For further information on all First Iowa Division rides, please contact Carl Schneider, 1302 6th Ave SE, Altoona, IA. 50009-2002, 515-967-5181 or e-mail motorcarl@mchsi.com.
April 26, 2008 - Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad - Boone, Iowa - The First Iowa Division is hosting a ride on the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad as a season opener. There will hopefully be four trips during the day and a night ride after the dinner train returns. Enjoy the 156 ft. high bridge and Des Moines River bridge by the Y-Camp. Due to track damage from flooding last year, length of the ride is 18 miles per round trip. Set on at the depot will start at 7:00am with a 9:00am departure. Cost of the ride is $20. Current membership in the Iowa Railroad Historical Society ($25) is a railroad requirement. Please make checks for the ride payable to FID and membership payable to IRHS. Motels at 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. This is a Narcoa-insured ride and all Narcoa rules apply.
May 24, 2008 - Iowa River Railroad - Eldora, 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 past the ethanol plant towards Ackley. Mileage could be about 70 miles round trip depending on how far we can ride. We plan on possibly riding the line twice if time permits. 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 about 2 blocks north of the Hwy 175 crossing. There will be lunch available near HyVee at noon. Motels in Eldora are the Village Motel (641-939-3441) and the Eldora Motel (641-939-3312). Both of these motels are small and family-owned so there is a limited number of rooms at each so make your reservations early. Contact Carl Schneider at 515-967-5181 or e-mail motorcarl@mchsi.com for more information. This is a Narcoa-insured ride and all Narcoa rules apply.
Special announcement: Bob and Deb Smith wish to host a pork feed at their home in Eldora on Friday evening. Please contact them at 641-858-2475 to RSVP so they'll have an idea of how many to plan for.
June 14, 2008 - Minnesota Southern Railroad - Luverne, Minnesota - Set on at the depot in Luverne at 6:30am with a departure of 8:00am. We will travel east through Magnolia, Adrian, and Rushmore with a turn around at Agate Junction with the Union Pacific near Worthington. Upon our return to Luverne, we will stop for lunch on your own. There are several choices within walking distance of the tracks. After lunch we will travel west through Hills and Beaver Creek to the Manley Junction with the BNSF. This is former CNW track with mostly 90# rail. Total mileage is 90 miles for the day. Cost of this ride is $30. There is a Super 8 motel (605-224-2964) in Luverne. There is also a Comfort Inn (800-228-5150) in Luverne. Contact Carl Schneider at 515-967-5181 or e-mail motorcarl@mchsi.com for more information. This is a Narcoa-insured ride and all Narcoa rules apply.
JUNE 13-17, 2008 - FIRST IOWA DIVISION JUNE TOUR - COLORADO
The following rides are being put together as a package due to car limits placed by the railroads. Pre-registration and payment is required for this tour. ( See below for registration and payment details. ) Cost will be $475 per car for the Colorado package. $100 of this fee will be tax-deductible and people registering will get a tax receipt at the ride to claim this deduction next year. A packet containing motels, waivers, set on, maps, and detailed ride information will be sent out to those registering for the tour. We’re sorry but we can’t break up this package by individual railroads. Total mileage for the Colorado tour is 298 miles. Please send your $475 to Carl Schneider, 1302 6th Ave SE, Altoona, IA 50009-2002. Make checks payable to First Iowa Division. Contact Dave Pratt at 515-674-3803 or e-mail Carl Schneider at motorcarl@mchsi.com for more information. These rides require a spark arrestor on your exhaust!
June 13, 2008 - San Luis & Rio Grande Railroad - Alamosa to Monte Vista, Colorado & San Luis Central Railroad - Monte Vista to Center, Colorado We will be starting out this tour with a run on the San Luis & Rio Grande from Alamosa to Monte Vista and then up the San Luis Central tracks north to Center and back to Monte Vista and returning to Alamosa where we will leave the cars on the tracks 2 blocks east of the depot for the next days ride. Total miles for this run will be 66 miles.
June 14, 2008 - San Luis & Rio Grande Railroad - Alamosa – LaVeta, Colorado We will ride from Alamosa east over LaVeta Pass at 9242’. We’ll be running with the excursion train so there should be some chances to get some exciting pictures of the train as it makes its way up the mountain. We will take the Fir siding on the mountain to allow the train to pass us on its way to LaVeta. This will be a total of 152 miles for the day.
