The Dubuque Local

The Canadian National runs a local out of Dubuque, IA that serves industries west of town. Making stops in Peosta, Farley, Dyersville, Delaware, and Manchester, this local often draws a pair of 4 axle locomotives, although that isn't always the case. We have 3 such rather unique examples for you.

In May of 2009, we captured this lone CN SD40-2W making a pickup of empty center beam flatcars at our Dyersville team track. While not ideal for the engineer, this local is running long hood forward for it's westward trip. As we can see from the photo, the local consists of one load, either to be dropped off here for our local truss manufacturer, or being spotted at a lumber yard in Delaware.

A year later (May 2010), the Dubuque local is "borrowing" a BNSF SD70MAC for power. Again, with a single unit running long hood forward, the westbound leg of the trip will not be ideal for the engineer. Given that there aren't any cars visible on the mainline behind the power, this is another over powered local. With only a single car in tow, this locomotive is handling more like a sports car, as it's normal assignment is handling 14,000 ton coal trains out of the Powder River Basin in Wyoming.


Back in 2010, the BNSF would hand off a loaded Powder River coal train to the CN in Sioux City, IA. The CN would run the train across Iowa to East Dubuque, Illinois where there was a rail to barge transfer facility. Our guess is that this single BNSF unit was the DPU on a coal train, and instead of leaving it in East Dubuque, it was brought across the Mississippi River to Dubuque.

In July of 2016, the Dubuque local is making good use of a CN SD75I and a former GTW GP38-2 for power. Again, we are in Dyersville, and the local is picking up a rather sizeable cut of empty center beam flatcars. And once again, both locomotives are facing the wrong direction for the westbound trip.


The only place to turn locomotives close to Dubuque is at the wye at Manchester. Given that the Dubuque local usually terminates is westward trip there, if the locomotive(s) are facing the right direction for eastbound movement, the crews will forgo turning the power in favor scooting back to Dubuque and completing any en route switching.

A Couple of Prototype Observations

Remember sometime back when Model Railroader magazine did a series of articles on passenger trains you can model? The articles were based on prototypical short trains that would fit the average home layout. Well, we bring you a freight train that you can model. The above BNSF northbound train was captured in May of 2016 at East Dubuque, IL. Consisting of three road engines and two hopper cars, this train would fit nicely on even the smallest home layout.

While sub-lettered for the BNSF, the former Santa Fe warbonnet C44-9W is still carrying it's original lettering and number. Not bad considering the BN and the ATSF merged almost 20 years ago.

Here's the caboose for this very short train. BNSF 1528 is a GP28M and was rebuilt from a NP GP9 by the BN.

Here's something from our son. He photographed the above two ES44AC's in June of 2016 after they assisted a loaded grain over the summit at Palmer Lake, CO. Manned helpers on the Joint Line between Denver and Pueblo were once common place, but have become much less frequent since the advent of DPU's.

Here's the interesting thing though. These helpers were cut off the rear of the train... ON THE FLY! Our son couldn't believe it. Neither could his friend who is a local railfan. Quit frankly, we couldn't believe it either. But, it really happened.

As to how it happened, the boxes attached to the front handrails and plugged into the MU cable had something to do with this feat. At the time the rear helpers were cut off, the conductor was in the cab, so the couple pin was mechanically pulled by the boxes. The photos were taken with a cell phone, and it was late in the afternoon (and in the shade), so the photos aren't be best quality, but you can see device, and what looks like a FRED attached to the brake hose.

So the next time you're looking for something unique to model, give this a try. With DCC, this prototype practice could actually be done in model form.

At the Central City, IA Show

Displaying our kits and sample builds at the Central City, IA show. If you are in the Cedar Rapids area, come on down to the show. It's located at the Central City High School in Central City, and is open until 3:00 pm CDT.

The Rebuilding of 2nd Street Crossing

Last month (Aug 2015), the Canadian National rebuilt the 2nd Street grade crossing in Dyersville. Well, since the crossing is right outside our front door, we decided to document the rebuilding process with photos. It took several days to rebuild the crossing, and was interesting to watch. Our son, who worked for Amtrak for several years as a conductor, added some additional information when he viewed the photos.

Here is the crossing before the rebuilding started. Rubber crossing inserts had been used the last time the crossing was worked on.

Here's a closer shot of the rubber crossing inserts. If you look closely at the center portion of the inserts between the rails, you'll see a darker color. That's from the locomotive pilots scrapping the rubber insert. Why? A soft spot had developed in the roadbed underneath the crossing, and when trains went through at track speed, there was enough of a bounce to cause the pilots to hit.

Here's a photo of the pedestrian crossing before replacement. Wooden inserts had been used. We would watch bicyclists ride across the tracks using this crossing, and it was not a smooth ride!

A contractor has already made a cut into the street asphalt. Everything from the cut to the track will be replaced with new asphalt.

MOW crews are starting to build the replacement track panel. New ties and rail are being used.

Here's another view of the track panel. Assembly is mostly complete. If those ties look longer than normal... you're right... they are. You'll see why a little later.

