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Remarks: On 10/18/2008, IAIS used Railroad Development Corp.’s Chinese QJs 6988 and 7081 to pull a 66-car ICRI from Iowa City to Rock Island, IL setting a record as the heaviest freight train hauled by steam this century. The QJs were used for the rest of the weekend pulling passenger trains in the Quad Cities to raise money for flood victims. I can assure you, while this video might be cool, there was nothing in the world like being trackside at Iowa City as they blasted off!
Posted by Rick in Ft. Pierce on September 11, 2009
Fantastic catch Kevin - sure would have liked to have been there. Thanks for posting this for "us" to share the experience.
Posted by MGB1969 on December 12, 2009
Oh, how much I enjoyed this steam video !!!! In the late 40's and early 50's, I grew up next to the Wabash Railroad in Jacksonville, IL. No regrets at all !! I think people have missed a lot if they have not seen steam in action as I routinely did back then. This is fabulous and I will be putting the word out to my friends that this is a video to watch. Thanks for making this available.
MGB1969
Its so nice to see steam locomotives in revenue freight service. Why don't we see more of this?!
Posted by Fred M Pohl on June 19, 2010
I wish they could bring steam back in revenue Service But its a shame a caboose was not bringing up the rear
Posted by Stephen Hazen on January 27, 2011
Whats a shame is that these locomotives aren't American!
Posted by on January 30, 2011
Wow Great video!
Can I get some clarification on this? A company had Chinese steam engines (which look pretty new design) and they used them to haul stuff as a result from the flood? Looking at these engines makes me wonder if China still uses them over there.
Although steam engines are a marvel, I don't think we'll ever see them like the 40's and 50's again. The two main reasons the obvious pollution (although I think they smell great) and the fact that the modern locomotives are much more powerful and efficient. I heard somewhere that steam locos are only like 20 percent efficient.
