Chasing Iowa Northern CRWA-12 5/12/24

Is that the sound of Amtrak train? Nope, its just the Iowa Northern Railway. IANR hosts a varied selection of locomotives from railroads like the L&N, CN, and Amtrak. Slugs are also mixed in the lashups as an inexpensive helper engine to get trains up and over the rolling hills of northern Iowa. This day was no exception as a former Amtrak F40PH takes the lead on CRWA-12, a train running north from Cedar Rapids to Waterloo. An Amtrak K5LA horn breaks the silence on the warm spring morning, with the classic clickety-clack sound of hoppers and tankers rolling over the jointed rail following suit. After doing some switching at Tama-Benton Co-Op in Vinton, the crew couples up to their train and my friends and I began our brief chase. Here you'll see the train cruising through Vinton and its quaint Wyman Memorial Park, and La Porte City with its towering grain elevator. The days of the Iowa Northern may be numbered as the impending CN acquisition looms in the distance. CN is looking to harvest more of the midwestern agricultural market, likely in bitter response to the CPKC merger. The Surface Transportation Board will make a decision regarding the CN-IANR deal in the coming months. Who knows what'll happen to the IANR's unique equipment and shortline-quality service. Now's the time to get your shots. I was very glad to see this railroad under shortline ownership one more time, and I appreciate the friendly waves from the crew.

Train Info:
ID: IANR CRWA-12
Subdivision: IANR Cedar Rapids
Time: 8:00 AM
Origin: Cedar Rapids, IA
Destination: Waterloo, IA
Locomotives:
IANR 454 - EMD F40M-2F
IANR 3952 - Slug
IANR 3802 - EMD GP38-2
HLCX 3812 - EMD GP38-2

Links:

[AmtrakGuy]

Thanks for watching! Was very glad to see the Iowa Northern again, quite the unique operation. My photos of the train can be found on Flickr, Twitter, and Instagram:

[ConnorBrown-xyrr]

I love seeing this video because it reminds me of the Hawkeye Express, which was a passenger train that ran between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City on each home gameday of University of Iowa’s calendar. This F40 use to be the lead of that train.

[CEOable]

That Iowa Northern paint scheme looks very much like the Canadian Pacific Heritage colors. Nice footage!

[Dirigo]

Oh god it still exists... I remember this from another region...

[trainking]

Me and my friends think the iowa northern is an interesting operation, not living far from it. We all laughed at the thought of a ianr f40 in canadian national colors

[BNSFrailfan]

If the CN is able to acquire IANR, I’ve heard that IANR will still have its own motive power and will run somewhat independently, just under the CN name.

[Coloribus]

I personally feel the IANR/CN merger would be bittersweet. I have seen how CN has a soft spot for old motive power like the ones in Canada. But then no one knows what they’ll do yet. I just hope the line to Oelwein remains open.

[stevecast]

Can’t say no to trains. And those sure are trains.

[LArailvideos]

Omg epic! Pls keep uploading I love your vids!

[Alexreal]

Seeing an F40TH using the old canadian pacifuc livery is weird
Let it out as a freight train

[PrrGstudios]

The passenger locomotive weirdly fits with freight cars

[TheWinnipegRailfan]

Ah yes, CN's cope railroad. Very Nince!

[paulcastillo]

I am in California but I have a railroad fan

[fabreeze]

that paint scheme looks a awful lot like CP's old maroon scheme 💀

[gaberosckes]

Dis you have to wait long for the train to arrive at each location?

[johnosborn]

I bet you can't talk about UP 844