Railblazer
Iowa Traction 50 Emery Iowa
Iowa Traction #50 is switching gondolas loaded with scrap near the IATR Emery, Iowa Shop and Offices on October 13, 2011. Built for the Washington & Old Dominion in October, 1920, BLW Steeplecab #50 was acquired from the W&OD by the Cedar Rapids & Iowa City in 1947.
In 1955, the 50 was sold to the Kansas City Kaw Valley Railroad and was renumbered 507. It returned to Iowa in 1962 to become Iowa Terminal 53 and was later renumbered back to IATR 50.
The railroad, built as the Mason City & Clear Lake in 1896 and later becoming the Iowa Terminal, was changed again in 1987 to the Iowa Traction. Once fairly common in Iowa and in many parts of the U.S., electric railways moving freight is now quite rare and seeing this line in action is a real treat.
Iowa Traction 50 Emery Iowa
Iowa Traction #50 is switching gondolas loaded with scrap near the IATR Emery, Iowa Shop and Offices on October 13, 2011. Built for the Washington & Old Dominion in October, 1920, BLW Steeplecab #50 was acquired from the W&OD by the Cedar Rapids & Iowa City in 1947.
In 1955, the 50 was sold to the Kansas City Kaw Valley Railroad and was renumbered 507. It returned to Iowa in 1962 to become Iowa Terminal 53 and was later renumbered back to IATR 50.
The railroad, built as the Mason City & Clear Lake in 1896 and later becoming the Iowa Terminal, was changed again in 1987 to the Iowa Traction. Once fairly common in Iowa and in many parts of the U.S., electric railways moving freight is now quite rare and seeing this line in action is a real treat.