The Dakota and Iowa, the early years,

My first encounter with what would become the D&I (Dakota and Iowa) was oddly enough a view of their bright orange hoppers while sitting in an orthodontic exam chair. This was more than likely March or April of 1980, but like the building I was in, my the memory of the exact date is gone. I do remember a Milwaukee Road switcher moving the cars around the track beside the old Milwaukee Road freight house, though. This was probably near the end of the Milwaukee Roads cleanup of its Sioux City operations and may have been one of the last Milwaukee Road movements in the area.

Being 15 at the time, I relied on a bicycle and a 126 Instamatic camera to railfan with. Money for film and an obsession with the BN and anything ex Burlington directed my priorities elsewhere. I don't remember seeing anything more that year or have any photos of the LGE operation until the spring of 1981 when two ex-UP GP9's appeared in town with LG Everest logos on the cab sides. These two units moved those orange LGEX hoppers into the old Milwaukee east yard from South Dakota and could occasionally be seen on the ICG or CNW yard leads when they delivered cars. The BN seemed to gather up any cars from LGE when they would interchange with the CNW and ICG.

Spring of 1982 brought about a new image as the two GP9's were both repainted in a nice yellow and gray scheme similar to the old UP one they wore previously. My first encounter with the newly painted units was with LGEX 1 leading empty hoppers north out of Sioux City, Iowa during April of 1982.

LGEX 1 is slowly passing the old Milwaukee Road shop complex in Riverside, IA and will shortly cross the Big Sioux River to South Dakota.

The BN had done a massive tie replacement on the old Milw mainline out of Sioux City during the summer of 1981, but ballast and heavier rail were still in the works. The light rail is evident in the photo of LGEX 1 passing the old Milw shop complex in Riverside, IA. Within a month she would receive D&I logos along with the #2 and new acquired #3.

The spring 1983 brought a new look for the D&I. The GP20 #3 (ex BN 2019) they acquired during the 81-82 winter and the two GP 9's received chopped noses, though the GP20 was still setup to run long hood forward. The three units were often used together on the road trains and could be found on a regular basics in the old Milw east yard.

D&I #1,3,2 and an ex Milwaukee caboose, lay over in the old Milwaukee Road east yard in Sioux City, IA.

1984 revealed that additional units were added over the winter. Five ex-Milwaukee Road GP9's helped the D&I with switching duties along with the increase in train size and frequency. These units continued in their Milwaukee Road orange and black paint and road numbers with the D&I herald on the cab until the winter of 85-86. During that time they received D&I numbers 4 (ex 293), 5 (ex 328), 6 (ex 321), 7 (ex 323) & 8 (ex 303).

During 1985 thru 1987 the D&I continued on with these 8 units with up to 5 units being used on the road trains into Sioux City. December 1986 I left for the Air Force and left the railroad that I called my own. My time away brought many changes to the D&I. Increases in traffic and operations out of state brought 6 axle power to the railroad in the form of SD45's and SD39's. The years between 2012 and 2016 saw the retirement of the old Milw GP9's and the downgrading of the remaining GP9's to switcher status. Newer GP50's and GP39-2's have taken their place along with six SD40-2.

D&I 4 leads a rock train thru the old maze of tracks into the ICG yard for unloading at the cement plants served by the ICG in Sioux City.  

Five D&I units have a loaded rock train in tow thru Jefferson, SD.

Waiting for a BN core line train D&I 3 holds clear on the south leg of the wye at Elk Point, SD.

Snaking back down the CNW main from the old Milw main. D&I is taking the connecting track to the ICG main just west of the Cargill plant in Sioux City, IA.

Plenty of units for an empty rock train, but slow track means this train will take awhile to get to Hawarden. Crossing the Big Sioux river into South Dakota.

Sitting in a cold late fall rain, this is the last time I would see these units in Milwaukee Road paint. D&I 303 and 321 laying over in Sioux City.

During the winter of 85-86, the D&I completed the chop nose conversions on the ex-Milw units and changed to a black and yellow scheme. Rumor at the time was the UP took offense to the gray and yellow and forced the change. 

Parked under the car shaker in Sioux City, D&I 6,7,4 & 5 dead on a cold December day in 1986.