The locomotive operated on trips to benefit local fire departments that are on the Iowa Interstate main line in Brooklyn and Mitchellville, Iowa.
These were the first operations for No. 6988 since 2012.
On Aug. 18, No. 6988 provided head end power on five sold out excursions running out of Mitchellville. Tagging along with the QJ to provide power on the reverse moves, Iowa Interstate provided GP38-2 No. 703. The Mitchellville trips departed to the west, and backed down grade into the Des Moines River valley, where No. 6988 took over for a spirited climb back to Mitchellville. That evening, No. 6988 deadheaded back to Newton.
The following morning, the steam locomotive headed east to Brooklyn, Iowa, for another round of fire department benefit runs, this time operating east towards the town of Ladora. After the excursions, No. 6988 went east to South Amana for the night to await its freight duties Monday.
With 340 seats per train and five runs, around 1,700 people rode the train each day and all trips sold out. Built in China in 1985 and operating there until coming to the United States in 2006, the locomotive is a solid draw in the Heartland. The Central States Steam Preservation Association hopes to run the locomotive again in 2019.
Only 15 cars? Seems like she could have handled a lot more than that. Glad to see her pull any at all though!
I believe 6988 is the more “Americanized” of the two QJs on the property. I have to think they are both looking at their 15 year inspections. I wish my schedule had allowed me to make the trip to see this one.
Glad to see this. After the tragedy last month in Colorado I could easily see railroads pulling the plug on their steam/heritage programmes.
The above comments are general in nature and do not form the basis for an attorney/client relationship. They do not constitute legal advice. I am not your attorney. Go find your own damn lawyer.
Was there not a ‘pair’ of the Chinese QJ’s that went to Iowa? I think at one time they were both stored in Newton,Ia. (?)
Does R.J. Corman still have the one they had? I have seen no news on that engine since R.J Corman passed?
This was certainly an awesome weekend. Glad to have met you at the event, Mr. Gilliam!
it’s amazing that 6 chinese steam locomotives 3 that are QJ 2-10-2’s and the other 3 that are 2-8-2’s, 2 that are sy 2-8-2’s and 1 that is a china railway js 2-8-2 are finding a new life operating in north america