THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE NOVEMBER 2007 RAILROAD HISTORICAL SOCIETY VOLUME 24, NUMBER 3 keeping track

BRIEFLY DONATED LOCOMOTIVE REMAINS IN BURLINGTON...Unable to arrange transport to Boone, out ALCo S3 continues to languish in Burlington, Iowa. Unless the locomotive can be moved soon, it will likely be robbed of parts for our existing ALCos, and scrapped on-site. if anybody knows of any connections that perhaps we've overlooked, please contact us at 800-626-0319, or [email protected]. Summer is almost behind us, and with the colder weather comes a return to normalcy PIZZA TRAIN...On Thursday, (at least until our Santa Express™ trains get underway). Thomas The Tank Engine™ October 25, the Boone and Scenic began his journey back to Strassburg, Pennsylvania on Monday, September 24, after Valley Railroad's first-ever pizza train nearly 14,000 people rode behind him during our 2007 Day Out With Thomas™ event. trundled down the rails of The While this year's numbers were down, they were in line with other Thomas events Scenic Line. Passengers were across the country, and did make a dramatic recovery from numbers earlier in the year, treated to their choice of pepperoni, when sales were down more than 30%.In 2008, our Thomas event is tentatively set to sausage, combo, or cheese pizza return to it's traditional LAST two weekends in September. A big THANK YOU to all of which was prepared by Godfather's our members and volunteers who made these two weekends possible. Pizza of Boone. SANTA EXPRESS TRAINS...Tickets for the 2007 Santa 2007 PUMPKIN EXPRESS TRAINS Express trains will go on sale This year's Pumpkin Express trains proved to be successful, with more than November 1. The first Santa 550 riders making the trek to the "pumpkin patch" and return. Passengers Express train runs on November 24, were treated to an hour-long ride, activity packs, a pumpkin, and pumpkin with the final train running on cookies. Evie Stevenson took-on the task of baking the nearly 600 cookies for December 15. For complete the event. The recipe used was this year's blue ribbon award winner at an schedule information, visit our Iowa State Fair baking contest which was sponsored by the Boone and Scenic website: www.bsvrr.com. If you Valley Railroad. And now, by popular demand, here is that award-winning would be interested in helping with recipe! the event, please contact Bonnie, at FROSTED PUMPKIN COOKIES 800-626-0319. KATHI STIRLING RESIGNS AS VOLUNTEER 2 1/2 c. flour Frosting: COORDINATOR...I'm sorry to report 1 tsp. baking powder 3 c. powdered sugar that I'll be losing my office partner. 1 tsp. baking soda 1/4 c. softened butter December 21 will be Kathi Stirling's 2 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 c. half and half final day at the Boone and Scenic 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg 1 1/2 tsp. hazelnut extract Valley Railroad. Kathi has worked 1/4 tsp. ground cloves cocoa powder extremely hard lining-up crews, 1/4 tsp. cardamom assisting customers in making 1/2 c. softened butter Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Set aside. in a medium reservations, entering those 1 1/2 c. sugar bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add pumpkin, subsequent reservations into the 1 c. canned pumpkin puree egg, and hazelnut extract and beat until creamy. Mix in computer, etc. While she says that 1 egg dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet using a medium she'll still be around, we're going to 1 tsp. hazelnut extract scoop (approx. 1/8 c.) Flatten tops slightly. Bake 12-20 minutes. Cool on wire rack and decorate. To make miss seeing her on a daily basis. frosting, beat butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and Thank you, Kathi, for everything that half and half alternately until spreading consistency is reached. Add hazelnut extract. Color frosting as desired you've done for us! using cocoa powder for brown tint.

KEEPING TRACK: THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE IOWA RAILROAD HISTORICAL SOCIETY NOVEMBER 2007, PAGE 1 Water water Everywhere

Anybody who has been around the Boone and Scenic NOTHING NEW Valley Railroad for awhile has undoubtedly heard the High water has wreaked havoc on our line many times stories or seen the pictures from 1993; pictures of over the years. Fraser always seems to be a troublesome trackage suspended in mid-air, where only hours before area. In the spring of 1933, the Des Moines River was a well-groomed roadbed. consumed the town's depot. Then in 1954, floodwaters inundated the Fort Dodge Des Moines and Southern's Fast forward to the year 2007, and we are experiencing a Fraser power plant, landing a major blow to the line's similar situation. This time, we were fortunate in that the electric operations. Thanks to Dean Briley for providing most serious of damage occurred on the west end of our us with the following image of the flooding of 1954. line, just east I Avenue near Wolf Junction. However, this does not mean that the rest of the line went untouched. A major washout occurred between Laube's Crossing and Fraser, resulting in a shortened trip to just beyond the Gravel Pit Spur. Once this washout was repaired, several smaller washouts still prevented trains from being able to reach Fraser. With the hard work and dedication of our crews, along with the assistance of Tom Rose, we were once again able to reach Fraser within a couple of weeks.

