Riding the Rails

Water tank for steam engines. 10/10/26 dwm

The freight moved by the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad (BSVR) over the years from coal to people.

According to their website, the Boone, Iowa train began in 1893 to move coal from a mine that had just opened in Fraser and hauled it to a small community now known as Wolf.

These days, the not-for-profit operation offers 13 different rides on its tracks. That doesn't include a newer feature called the Rail Explorers which lets two people pedal their railbike 6-and-a-quarter-miles out and then back.

The 8419 engine was built in 1988. 10/10/26 dwm

Autumn is busy with the leaves changing color which attracts passengers; we were fortunate to get a pair of seats in a passenger car the day before our visit.

Another trip offers a shorter ride called the Pumpkin Express that delivers families to a pumpkin patch down the track so their kids can pick pumpkins before re-boarding for the return trip.

We chose what they call their classic excursion for a two-hour tour to Fraser and back while crossing Iowa's tallest rail bridge over Bass Point Creek (156'). Our trip was pulled by a steam engine that is the only one of its type operating outside of China.

Volunteers do much of the work. 10/10/26 dwm

Prior to the ride we walked through the train museum, which is included with the train fare, then lined up outside the depot waiting for the train to be ready before we boarded car 3207.

My guess is there were a couple hundred passengers on the trip to the old mining site. It's amazing how many different sounds you can hear on a moving train, not counting the steam-powered whistle, bell, and engine.

We passed through backyards and decaying old rail cars on former sidings until more of the countryside came into view with corn and soybean fields on either side of the tracks.

On the High Bridge. 10/10/26 dwm

The windows on the train were open enough I held hold my camera to take pictures of the train's exterior. The photo to the left was taken as we started across the high bridge over Bass Point Creek.

If you look down the side of car 3207 you can see some of the supports on the bridge and in the distance some of the gravel is visible.

Iowa isn't known for its elevation, but this bridge is 156-feet above the creek below making it the tallest train bridge in the state.

Bass Point Creek from the train. 10/10/26 dwm

The first train of the day was the Pumpkin Express. Some of the picked pumpkins were dropped from the train, if you look closely (or click on the photo to make it larger) you can see a pumpkin in the center of the creek. Use the tree on the right side of the creek that has grass between it and the bridge to find it.

This photo was taken on the return trip, it shows part of the High Bridge trestle in the bottom left of the shot.

We've taken other rides like this but the views and experience in Boone, Iowa was on another level.

Crossing Des Moines River. 10/10/26 dwm

The bridge over the Des Moines River was closer to the water with a beautiful view of how the river curves to the south (more photos below).

When we reached our turn-around point at Fraser, we flipped the seat back so we could continue facing the direction we were moving.

The return trip to Boone was a little faster than the outbound track, arriving in the station ahead of schedule. That's when I took pictures of the powerful steam engine as it took on water and fuel for the next trip.

The two-hour ride seemed to be a little long for some of the youngest passengers but it's a wonderful experience for riders of all ages. I recommend it.

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