June 15, 2008 - Denver & Rio Grande Scenic Railroad - South Fork – Creede, Colorado This is a very scenic line and we’ll have a great opportunity for sightseeing as we ride the rails which follow the Rio Grande River and pass the depot at Wagon Wheel Gap. There will be one round trip on this line for a total of 44 miles for the day.
June 16 - 17, 2008 - Leadville & Southern Railroad - Leadville to Climax, Colorado We will set on the evening of June 16th for a night run up the mountain on this scenic line which goes up to 11,300 feet at Climax and then returning to Leadville. The cars will be left on the tracks for the night.
We will depart Leadville on the morning of the 17th for a daytime run back up the mountain to Climax and returning to Leadville in time for the excursion train to run. Mileage is 11 1/2 miles each way and very scenic so bring lots of film.
June 20-30, 2008 - FIRST IOWA DIVISION JUNE TOUR - IDAHO / WASHINGTON
June 20 - 22, 2008 - Camas Prairie (Now Bountiful Grain & Craig Mountain Railroad) - Lewiston, Idaho We will start this trip with a night run beginning at Lapwai which is east of Lewiston. This ride is 26 miles round trip. Day 2 will also begin at Lapwai and will consist of a 104 mile round trip to Kamiah and return. The third day will begin at Craigmont and travel down the mountain to Culdesac and return uphill back to Craigmont. This line has tunnels and high bridges including Half Moon Trestle. Mileage is about 40 miles round trip and we may be able to make this run twice if time permits.
June 23, 2008 - Washington & Idaho Railroad - Pullman, Washington We will start our trip in Pullman and travel north to Marshall, WA. The cars will be turned and return to Palouse where we will ride east through Potlatch to Harvard and then return to Pullman. This ride is 212 miles round trip.
June 24 - 25, 2008 - Wallowa Union Railroad - Joseph, Oregon There will be a night run of 30 miles round trip through the rugged canyons along the banks of the Grande Ronde and Wallowa Rivers. We will leave the cars on the tracks for a daytime ride which also has outstanding views of the Blue and Wallowa Mountains. Mileage for this ride is 128 miles round trip.
June 28, 2008 - St. Maries Railroad - St. Maries to Clarkia, Idaho This is a 152 mile round trip ride through some very beautiful scenery in Idaho. The tracks go over bridges, through tunnels, and logging camps following the St. Maries River. After returning to St. Maries, we will load the cars the travel to Plummer for the ride on June 29th.
June 29, 2008 - Pend Oreille Railroad - Cusick, Washington to Dover, Idaho This ride will take us 84 miles round trip along the Pend Oreille River over the Tacoma Creek Bridge and over a trestle that spans the Fox Canyon Dam. We will return to Cusick to spend the night to rest up for for the June 30th ride.
June 30, 2008 - Pend Oreille Railroad - Cusick to Metaline Falls, Washington For our final day of this tour, we will riding along the Pend Oreille River to Metaline Falls. Mileage for this run is 84 miles round trip.
July 19, 2008 - Appanoose County Railroad - Centerville, Iowa Set on will be at 6:30am at the industrial park crossing in the southeast part of town with an 8:00am departure. We will travel 35 miles north to Albia on a well-maintained 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 will be the barbecue at the Moravia depot for $7 per person if interested. Cost of the ride is $35. Motels are the Super 8 (800-800-8000) and Motel 60 (800-437-7271). Contact Carl Schneider at 515-967-5181 or e-mail motorcarl@mchsi.com for more information.
July 26, 2008 - Iowa River Railroad - Eldora, Iowa - This ride has been canceled due to flood damage to tracks and bridges. They have suffered severe washouts and loss of some bridges so the future of us riding this line could be bleak.
