood home.
Love these little engines! They have quite fun designs.
Dude, they have Pantagraphs
They are electric locomotives
@@professionalcockatoos9090 I'm an idiot, they remind me of a very specific shunter lol. Corrected
@@professionalcockatoos9090Wrong. They have trolley poles and are called trolley locomotives and in my old hometown of NYC the New York Transit Museum has 2 trolley locomotives that were used by a waterfront harbor freight railroad in Brooklyn. 😊
I really gotta get up there sometime soon
Yakima Valley No. 297 which is basically the same model as these steeplecabs is preserved at the Southern California Railway Museum, making runs ever so often
Old steeplecabs still in service on Iowa Traction Railroad. Its a unique one.
This railroad reminds me of the freight trains and operations on the Chicago Aurora and Elgin!!! Their freight trains were always this length. The only major difference is the Chicago Aurora and Elgin primarily used 3rd rail running except in sidings. North of NATIONAL STREET IN ELGIN it switched back to trolley wire operations and south of Hanks Avenue on the Aurora Branch it switched back to trolley wire operation. This line sure brings back memories of the Chicago Aurora and Elgin Electric Interurban!!!
I heard tale of PGR sending down diesels to help supplement, but happy to see that they haven't done so and that the steeples are still running
@LinkHyrule12: I'm so disappointed that the South Shore Line discontinued electric freight operations in January 31 1981. It was always fun to see yhe Little Joe Electrics( The 800s) hauling long freight trains. With both pantsgraphs on the wires they could each haul 90 cars plus.
Nice Train Video
9:10 that horn sounds sooooo familiar. It sounds like a horn used in Trainz Auran 2006.
Is a wabco aa2
I've seen this train before!
Lemme guess a #JawTooth video?
I'm surprised that we're still using electric trains in our state.
thats so cool
Same Horn as the Stadler FLIRT lol, great video!
Nice😊
It's interesting that an electric locomotive from the 50s is still in revenue service ❤
Even older than that, as their newest locomotive dates back to 1923!
54 was 23' yeah. Oldest in the current fleet is #60, built 1917
These are in Mason City? Of all places? Wow.
The little old electric railroad
Man it sure would be great if anything in mason city did fricking anything in the 20 hours I’ve spent waiting in the area for something to happen in the past 7 months
>:(
Where do they get parts for these awesome little guys?
Cute little engines but hard workers
I shot this little rr about a decade ago. Before the Seed oil processor came online. When it was still in private ownership. I’m surprised they haven’t been required to install ditch lites. They definitely have more business than when I was there. More variety. Could also be the time of year.
Ditchlights are exempt for operations under 20mph and locomotives that were built before 1949.
I would have thought the cost of maintaining the overhead wire alone would justify dieselizing.
From what I've read, it sounds like a stipulation of the sale to Progressive Rail included keeping it electric... rare railroad merger "W"
They are only paying a utility company for the power (just 600 Volts DC). Maintenance does not need to be performed often on the wire.
he you should do a video in the Central part of Iowa like oh I don't know the IAIS?
The unlucky tug mentioned you!!!
"Is it electric?"
I thought I was tweaking when I first saw this
nice I never knew this railroad existed
i wonder how much this engine can pull?
According to many, it's around 20 cars, but on occasion can pull up to thirty.
They have 400HP and can pull up to 1000tons which.
Vintage electricity
Can you make a video about Baldwin shark nose, diesel locomotives?
It's too bad the Chicago Aurora and Elgin isn't here as a freight carrier like this line is and would probably be serving many more industries today than it did back in the 1950s.
Hi,great watching these videos but did IT shut down in 22 or are they still hauling revenue freight?
Still hauling revenue freight.
Aren't all railroads [0] traction railroads? What's the alternative, rocket propulsion? Airscrew?
[0] railroads, not "rare-roads".
Jaw Tooth had railfanned this railway twice.
Can you please do a video on septa's regional rail fleet. Please and thanks
-Kel from South Philly 🦅
I seen this on @coasterfans2105’s UA-cam video called Electric trains galore