In the last two months, the Iowa Interstate roster has undergone yet more changes. IAIS 250, the road’s only true switch engine, has been sold to Patriot Renewable Fuels in Annawan, IL. It’ll serve as the plant switcher for this new ethanol plant, and won’t be far from home rails, as Iowa Interstate provides the facility’s rail connection. It went east on 9-Sep-2007 and was delivered to the plant shortly thereafter.
IAIS 625-627, three of the four GP38ACs, have been sold to Grainbelt Corporation, a railroad in Oklahoma that operates ex-Frisco lines and is associated with Farmrail. The units left Iowa Interstate rails on 30-Oct-2007, when they were delivered to the BNSF interchange to make their way south. 628 was retained by IAIS, and speculation is that it may become a mother to another new slug, similar to 601/650.
– NDH