While scouting around crossings on Google Earth in Iowa, I came across a couple of loops inside what looked to a fairgrounds area, and noticed they had several crossings along them. Doing some more research, I found out they had very old crossing signals, steam and electric trains, and hosted a giant Threshers event every year during the Labor Day Weekend. Since I was in Illinois this year, I couldn't miss the opportunity to come check out this extravaganza. This year, the steam trains which are part of the Midwest Central Railroad were operated by 2 locomotives: Surry Sussex and Southampton #6, a 2-6-0 built by Baldwin in 1891, and making its grand entrance for the 2019 Threshers Reunion, West Side Lumber #9, a three truck Class C Shay locomotive built by Lima in 1923. This was my first time ever seeing a Shay under steam, and man was it a sight to see. The line they operate on has 2 stations; one on the north side and one on the south side of the loop. Both trains would stop at each station and depart at the same time.
The Electric loop is the Midwest Electric Company, and they had 4 trolley cars operating; 1779 and 1718, which were built in Brazil in 1911, Chicago Aurora and Elgin #320 which was built by the Jewett Car Company in 1914, and Milan Italy Car #1945 which was built in 1927. Somehow I didn't get the 1945 filmed though.
As for the crossings, they are a sight to see as well. On the steam loop, most crossings are very old WRRS gated signals with cast iron 8" lights. There is also one wigwag by the horse barn, and a little Federal Signal pedestrian gate with a WRRS Mini bell on the east side of the loop. The bells are a mixture of WRRS, Federal Signal, and WCH Mechanical Bells, plus the Mini bell. Most of the gates are brand new and have 4" NEG LEDs. One gate has WCH Red LED gate lights.
There's also one crossing with special gate lights that say "STOP" on them and flash.
On the electric loop, there's only 3 signaled crossings, and all of them are gateless, although 2 signals have gate mechanisms without gates on them. 2 crossings are bell-less, and the other has a WCH Mechanical Bell.
This compilation will show all of the videos I got from the Threshers Reunion on Friday August 30, 2019. I got every crossing on the Electric Loop filmed, and every crossing on the main part of the Steam Loop filmed. The only ones I didn't get are the ones along lead on each side of the steam barn.
I'll start with all the crossing videos, then clips of both steam engines arriving and departing the northern station, and then some other clips of steam traction engines operating around the grounds, and ending with a 5 PM blast from a large steam whistle.
0:00 West Side of Southern Station, Steam Loop
3:52 Western Entrance to Fairgrounds, Steam Loop
6:05 Wig Wag at Horse Barn, Steam Loop
7:28 Northwest Corner, Steam Loop
9:30 Pedestrian Crossing Northeast Corner, Steam Loop
11:04 Eastern Entrance to Fairgrounds, Steam Loop
12:56 Southeast Corner, Steam Loop
15:05 East Side of Southern Station, Steam Loop
19:26 #6 Arriving at Northern Station, Steam Loop
20:45 #6 Departing Northern Station, Steam Loop
22:24 #9 Arriving at Northern Station, Steam Loop
24:14 #9 Departing Northern Station, Steam Loop
26:00 Southeast Corner, Electric Loop
26:34 East Side of Campgrounds, Electric Loop
27:34 South of Primary Station, Electric Loop
28:33 Miscellaneous Clips of Steam Traction engines moving around and doing work
31:33 5 PM Whistle
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