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RIDE SCHEDULE 2012

This is a tentative schedule and more rides will be added as they become available. Some of our 2011 rides are still shown until confirmation is made for 2012 dates. Be sure to watch the dates closely to make sure you're looking at 2012 rides.

May 5, 2012 - BOONE & SCENIC VALLEY RAILROAD - Boone, Iowa

We are starting out the 2012 ride season on the B&SV. We hope to have at least four trips during the day and possibly a night run. Enjoy the 156' high bridge and the Des Moines River bridge by the Y-Camp. The line has been washed out again up the hill from Fraser so our rides will be shortened accordingly. This may allow us to run more trips since the round trip mileage is estimated to be 13 miles. Set on at the depot will start at 7:00am with a 9:00am departure for the first trip. Cost of the ride is $20. Current membership in the Iowa Railroad Historical Society ($25) is a railroad requirement also. Please make out checks for the ride payable to FID and membership checks to Iowa Railroad Historical Society. Motels in Boone are the Super 8 (800-800-8000) and the Amerihost (515-432-8168). Contact Carl Schneider at 515-967-5181 or e-mail motorcarl@mchsi.com for more information.

May 26 & 27, 2012 - NEBRASKA NORTHEASTERN RAILROAD - Osmond, Nebraska
We are hosting a 2-day ride on the Nebraska Northeastern Railroad with our base of operations at Osmond, NE. This is a 2-day excursion on the former BNSF line between Jackson and O'Neill. On Saturday we will ride from Osmond west to O'Neill with a lunch stop in Page. On Sunday we will travel east from Osmond to Jackson with a break on the way out and lunch stop on the way back at Laurel. Set on begins at 6:30 am west of the NENE office by the elevator in Osmond with the possibility of set on Friday evening for early arrivals. Departure is scheduled for 8:00 after the safety meeting. Approximate round trip mileage for this excursion is 230 miles. NARCOA insurance and rules apply.
Additional information: Motels: Hill St. Inn in Osmond 402-748-3133 (waiting list), Cedar Motel in Randolph 402-337-0500 or numerous motels in Norfolk. Make reservations early as these are small motels with limited rooms. The price of the excursion is $60 which does not include meals or motels. Please contact Event Coordinator Dave Voeltz – 801 N Harrison Ave, Pierre, SD 57501 605-224-2964 H 605-280-5551 C Email DVoeltz@pie.midco.net to register for the event and to get the information packet.

June 9-11, 2012 - SAN LUIS & RIO GRANDE RR – LA VETA PASS

The First Iowa Division will host this three-day 240 mile excursion through the San Luis Valley and over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains via LaVeta Pass.

This is a NARCOA insured excursion and all NARCOA rules will be enforced. Speeders on this excursion must be equipped with spark arrestors. We depart from the Alamosa RR yard each day. Daily safety meetings will be 20 minutes prior to departure. Len Jones is EC assisted by Rich Reiff, Joyce and Adam Glazier.

Saturday June 9 Set on and safety inspections begin at 9AM in the vicinity of the depot. Departure time TBD. We will travel west to Monte Vista and beyond to Del Norte if track is open. We will break for lunch at Monte Vista on the outbound or inbound leg as conditions allow returning to Alamosa for the night. Round trip miles this day will be 35-60. Speeders to be used on the LaVeta Pass run of the 10^th must participate in this run in order to satisfy SL&RG personnel that all speeders are tuned for high altitude running.

Sunday June 10 W e depart for LaVeta at 7AM ; take the siding at Fir (top of the pass) until the Eastbound and Westbound passenger trains pass then continue to LaVeta where we turn our speeders and take a short break. Then we head for Alamosa again taking the siding at Fir to allow the passenger trains to pass. Fir is an excellent location to get some steam train photos as the eastbound train climbs to the Pass. Carrying a lunch to eat along the way or during the break at Fir is suggested. Round trip miles this day will be about 120.

Monday June 11 We depart Alamosa at 6:30AM by speeder for Antonito where we board a bus and travel to Chama, NM to catch the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Narrow Gauge RR steam train back to Antonito arriving about 5:30PM then return by speeder to Alamosa where we set-off.

Round trip speeder miles for this day are about 60.

Fees. We are limited to 30 Speeders on this excursion. The cost will be $274 for the excursion plus $85 per person for tickets (lunch included) on the Cumbres & Toltec. All funds must be sent to Len Jones no later than April 1, 2012. Because we need 30 paid entries in order for the excursion to proceed, there will be no refunds of excursion fees after April 1 except in the event of cancellation of the excursion. Any paid registrant desiring to drop out after April 1 should contact Len Jones to see if a replacement is available from the waiting list in order to receive reimbursement.

Payment may be made with check, money order or Credit Card. Checks or money orders should be made payable to First Iowa Division and mailed to Len Jones. For those wishing to pay by credit card please notify Len Jones and an invoice will be emailed to you from PayPal. A 3% surcharge to cover the Pay Pal fees will be included in your invoice total. Just follow the easy instructions to make your payment. You do not need to have a PayPal account to use this feature.