A few days prior to the project starting, a couple of pallets of new tie plates were dropped off at the site.

Some of the longer ties have been removed from the new track panel. Crews must have measured out the actual new crossing inserts, and determined they needed to reduce the number of long ties.

Here's the completed track panel with standard ties added to the ends. Notice the difference in length between the long and standard ties.

Here's a closer view showing the difference in length between the long ties and the standard ties.

The asphalt contractor has removed the old asphalt, and the railroad has removed the old crossing inserts.

The old track has been removed from the crossing, and the excavator is digging out the old roadbed.

We are fast forwarding to new ballast being dumped on the replacement track panel. Due to timing, we missed out on the new track panel being dropped into place.

The flood pass has been completed. According to our son, a flood pass is where the center and track shoulders are dumped at the same time, with the goal of flooding ballast up to the top of the rails.

MOW crews now handle the movement of ballast hoppers at the job site using a hyrail vehicle. This saves the railroad an operations crew (engineer and conductor).

A ballast regulator is starting to even out the ballast, and getting things ready for the tamper to come in and level out the track.

Here's the tamper at work. Up in the control cab, a computer has a preloaded track profile that it's reading off of, and sending signals down to clamps that grab onto the track structure and lift... while vibrating fingers push ballast underneath the ties.

Here's the "business end" of the tamper. This was actually quite interesting to watch. According to our son, the tamper not only levels the track, but also adjusts for proper grade and even curve banking.

After the tamper makes a pass, the ballast regulator comes through and moves ballast around, filling in holes that the tamper created when it pushed ballast underneath the ties.

Here's a closer view of the ballast regulator spreading rock from the center and shoulders.

Meanwhile, the asphalt company is removing asphalt from the siding grade crossing.

All the old asphalt has now been removed. The crossing panels will not be replaced... just the asphalt up to the crossing. According to folks we talked to, the siding and the corresponding grade crossing belong to the grain elevator, but the pavement up to the crossing belongs to the city.

Here's another view of the siding grade crossing after the asphalt has been cleared.

The asphalt contractor has laid down the new asphalt. A roller and walk behind vibrator are tamping it down.

Another view of the finished siding grade crossing. Even the pedestrian crossing has new asphalt!

Back at the mainline grade crossing, the local out of Dubuque with ES44DC #2300 is making it's way west. It's under a slow order right now, as the new track structure is undergoing a real "load test". According to our son, getting a few trains over the new track actually helps settle it in place, and will bring out any irregularities in tamping. For the next several days, trains will be crawling over the grade crossing.

And if you're wondering, that's an SD60 behind the ES44DC. And yes... for around here... that's local power!

MOW crews have called it a day. There will still be more tamping and ballast regulating before the crossing panels are dropped down.

Here's another view of the new mainline track. Notice the old street asphalt.

Track welds joined the old mainline with the new track panel. Crews did a nice job grinding down the thermite welds.

One of the replacement rails carries a date stamp, along with some other markings that only MOW crews can decipher.

The signal maintainer is hooking up new crossing wires back to the signal shed.

A closer view of the new crossing wires.

The new crossing panels have been dropped off at the site. Wood panels are going to be used this time instead of rubber.

Here's a closer view of the new crossing panels. Notice the angle cut into the bottom front of the panels. We assume this is done to clear the tie plates and spikes on the track structure.

It's now 4 days later, and the tamper is back at work. With 4 days of rail traffic over the new track structure, adjustments are needed to the track profile.

Here the tamper is making adjustments to the new track panel.

Now the ballast regulator dresses the ballast, starting with the track center.

A pass is now made using the rotating "sweeper" broom.

The track shoulders are now dressed using the regulator wings.

Another view of the regulator dressing the track shoulders.

Making yet another pass with the center wing. Dressing ballast and getting the right roadbed profile is an art.

Making yet another pass dressing the shoulders.

From a head on view, a ballast regulator looks quite menacing... especially with that center plow wing.

And here's the final result of all those passes with the tamper and regulator. Looks like Class 1 track to us!

Crews are now dropping the crossing panels in place.

Placing another crossing panel.

It's now 3 days later, and the asphalt contractor has finished laying down the new asphalt.

Nice smooth new pavement for the drivers, and new smooth track for the engineers!

Close up view looking east. Signals in the background are for the west end of Dyersville siding.

Looking west. Those Wisconsin Central ballast hoppers are staged for the local to pick up.

Even the pedestrian crossing has new wood crossing panels and asphalt. Even Dyersville bicycle riders can enjoy a smooth crossing.

Our final shot is of an old rail section from the crossing. They cut the rail out on both sides of the old thermite weld. The rail saw actually clamps to the rail and makes a nice clean cut.

We hope you have enjoyed this photo series. It was an educational experience for us watching the crossing being replaced. We're not sure what the life expectancy is of the new crossing, but for the time being all Dyersville drivers will be enjoying smooth bump free crossing. Thank you Canadian National!!