While the daily excursion trains are operating normally, our dinner, dessert, and picnic trains are still not able to make their full trip. What was a 2 1/2 hour ride has now been cut back to 2 hours. We are currently working with FEMA and other government agencies to try to secure funding for work to get underway to re-open the segment of track between Fraser and Wolf Junction. Power plant overtaken by floodwaters at Fraser. Thank you to all of the volunteers who pitched-in to help keep us going. With your help, we were able to keep To the casual observer, the above picture running, and did not have to cancel a single trip due to might represent a palatial riverboat on a the damage sustained. Mother Nature may have given us cruise. To many Fort Dodge-Des Moines Line a good smack, but she didn't knock us down. employees it represents our power house with 8 1/2 feet of water in it, its throbbing generators silenced by a whim of nature. Fortunately for all concerned, neither management nor employees gave up in despair. From one end of the line to the other, dozens of employees of all ranks worked around the clock for many days and nights to restore service on the railroad. The spirit and co-operation between our management and employees in restoring our properties to normal condition will be observed by our shippers and will be a determining factor in their future patronage. We aren't through yet, but we won't stop until the job is done. Let's show our shippers that we know where we're going and how we're going to get there.

Fort Dodge-Des Moines Line Reporter July, 1954 Washout near Fraser. Photo By Fenner Stevenson

KEEPING TRACK: THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE IOWA RAILROAD HISTORICAL SOCIETY NOVEMBER 2007, PAGE 2 Water Water Everywhere

Rod Olson, Anna Romanowska (Poland's very own), and Jonathan Smith take a well-deserved break from clearing debris on the siding at Fraser. Photo By Bill Dolezal More 2007 damage, again near Fraser. Photo By Fenner Stevenson NEWS FROM THE DIVISION STREET SHOPS Throughout the past couple of months, the Boone and REMINDERS BOARD Scenic Valley Railroad's shop department has The November meeting of the Iowa Railroad continued to stay extremely busy. Historical Society's Board of Directors will take place at the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad's Aforementioned flood damage kept members of the depot at 5:00 PM on Tuesday, November 20. shop crew out on the line helping our track crew make repairs. Section men Jimmy Will and Joe Feeney, Please plan to attend the Iowa Railroad Historical members of the shop crew, and Roger Stirling, also Society's Annual Meeting/Volunteer Dinner to be rehabbed the Gravel Pit Spur for use by October's held on Saturday, January 19, 2008. Look for more Pumpkin Express trains. details as they become available. Preparation for, and post-Thomas clean-up were also added to their list of duties. A restroom was added to PUFFERBILLY DAYS 1984 open-window Lackawanna coach #3218, as all other restroom-equipped coaches were used on the train pulled by Thomas The Tank Engine, leaving our Fraser excursion train without restroom facilities.

Of course, normal day-to-day shop activities also took place. 92-day inspections were completed on locomotives 1003, 1098, 1858, 2254, and 6540. CARS After a year-long wait, the IRHS's newest acquisition, three sets of former Metra bi-level "Highliner" electric commuter cars, arrived in August. The cars' arrival drew several spectators to watch the cars make their way around the transfer track. While the length of the The Boone and Scenic Valley's nine car train barely fits on cars, combined with the tight radius of the transfer the high bridge, Saturday, September 8, 1984. This view caused some concern, the cars negotiated the curve was taken from up in Bass Point Creek valley, looking west. without incident. With everything else happening, Note the borrowed locomotive from the and North there's not a lot to report on the cars right now. Look Western Railway. Photo By Paul Swanson for more information in upcoming newsletters.

KEEPING TRACK: THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE IOWA RAILROAD HISTORICAL SOCIETY NOVEMBER 2007, PAGE 3 The Scenic line LOOKING BACK at 25 years

On Thursday, June 9, 1983, a ceremony was held in downtown Boone with Tom Crooks, Mel Hanson, and George Maybee (Iowa Division Manager, C&NW) presiding. A contract was jointly signed between the BRHS and Chicago and Northwestern Transportation Co. for purchase of the tracks. Purchase price is $50,000 with payment due by December 31, 1983. A $5,000 down- payment was made at the ceremony. Property purchased includes the 11 miles of track, right-of-way, the high bridge, the Des Moines River bridge, sidings, the Harrison Street yards and a vacant lot a few blocks away. The tracks are being leased free to us until the purchase is completed.

On June 9, 1983, after the contracts have been signed, Chicago and North Western Iowa Division Manager George Maybee receives a "Save The Tracks" pin from Boone Railroad Historical Society President Tom Crooks.

Before the days of the depot, passengers boarded the train at this gravel parking lot located at the corner of Division and 11th Street. Here, a group from Citizens National Bank is preparing to board.

Volunteer Doug Bullard on the steps of our first bay window caboose, which was restored in the summer of 1983.

KEEPING TRACK: THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE IOWA RAILROAD HISTORICAL SOCIETY NOVEMBER 2007, PAGE 4 While passengers were still boarding from the gravel parking lot at 11th and Division, just across the tracks, construction of our new depot was well underway.

Duane Briley readies bricks to be used in the platform of the new depot.