NOTE: Participants are NOT required to purchase the discounted C&TSRR tickets through the FID or to even ride the C&TSRR but will not be able to return to Alamosa via speeder until the group departs around 6PM. Set-off on arrival at Antonito can be arranged with prior notice.

Contact: Len Jones, 6065 Del Paz Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80918.

Email: lenjones@firstiowadivision.com . Phone: 719-244-2888

Lodging: Alamosa , Colorado : http://www.alamosa.org/

Railroad info: ( Please do not contact these railroads with questions about the Speeder excursion)

San Luis & Rio Grande RR : http://www.iowapacific.net/san-luis-a-rio-grande-railroad.html

Cumbres & Toltec Scenic RR: http://www.cumbrestoltec.com/ .

More Colorado runs during this week:

The Rocky Mountain Division plans to host a run on June 8, on the Creede Branch. Watch for their posting at www.narcoa.org .

June 23, 2012 - IOWA RIVER RAILROAD - Union, Iowa

The First Iowa Division will host a ride on this ex-M&StL line which runs from Marshalltown to Steamboat Rock, Iowa and north to Steamboat Rock and maybe farther depending on the storage of cars on the line. Mileage is about 60 miles round trip. We plan on riding the line twice if time permits. This line has been put up for abandonment between Eldora and Marshalltown and has been embargoed so this may be the last opportunity to ride this scenic section of track. Cost of this ride is $45 per car. The set on time will be at 7:00am with an 8:00am departure. The set on location is at the only highway crossing in Union. Motels in Eldora are the Village Motel and the Eldora Motel . Both of these motels are small and now have the same owner but there is a limited number of rooms at each so make your reservations early. The motel number is (641-858-3312). Don Schoeb is the EC for this trip. Contact Carl Schneider at 515-967-5181 or e-mail motorcarl@mchsi.com for more information. Special notice for those arriving Friday evening: Bob and Deb Smith have graciously offered to host a pork feed Friday evening at 7pm for all who can come. Please contact them at 641-858-2475 or 319-230-4575 if you can make it. Their address is 2114 15th Ave. They would love to have you join the fun!

July 14 & 15, 2012 - MINNESOTA NORTHERN RAILROAD - St. Hilaire & Crookston, Minnesota
NEW TRACK!

The First Iowa Division will host a 2-day event on the Minnesota Northern Railroad. Saturday’s trip will be from St. Hilaire, MN to Roseau, MN and back and Sunday’s excursion will from Crookston to Shelly and back to Crookston before departing Crookston to Beltrami and back for a weekend total of 240 miles round trip.

Saturday set on location will be at the North side of the St. Hilaire elevator at 4th Street West, St. Hilaire, MN. We will half way for a break and will continue on to Roseau, MN for lunch on your own. We will then turn our cars and return to St. Hilaire to set off and travel to Crookston for the next day. Set on begins at 6:30 am with an 8:00 am departure.

Sunday we will set on at the Minnesota Northern’s Office on the 3rd Ave SW Crossing in Crookston. For those who didn't set on Saturday evening, set on begins at 6:30 am with an 8:00 am departure. We will depart Crookston and ride the line to Shelly and back. We will then depart Crookston and ride the line to Beltrami and back prior to set off.

Cost of this ride is $70 per car. Please contact Event Coordinator Dave Voeltz – 801 N Harrison Ave, Pierre, SD 57501 @ (605) 224-2964 (H); (605) 280-5551 (C); or email DVoeltz@pie.midco.net to register for the event and to get the information packet.

July 28, 2012 - APPANOOSE COUNTY RAILROAD - Centerville, Iowa
Set on will be at 6:30am just south of the water tower in the southeast part of town with an 8:00am departure. We will travel 32 miles north to Albia on a combination of welded and jointed track. This line also crosses the IC&E Kansas City - Quad Cities mainline and we might see a train there. Lunch plans haven't been made at this time so watch here for later updates. Cost of the ride is $35. Motels are the Super 8 (800-800-8000) and Motel 60 (800-437-7271). Frosty Farrell is the EC for this ride. Contact Carl Schneider at 515-967-5181 or e-mail motorcarl@mchsi.com for more information.

