10347 - Hexa

Numbers. 10347, boil it down to 15 or 6. Or subtract first from last. Hexa as the greeks called it.

Union Pacific Rolls Through Belle Plaine

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.

Single Seagull Gliding Over Lock and Dam 11

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.

US Grant Watches Traffic from Cuba City

Take a ride to southwestern Wisconsin and you'll drive through Cuba City. Many of the streets are named after US presidents including a president from the next door county in Illinois, US Grant. His portrait is painted on a the south facing side of a caboose overlooking main street.The rail car is actually a city museum and an information center for the area. The city's former rail depot is located across the street from this display but is difficult to recognize with all of its structural modifications.

Snowy Stairway to Grant Wood

Just two weeks ago the overnight snow lightly dusted the three stairs to Iowa's most famous painter, Grant Wood's grave. Today, the first day of Spring has seen most traces of snow melt away.Time to paint en plein.

Fast Moving Mallard Ducks

Three mallards fly away from an approaching winter fisherman. This is a small portion of an image that has a few more flying quackers. After processing, the trio take on an illustration-like quality, but its really a photo taken while panning and hoping anything would be in focus.

Lest We Forget Our Boys of 1861-1865

Many older local cemeteries in northern states are populated with this statue or a variation. Civil War era veterans are often buried close to their local version of this monument. Several of these statues were placed in cemeteries and dedicated in the 1920s or earlier. 

This particular soldier monument rests on a granite base and decorated with four GAR markers and tiny US flags at its corners.

Electric Elk Watches Over Clinton, Iowa

Look up from the street level and discover a world of elevated art.

In this case, a bust of an elk (or deer) has been overlooking a downtown street in Clinton, Iowa for sometime. Its pretty ornate, detailed and grand in scale. But upon closer inspection there is something more.

At the tips of the antlers are remnants of light bulbs. Can you image what this guy looked like all lite up? I bet there are local postcards that would show the electrified stag back in the day. Keep looking up.

Blowing in the Wind

Near Clinton, Iowa is this industrial plant on the southwest side of town. I don't know if it is a power plant or manufacturing facility. At this time of year, grey clouds, stiff winds and leafless trees reinforce winter's grip on the Midwest. Spring comes on March 20. We shall see.

New Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway (CRANDIC) Locomotive at Penford

Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway (CRANDIC) has introduced a new locomotive recently to its fleet. The RELCO built locomotive serves the Linn, Johnson and Benton Counties area for heavy industry customers. This afternoon the 201 locomotive, one of eight new engines, was working at the Penford plant in downtown Cedar Rapids, moving filled cars situated on the new, post 2008 flood bridge.

A Player and Her Coach

March is an exciting time for college basketball. In order to participate in post season tournaments players need to do their part and win games. The University of Northern Iowa Panthers have done a great job this season so far with two games left, both are home on March 6 and March 8.

UNI's Tanya Warren closely watches her team's performance against Missouri State on Valentine's Day 2014.

Ref Watch

Referees don't usually get a share of limelight. If a game is called correctly, refs may be acknowledged. If there is a controversial call then fingers point to the game officials. This ref and her crew called a balanced game recently at a University of Northern Iowa basketball game. While looking mad she actually may be tired as it was near the end of the game when this photo was taken.

A View to Magnetic North

My old compass still shows the way to magnetic north. This 16-point compass displays the four main cardinal points plus the 12 half wind directions. The traditional north symbol, a fleur-de-lis has been stylized from its French origins to something else from Germany. Looks to be pre-WWII. Now you will never be lost.

Wyoming Coal Delivery Via the Union Pacific

The lights came on, the bell started ringing and the gates came down. Traffic stopped at the UP crossing in SE Cedar Rapids to let a fast moving train zip on by. Locomotive 6053 moved pretty quickly from the west pulling several cars filled with coal, that is most likely from the Gillette, Wyoming area mines.

One of the highlights of this fast mover was the cloud of snow that was kicked up by the moving train. The effect produced a small snowstorm in the immediate area as the powder snow settled nearby after the train past.

At the end of the train, where the traditional caboose would have been was an unexpected surprise. A pusher locomotive occupied the last position giving the train a bit more oomph to move that coal. Commonplace? Maybe, but its interesting to see how the nation's infrastructure works on the rails - in the winter - with a load of coal - moving fast.