The announcement has been made that IAIS will be acquiring 20ish new (at least to them) GP38s to replace the aging first generation fleet. The units, to be reportedly numbered in the 700 series, will be in IAIS paint and should start showing up in late May / early June. The 400s will all be retired and removed from the roster, save (reportedly) 400 and 485. In addition, the M420s will also go, as 802, the last active one, suffered a main generator fire on Sunday, 18-Apr-2004. Since it will not be repaired, its failure brings the Alco era on Iowa Interstate to a close, 15 1/2 years after it started with the acquisition of 900.
– NDH