Aug. 11, 2012 - IOWA RIVER RAILROAD - Union, Iowa

Sept. 3-5, 2011 - Dakota Missouri Valley & Western - Wishek & Bismarck, ND CANCELLED!! Sorry to report this bad news, but our excursion has been cancelled due to flooded track and rerouted trains running on the normally lessor used track that we were supposed to run on. I offered to move it to the Aberdeen Geneseo Line but that is under water once again South of Claremont and all along the James River. There are also numerous troublesome areas and the new contact at the railroad wants to concentrate on fixing and running the railroad without any distractions, or so he says.
There may be other issues involved as well but that is only speculation at this point. I will further investigate. But for now, cancel your motel reservations as they won't be needed. I will check with the RRVWRR and see if they would allow us to operate on their track. If so, I'll let you know and you can then decide if you would rather participate on that run. But don't hold your breath.
Dave Voeltz

Sept. 17, 2011 - St Croix Railroad - North Branch, MN The First Iowa Division is hosting a one day excursion on the St. Croix Railroad. We will run between North Branch and Hinckley and return for a lunch break before making a second run to Hinckley and back. Set on time and location will be sent out once the details have been finalized. Mileage for the excursion is appx. 148 miles. The price of the excursion is $40. Contact Excursion Coordinator Carl Schneider motorcarl@mchsi.com or call 515-967-5181 to register for the excursion. Don Schoeb is the Excursion Coordinator in Training and will be the event host. This is a Narcoa-insured event and all Narcoa rules apply. Motel in North Branch: Budget Host 651-277-8000.

Oct. 5&6, 2012 - BLACK HILLS CENTRAL - Hill City, South Dakota

This is a two day excursion on the former Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad line between Hill City and Keystone. We will have an evening run Friday and numerous round trips on Saturday with a lunch break at Oblivion on Saturday. Set on begins at 4:00 pm on Friday near the engine house and at 6:30 am on Saturday for those arriving then. A full itinerary will be included in the registration packet. There is a 24 car limit and pre-registration is required. Following the Saturday rides, we'll head to Murdo for a ride on the Dakota Southern. Details to follow.
Additional information: Motels: Super 8 605- 574-4141; Comfort Inn 605- 574-2100; Holiday Inn Express 605-574-4040. The price of this excursion is $60 and does not include meals or motel. Please contact Event Coordinator Dave Voeltz – 801 N Harrison Ave, Pierre, SD 57501 605-224-2964 H 605-280-5551 C Email DVoeltz@pie.midco.net to register for the event and to get the information packet.

Oct. 22, 2011 - Colt Railway - Columbia, Missouri Come join us on this ride which runs northeast from Columbia to Centralia on an ex-Wabash track. We will set on beginning at 6:30am and have a scheduled 8:00am departure for the first run. See below for a set on location change! We will run this line two times during the day. Each run is approximately 44 miles round trip so we will have a total for the day of about 88 miles. There is a Lee's Chicken across the street from the tracks for our lunch break. Cost of this ride is $45 per car. There are several motels in Columbia with many at the junction of I-70 and Hwy 63. There is a Super 8 (800-800-8000 or 573-474-8488), Ramada Inn (537-449-0051), and Econo Lodge (573-442-1191) just to name a few. For other motels, feel free to contact me at 515-967-5181 or e-mail motorcarl@mchsi.com. The set on location for the COLT ride is at the Boone Co. Lumber property in downtown Columbia. Take the Rangeline Rd. exit from I-70 and drive south until the T intersection with Rogers St. Turn left and the set on is about a half block on your left in the Boone Co. Lumber facility.

Oct. 23, 2011 - Ft. Leonard Wood Army Base - Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri Set on will be at 8:30am with a 10:00am departure. As you enter the fort from I-44, be in the left lane and pull into the inspection area by the security check point. Please bring lunch or snacks along as there won't be a stop for lunch between runs. We will make two trips on this 20-mile scenic line through the Ozarks to the connection with the BNSF at Bundy Junction. Due to security issues, everyone will need a picture ID, vehicle registration, proof of insurance, and be prepared for a vehicle inspection. Cost of this ride is $35. Motels are the Red Roof Inn (573-336-2510) and the Budget Inn (573-336-5212), all in the St. Robert - Waynesville area. Contact Carl Schneider at 515-967-5181 or e-mail motorcarl@mchsi.com for more information.

Nov. 3, 2012 - BOONE & SCENIC VALLEY RAILROAD - Boone, Iowa
We are closing out the 2011 ride season on the B&SV. We hope to have four trips during the day and possibly a night run. Enjoy the 156' high bridge and the Des Moines River bridge by the Y-Camp. We are hoping that the entire line will be repaired to Wolf. Mileage is about 18 miles round trip. Set on at the depot will start at 7:00am with a 9:00am departure for the first trip. Cost of the ride is $20. Current membership in the Iowa Railroad Historical Society ($25) is a railroad requirement also. Please make out checks for the ride payable to FID and membership checks to Iowa Railroad Historical Society. Motels in Boone are the Super 8 (800-800-8000) and the Amerihost (515-432-8168). Contact Carl Schneider at 515-967-5181 or e-mail motorcarl@mchsi.com for more information.

Notice: All First Iowa Division rides require NARCOA insurance and all NARCOA rules apply.

The First Iowa Division and its officers assume no responsibility for any property damage or personal injury which may occur on a First Iowa Division sponsored excursion.