One of the bigger customer on the line west of Mason City is this AGP plant outside of Emmetsburg. This plant has been always a big producer of soybean meal and this railroad (IMRL/ICE/DME/CP) has... (more)
The UP local out of Estherville works south towards Eagle Grove on the Estherville Sub in northwestern Iowa. At Emmetsburg the line crosses the old Milwaukee Road line from Mason City to Sheldon, ... (more)
Slowing to a stop at a grade crossing to pick the flange ways as the DME hasn't run in days and cars have packed it down hard.
Working its way, West and tiptoeing over old and cold 90# rail, Crossing the West fork Des Moines River.
The setting sun glints off a string of hoppers on an ICE train heading east over the Mason City Sub.
With Emmetsburg out of the way, LSN heads east with it's 25 cars of grain out of Sanborn, IA. Next stop is Hutchins, IA to pickup 25 more. The local is building a 75 car KCS Feeder grain train for... (more)