by travelrobb
We spent last Friday night at a hotel in Homestead, Iowa, not 100 feet from the ex-Rock Island main line, now the Iowa Interstate. In the eight hours from about 2 am to 10 am, we saw (or heard) four trains go by. How many trains does that stretch of the line see in the course of a full day, and is that typical for the whole line? I'm not sure ever saw an IAIS train when I lived in Des Moines (until about 18 years ago) or in all my visits (two or three times a year) since.
Also, the roadbed and track looked like it was in pretty good shape, even though I don't think the trains went more than 30 or 40 mph. Have they gotten any subsidies over the years to rebuild their right of way?
Also, the roadbed and track looked like it was in pretty good shape, even though I don't think the trains went more than 30 or 40 mph. Have they gotten any subsidies over the years to rebuild their right of way?
