Just an old photo taken at Dubuque, Iowa in 1951. It must have been wild for the guys working on the ground that day. Naturally, the RR would not dream of shutting down until the water receded. As we still say today, safety is just a slogan on a keychain...

http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?a ... anColl.jpg

This is really a great photograph! Number 2807 must have been creeping through the high water. But, as you say, business as usual!

How about a recreation of the train as a photo freight? Look at that load on the flat car! Nice touch! But those two refers with the IC heralds; man the museum used the wrong shade on one of the cars! And coal in gondolas; neat!

Finally, is that the IC's coal dock in the background? Man what a structure!

Thanks for finding the photo for us Bob. Its made my day!

Les

I don't think it's their coal chute. The river is right next to the yards and it may be some kind of coal transfer contraption for barges??

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That was my initial reaction. But the structure on the left side looks like it is a railroad coal dock. Maybe somebody from the Illinois Central Railroad Historical Society who reads RyPN might be able to tell us for sure.

Les

I started working for IC RR in the early 60's .... our last operational steam engine was a 4-4-2 (Atlantic) stationed at Dubuque for the express purpose of working in the yard with high water. Diesels are restricted from water 3" over the rails.

Skip Luke
Switchman, Grand Canyon Ry.

So mutch for keeping an "eye on the road".... I wonder if sand would have done any good other than blowing bubbles.

Don't try that with a diesal!

Someone refresh my memory. Was it Strasburg that took ownership of a locomotive back in the 70's or so, only to have it being delivered during a hurricane and resulting flooding in some yards that it was passing through?

In the back of my mind I see a steam locomotive shot--taken from a tower or some building above the locomotive, showing water over the rails, and a steamer wading through.

Where did I see this pic?

Look in William H Moedinger's Road to Paradise. I believe there was a photo of Strasburg's 31 in the hurricane Agnes flooding of 1972, in the Scranton - Wilkes-Barre area. I don't think it was moving in the photo.

The Strasburg locomitive in question was #89 enroute from Steamtown. #31 (CN #7312) has been on the Strasburg property continuously since 1959.