Musicians from the El Kahir Shrine play to the parade crowd gathered for Maifest earlier this month in Amana, Iowa. Annually the Shriners parade clowns, small cars, and a special float supporting a small army of red jacketed members.
Wednesday, 28 May 2014
Tuesday, 27 May 2014
At Maifest 2014, the Clear Creek Amana Marching Band paraded the entire length (and back) of main Amana. Many locals have commented that the band's presence at the annual parade is a highlight and validates the occasion. The marchers may be small in number, but they certainly liven up the parade route with Sousa music. What else would you expect from the heartland of America?
Monday, 26 May 2014
A peek through Marshalltown, Iowa's Center Street viaduct fence reveals a very long line of Union Pacific locomotives. For years locomotives have been maintained in this yard - even before the Lincoln Highway passed through. And for years residents have been waiting for trains to pass at railroad crossings throughout the city. In the mid-1990s the city rerouted some streets to utilize a new bridge across these tracks. Last year an abandoned line which entered the city from the northwest was removed and a bike trail may take its place. This stretch of linked locomotives may be a way to transport the engines to their next destination but I don't know for sure. Hopefully a knowledgeable reader can explain what this train chain is all about.
Sunday, 20 April 2014
Saturday, 19 April 2014
Seems like every 30 minutes or so a train zips through east central Iowa's Belle Plaine. On this day Union Pacific's 6589 pulls cars filled with Wyoming coal eastward. Behind the train is Belle Plaine's former depot building used for years when trains stopped and unloaded people and freight. The building has been closed for a number of years (if not decades) and its future remains unclear. Belle Plaine's history is comprised rail traffic on these lines and is celebrated at the town's museum. The town is also known for being along the Lincoln Highway and for 1886's runaway Jumbo artesian well. These rails run parallel to the former Lincoln Highway route (one block away) and seven blocks from 8th Avenue and 8th Street were a concrete stopper tamed Jumbo.
Spring has come to the 42N latitude. That means the Mississippi River is open to boat traffic, which also means waterway birds are back in numbers. Yesterday a single seagull glided over the empty lock enclosure at Lock & Dam 11, Dubuque, Iowa. Those of you in the know already guessed that the first four words of this blog posting title are from Paul McCartney's underrated classic song, Single Pigeon. Watch this animated video.
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