IOWA INTERSTATE TO OPERATE STEAM TRIPS FOR SARock Island, Ill. — On October 18-19, 2008 the Iowa Interstate Railroad (IAIS) will operate Railroad Development Corporation’s (RDC’s) 2 QJ-type steam locomotives on two days of special events to benefit The Salvation Army’s efforts to assist communities impacted by June flooding. A variety of rail-oriented events and rail excursions will be held, with the City of Rock Island, Illinois acting as host and coordinator of the event.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.rigov.org (click on “train tickets” under important links). Customers will first have to establish an account before tickets can be purchased. Tickets can also be purchased through Rock Island Parks and Recreation by calling 309.732.PARK (7275) or in person at 1320 24th
Street, Rock Island, Illinois from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST Monday through Friday.

Special hotel rates will be available as part of the excursions online at www.visitquadcities.com. Event day activities “Rail Ride for Flood Relief” event t-shirts will be sold for a $20 donation. A limited-edition shirt (100 maximum) is available for a $35 donation prior to the event and $40 on-site. The shirt will feature a
same-day photo of the record-setting steam-hauled tonnage pull from Iowa City to Rock Island that will start the event.

Excursion train might be derailed for good. The owner of the East Broad Top Railroad says this might be its last year. By BIL BOWDEN Daily Record/Sunday News Article Last Updated: 08/01/2008 09:53:22 AM EDT, For die-hard railroad fans, the East Broad Top Railroad is one of the few left regionally. York County’s two excursion trains have died, their whistles and chug-chugging silenced, at least for now.

But in Rockhill Furnace, about two hours’ drive west of York, the EBT still takes passengers back to the 1900s. If you want a ride on its five miles of track or to browse its historic industrial complex, you mightwant to hurry. EBT owner Joe Kovalchick hints this year might be the end of the (rail) road. The country’s oldest narrowgauge train, the EBT is running up against tougher environmental and safety requirements. Kovalchick says those regulations are making it difficult for the train to run – and impossible to profit from – and this year might be the last. But volunteer welders, carpenters, engineers and firemen say they’ve heard all that before. Lee Rainey, vice president of the Friends of the East Broad Top, acknowledges the uncertainty. “The East Broad Top has a great future, we’re just not sure exactly what that is yet. So our job is to help preserve this historic railroad so that we’re ready for that future when it comes.”

Evidently Jim Finley is at least a part time engineer for Fredonia Valley RR. FVRR 3145 just went by the Pidcock Road crossing at 8 tonight heading for the Princeton Yard. Couldn’t tell if engineer Jim Finley was at the controls or not. Plenty of empty gons in the yard here in Princeton for him to take back to the Fredonia quarry. Looked like about 18 loaded cars at least tagging along behind 3145. -Chuck Hinrichs

I’ve received word that another loop track, washer and prep machinery is in store for Warrior Coal on the west side of Madisonville, KY, in Hopkins County. After some comments from the CSX roadmaster in July, it seems that coal from Dotiki, in Webster County, will be belted to Warrior for prep and loading at the proposed new tipple. What this means for the Morganfield branch west of the Madisonville Industrial Park is uncertain at this time. If you have info from reliable sources, let me know. -Bill Thomas, editor