While train watching in the Ottumwa, Iowa area on February 10th, 2024, I logged on the railcam in nearby Washington, IA to see if anything was coming south on CPKC's Ottumwa Subdivision. Sure enough, I found that a southbound freight passed through Washington after 10:30 AM, so I drove out of Ottumwa a little ways to wait for it to arrive. On a good day, trains take around an hour to run the 40+ miles between Washington and Ottumwa. This train took a while longer to arrive, but it was worth the wait! This location is near milepost 295 on the Ottumwa Sub, about 5 miles before trains begin their descent down Rutledge Hill into Ottumwa. Northbound trains can be running about track speed (45 MPH) through here, but southbounds typically run slower as they approach Rutledge siding - this is usually so they can stop if necessary, to wait for any BNSF trains to clear the interlocking at Lawler (junction with BNSF's Ottumwa Subdivision) before dropping down the hill.

This is CPKC train 260, one of the typical mixed freights you'll see on this line. Powered by CP 8145 (AC4400CWM) and KCSM 4074 (SD70ACe), the lashup also features three recently repainted SD40-2 locomotives, CP 6025, 6017, and 6043. Once common on this line after CP's takeover of DM&E and IC&E in 2008, the SD40-2's are now few and far between and a treat to see even if they aren't leading a train. In fact, there were approximately just 40-50 or so of these diesels left on the CP roster prior to the CPKC merger. These are true SD40-2's; some in years past have already been converted to SD30C-ECO's, with a handful upgraded to SD40-3 specs.

Before the train passes, you may notice a new set of signals along the tracks at this location. CPKC has recently completed full implementation of CTC signaling between Rutledge and Cotter, making the whole line between Ottumwa and Letts (near Muscatine) under CTC control, with signals and switches controlled by the dispatcher. With increasing train traffic on this line, the new signaling really speeds up operations and keeps things flowing nicely.

At the end of the video, you'll hear the defect detector at milepost 295.8 report "no defects" after the train passes.

For more trains on this line from years past, check out my video "CP of the Midwest: The Holiday Train and Other Trains of Winter":    • Canadian Pacific of the Midwest: The ...  

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