Ride Schedule 2001

APRIL 28 - BOONE & SCENIC VALLEY RAILROAD We will be starting our ride season with a ride at Boone, Iowa riding the scenic 11 mile line of the Boone & Scenic Valley . We will be running the line three times during the day and, for those die hards, a night run after the dinner train returns around 8pm. We will begin setting on at 7:30 and the first ride will depart at 9:30am. Cost of this ride is $15 per car plus membership in the Iowa Railroad Historical Society ($25 ). There is a Super 8 ( 1-800-800-8000 ) and an AmeriHost Motel ( 515-432-8168 ) in Boone. Notice: Narcoa insurance is now required for this ride.

MAY 26 - SISSETON & MILBANK RAILROAD Come ride with us on this 68 miles round trip railroad from Milbank to Sisseton, South Dakota. We have been given the okay to have a night run on Friday night at 6pm. Our Saturday ride will have a set on time of 6:30am and a 7:30am departure. Cost of this ride is $30 per car. There is a Super 8 ( 1-800-800-8000 ) in Milbank. After the run to Sisseton and return, we will drive to near Rosholt, S.D. for another ride.

May 26 - SUNFLOWER RAILROAD This is a new railroad for us to experience in South Dakota. It runs 20+ miles from near Rusholt to Veblin, South Dakota. We will announce the set on location when it becomes available. Cost of this ride is $25 per car. After the ride, we will be driving to LaMoure, North Dakota for the Red River Valley ride.

MAY 27 - RED RIVER VALLEY & WESTERN RAILROAD This is the third year for us on this beautifully maintained railroad in North Dakota. We will be riding from LaMoure to an as yet undetermined destination. Set on time will be 6:30am at the LaMoure depot with a scheduled departure of 8am. The cost of this ride is $35 per car. The Omega Motel ( 701-883-5373 ) is in LaMoure.

MAY 28 - DAKOTA, MISSOURI VALLEY & WESTERN RAILROAD We will be riding from Linton to Mackenzie, North Dakota. Mileage for this ride is 90 miles round trip. Set on time is 6:30am with an 8am departure. Cost of this ride is $35 per car. Don's Motel is at 701-254-5457 in Linton.

JUNE 16 - MINNESOTA SOUTHERN RAILROAD For those of you who haven't heard of this railroad before, it used to be the Nobles Rock Railroad. We will be riding from Luverne, Minnesota to near Worthington and returning to Luverne where lunch will be available in the depot. We will then ride west to near Hills and return. Total mileage is approximately 90 miles round trip. Set on time is at 7am with an 8:30am departure. Cost of this ride is $35 per car. There is a Super 8 motel in Luverne ( 1-800-800-8000 ).

JUNE 30 - NEBRASKA NORTHEASTERN RAILROAD Our ride this year will be from Osmond to O'Neill, Nebraska which is about 120 miles round trip. We will set on beginning at 6:30am and depart at 8am. Cost of this ride is $50 per car because of the very high cost from the railroad. There aren't any motels in Osmond but there is the Cedar Motel ( 402-337-0500 ) in Randolph.

JULY 1 - FREMONT & ELKHORN VALLEY RAILROAD We will ride this line from Hooper to Fremont, Nebraska beginning with a 7:00 set on and an 8am departure. Notice: The set on will be in Hooper instead of Fremont because of a railroad celebration in Hooper that involves the FEVR train running. We must be back in Hooper and off the rails by noon so the train can run. Time permitting, we may be able to make the run twice. Cost of this ride is $25 per car. There is a Super 8 ( 1-800-800-8000 ) in Fremont plus many other motels.

JULY 15 - IOWA NORTHERN RAILROAD Come ride with us on the north end of the railroad from Manly to Cedar Falls, Iowa. We will begin our ride at Greene by the new and very beautiful offices of the Iowa Northern. The new office building is designed like a depot and is a nice addition to the city of Greene. We will ride from Greene to Manly and return for lunch. We'll then ride to just north of Cedar Falls and return to Greene. The mileage for this ride is about 100 miles round trip. Due to the dramatic increase in charges from the railroad, we've had to increase our fees to $50 per car. Set on time will be 6:30am with an 8am departure. There are no motels in Greene but there are plenty of motels in Mason City and Charles City.