The First Iowa Division will host a ride on this ex-M&StL line which runs from Marshalltown to Steamboat Rock, Iowa and north past the ethanol plant towards Ackley. Mileage could be about 70 miles round trip depending on how far we can ride. We plan on possibly riding the line twice if time permits. Cost of this ride is $45 per car. The set on time will be at 7:00am with an 9:00am departure. This ride is in conjunction with the Pine Lake Festival. The set on location is about 2 blocks north of the Hwy 175 crossing. There will be breakfast available prior to departure just north of Eldora. Information for this will be available at set on. A noon lunch will also be available next to HyVee. Motels in Eldora are the Village Motel (641-939-3441) and the Eldora Motel (641-939-3312). Both of these motels are small and family-owned so there is a limited number of rooms at each so make your reservations early. NOTICE: BOTH MOTELS ARE BOOKED UP FOR THIS DATE BECAUSE OF THE PINE LAKE FESTIVAL! Contact Carl Schneider at 515-967-5181 or e-mail motorcarl@mchsi.com for more information. This is a Narcoa-insured ride and all Narcoa rules apply.
Special announcement: Bob and Deb Smith wish to host a pork feed at their home in Eldora on Friday evening. Please contact them at 641-858-2475 to RSVP so they'll have an idea of how many to plan for.
Aug. 2, 2008 - Dakota Southern Railroad - Chamberlain, South Dakota
We will set on near the depot in Chamberlain and travel west across the nearly 1 mile long Missouri River bridge and up the scenic valley to Reliance, SD and west as far as Kennebec or time allows. After turning around, we will head back to Chamberlain for lunch on your own. After lunch we will head east to Kimball and then will turn around to return to Chamberlain to end our day. Total mileage will be around 90 miles. Set on details will be sent upon registration for the trip. Cost of this trip is $35. Event coordinator is Dave Voeltz. He can be contacted at 605-224-2964 or emailed at Dvoeltz@pie.midco.net . Pre registration is requested but same day registrants are welcomed. Waivers forms will be emailed ahead of time for those who register early. There is a Super 8 (800-800-8000) in Chamberlain. This is a Narcoa-insured ride and all Narcoa rules apply.
Aug. 30, 2008 - Ft. Leonard Wood Army Base - Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri Set on will be at 10:30am with a 12:00 noon 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. You will have to go in the visitor center before proceeding through the vehicle check point. Have an early lunch or bring snacks along as there won't be a stop for lunch. 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 $30. 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.
Aug. 31, 2008 - Colt Railway - Columbia, Missouri Come join us on this new 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 $40 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..
Important Change! The set on location for the COLT ride has changed to the Boone Co. Millwork property in downtown Columbia instead of the previous location off Vandiver Dr. 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 in the Boone Co. Millworks facility.
Aug. 30 - Sept. 1, 2008 - Dakota, Missouri Valley & Western Railroad - Britton, South Dakota
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Day Two – We will
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Day Three – We will
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Event coordinator is Dave Voeltz. He can be contacted at 605-224-2964 or emailed at Dvoeltz@pie.midco.net . Pre registration is requested but same day registrants are welcomed. Waivers forms will be emailed ahead of time for those who register early. Contact Dave for motel information. This is a Narcoa-insured ride and all Narcoa rules apply.
Sept. 20, 2008 - 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 35 miles north to Albia on a well-maintained 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). Contact Carl Schneider at 515-967-5181 or e-mail motorcarl@mchsi.com for more information.
Oct. 25, 2008 - Iowa River Railroad - Marshalltown, Iowa This ride has been canceled due to flood damage to tracks and bridges. They have suffered severe washouts and loss of some bridges so the future of us riding this line could be bleak.
Dave has arranged a third ride on this ex-M&StL line which runs from Marshalltown to Steamboat Rock, Iowa and north past the ethanol plant to Ackley. We will again begin our excursion in Eldora with the set on location at two crossings one and two blocks north of the Hwy. 175 crossing by HyVee. Mileage is approximately 68 miles round trip. This is a beautiful line and the track is in very good condition. There will be a lunch stop in Eldora before continuing on north through Steamboat Rock to the ethanol plant by Hwy 20. A meal will be available at trackside by HyVee. Cost of this ride is $45 per car. The two motels in Eldora are the Eldora Motel (641-939-3312) and the Village Motel (641-939-3441). Contact Carl Schneider at 515-967-5181 or e-mail motorcarl@mchsi.com for more information.
Special announcement: Bob and Deb Smith wish to host a pork feed at their home in Eldora on Friday evening. Please contact them at 641-858-2475 to RSVP so they'll have an idea of how many to plan for.
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.