On Saturday, June 27, 1987, Lloyd Nelson drives the golden spike near Fraser Spring, (Left to Right) George Eckstein, signifying the completion of track work to Reuben Hauge, and Dean Briley reach Fraser. look on at the dedication of the new depot.

KEEPING TRACK: THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE IOWA RAILROAD HISTORICAL SOCIETY NOVEMBER 2007, PAGE 5 Maurice and Doris Wilson

Dorothy and Charlie Goldsworth

On December 6, 1989, steam returned to the Des Moines River valley. Photo By M. Johnson

KEEPING TRACK: THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE IOWA RAILROAD HISTORICAL SOCIETY NOVEMBER 2007, PAGE 6 1983 *11 miles of the former Fort Dodge Des Moines & Southern trackage are purchased from the Chicago & North Western Railway

*During the last weekend of October, more than 1100 people rode the first Boone & Scenic Valley trains from Harrison Street Yards, across the high bridge, and return. The train consisted of a leased C&NW locomotive, a borrowed former C&NW dining car, an open-air car, and our former Northern Pacific bay window caboose built in 1902.

1984 *2466 people ride the B&SV during Pufferbilly Days *Chicago South Shore & South Bend coaches arrive

1985 *Southern Pacific sleeping car 9044 arrives *Present depot dedicated May 18, 1985

1986 *Kate Shelley car breaks away from C&NW crews in Boone and collides with B&SV train at the Y-Camp

1987 The flooding of 1993 hit the Iowa Railroad Historical *Rail service restored to the town of Fraser Society hard. 180 feet long, and 45 feet deep, this is "The *Fort Dodge Des Moines & Southern's former 11th Street Station acquired Big Hole", just west of Pilcher's Overhead, west of Boone. 1988 *Electric trolley service gets underway

1989 *JS8419 arrives in Boone

1990 *JS8419 carries it's first paying passengers *Former Lackawanna coaches purchased

1991 *Norfolk & Western locomotive 475 sold to Strasburg Railroad in Pennsylvania

1992 *Water tower put into service *C&NW locomotive 1003 repainted into Chicago Great Western colors

1993 *Flooding ravages portions of The Fort Dodge Line

1995 *Charles City & Western Car 50 makes first run

1996 Volunteer Ruth Duncan aboard the newly-refurbished *Napier Depot purchased and moved to downtown Boone City of San Francisco car. The car would be used to kick- 1997 off our dinner train service in May of 1999. *First Day Out With Thomas event at the IRHS

1998 *ALCo S2 1098 released from the shop for train service

2000 *Bass Point Creek High Bridge and Des Moines River bridge rehabilitated

2001 *Union Pacific dining car 4810 purchased *IRHS regains control of the remaining Fort Dodge Des Moines and Southern trackage in Boone, and begins handling switching for industries located in Boone's Industrial Park

2003 *Valley View car introduced

2004 *10,000 ties replaced, and other improvements made at a cost of more than half of a million dollars *Santa Express trains make their debut

2005 *Picnic train introduced

Gary Stasko at the throttle of 1098 on the first trip to 2006 Boone's Industrial Park. *40' X 100' addition to Division Street Shop

KEEPING TRACK: THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE IOWA RAILROAD HISTORICAL SOCIETY NOVEMBER 2007, PAGE 7 IOWA RAILROAD HISTORICAL SOCIETY PO BOX 603 NON-PROFIT ORG BOONE, IOWA 50036-0603 U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO.15 BOONE, IA

B&SVRR 2007 SANTA EXPRESS VOLUNTEER SIGN-UP Return to: B&SVRR,, 225 10th St., P.O. Box 603, Boone, IA 50036

1.) I would like to help on the “Santa Express” trains as a : (indicate 1st, 2nd , 3rd choice,etc.) Car Attendant - read the “Polar Express” and other stories, lead singing and other activities

Server – help fill cups of hot chocolate/ distribute cookies, hot chocolate

Elves – (younger kids) distribute napkins, song books, color sheets.

Advance Prep- bag cookies, napkins & song books: 1:30 - ____11/19 ___ 11/26 ___12/3 ____12/10

Gift Shop – Retail sales

Santa I have my own Santa suit Will need to use B&SVR’s suit (size Large)

2.) I am available for these trains: Tuesday 6:00 p.m. Nov. 27 Dec. 4 Dec. 11

Wednesday 6:00 p.m. Nov. 28 Dec. 5 Dec. 12

Thursday 6:00 p.m. Nov. 29 Dec. 6 Dec. 13

Saturday 10:30 a.m. Nov. 24 Dec. 1 Dec. 8

Saturday 1:30 p.m. Nov. 24 Dec. 1 Dec. 8

Saturday Dec. 15 1:30 4:00 6:30

3.) Name

Address

Phone Cell Phone

E-Mail:

*Driver’s License or Soc. Sec. # *Birth date *Required for S.O.R.

My child, (name) (age ) has permission to volunteer for the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad. (children under age 10 must work with a parent or teen sibling)

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