JULY 28 - I&M RAILINK This is a new ride for us in northwest Iowa. We will be starting the ride in Sanborn, Iowa and ride to Ruthven. We will return to Sanborn and then run west to the east edge of Sheldon and return. This ride will take us through the towns of Hartley and Spencer. Our set on time will be at 6:30am with an 8am departure. Due to the high costs charged us by the railroad, this will be a $50 per car ride. This ride is in conjunction with the Sanborn Railroad Days celebration. Total mileage of this ride will be approximately 90 miles. There is one motel in Sanborn, the Sanborn Motel ( 712-729-3390 ). There are also Super 8 motels in both Spencer and Sheldon.

JULY 29 - IOWA NORTHWESTERN RAILROAD We have a new ride scheduled on this former Rock Island and, most recently, Union Pacific grain-hauling branch line. We will be setting on at Ocheyedan, Iowa and ride to just west of Superior and return. If there aren't any cars being stored online west of Ocheyedan, we'll also ride to Allendorf and return. Ocheyedan is located a short drive northeast of Sanborn. Total mileage for this ride is 60 to 70 miles, depending on whether we can make the Allendorf run or not. Set on time is 7am with an 8:30am departure. Cost of the ride is $35 per car.

AUG. 11 - CHILLICOTHE BRUNSWICK RAILWAY AUTHORITY Ride this ex-Wabash line from Chillicothe to Brunswick, Missouri going through two game preserves and under the Chicago to Kansas City mainline of the BNSF. We should see some trains as we pass under this busy rail corridor. We will set on at the depot in the southern part of Chillicothe beginning at 6:30am and depart at 8am. We will stop in Sumner for lunch in the park. There is a nice sandwich shop within walking distance of the tracks. Mileage for this ride is 70 miles round trip. Cost is $35 per car. There are several motels in Chillicothe including a Super 8 ( 1-800-800-8000 ).

AUG. 25 - ELLIOT ELEVATOR COMPANY This is a great ride to kick back and enjoy the scenery along the Nishnabotna River from Elliot to near Red Oak, Iowa. The line is only 18 miles round trip but we ride it several times during the day. The town celebration is also going on so there will be food available in the park. Cost of this ride is $15 per car. There are motels in Atlantic and Red Oak.

SEPT. 2 - NEBKOTA RAILROAD We will be riding both directions from Gordon, Nebraska on this last remaining track age of the old C&NW Cowboy Line which runs from Chadron to Merriman. Mileage for this ride is 160 miles round trip plus we will also have a night run to Merriman. Set on time is 6:30am with an 8am departure. Cost of the ride is $30 per car. Motels in Gordon are the Hacienda Motel ( 308-282-1400 ) and the Jeffco Motel ( 1-800-252-1319 ). The set on point is located right behind both motels.

SEPT. 16 - APPANOOSE COUNTY RAILROAD This ride is one of our most popular rides from Centerville to Albia, Iowa. Mileage for this ride is 70 miles round trip. We will be having a barbeque at the Moravia depot with the First Iowa Division paying $3 towards the cost of the meal for up to 4 people per car. The cost of the barbeque is $5 for anyone else. Our set on point is near the watertower in the southeastern part of Centerville beginning at 6:30am. Our departure is scheduled for 8:30am.

OCT. 20 - FT. LEONARD WOOD RAILROAD Come and enjoy the fall colors on this well maintained (with your tax dollars) railroad through the Missouri countryside. This line is about 40 miles round trip and we'll be doing the ride twice. We will begin our set on at 11am with a 12:30pm departure. For those of you who aren't familiar with the area, I'll send along a map when I send the waivers. We must be clear of the rails before dark in order for us to ride. Cost of this ride is $30 per car. There is a Super 8 ( 1-800-800-8000 ) at the Waynesville exit on I-44 plus other motels near the base at the St. Robert exit.

NOV. 3 - BOONE & SCENIC VALLEY RAILROAD As usual, we will end our riding season with a trip on the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad in Boone, Iowa. Enjoy the high bridge and beautiful scenery in the Des Moines River valley. We will be running the 22 mile round trip line several times during the day. We will also have an inside cookout around noon with lots of food provided by the First Iowa Division just to say 'Thanks' for riding with us during the year. The cost of this ride is $15 per car plus membership in the Iowa Railroad Historical Society ( $25 per year ). There is a Super 8 Motel ( 1-800-800-8000 ) and an Amerihost Motel ( 515-432-8168 ) in Boone. Notice: Narcoa insurance is now required for the ride.