The Flickr Chicagonorthwesternrailroad Image Generatr

Front to back: CNW Western Ave 2 frt mains. West Milw lead to Chestnut St Yard. Industrial Steel Drum and Container Yd. New leads into NSP High Bridge plant. Junk yd all served by Milw Chestnut job. Shepard Rd and Miss River beyond that. All underwater in 65 flood. Imagine all he drums floating downstream , anybody finds one in New Orleans, check for note inside time capsule.

Caption from digital.grinnell.edu/islandora/object/grinnell:13886

Building remains after the May 21, 1918 tornado in Boone, Iowa. Six deaths were reported. Boone sustained the greatest monetary loss, probably $500,000, half of which was caused by the partial destruction of the Chicago & Northwestern's division shops. The storm area at Boone was confined to the extreme eastern edge of the city, about three blocks in width and nearly 10 blocks long. The storm was confined to the poorer section of the city and among those injured were railroad laborers living in box car bunk houses

From www.gendisasters.com/iowa/12341/boone-ia-other-ia-towns-t...

BOONE HARDEST HIT WITH TOLL OF SIX LIVES AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF NEARLY $500,000.

HALF MONEY COST DAMAGE TO NORTHWESTERN SHOPS.

NEWTON LOSES ONE LIFE WHILE $350,000 INJURY TO PROPERTY THERE IS REPORTED.

Des Moines, May 22. -- Nearly a score of persons dead, about 100 others injured, several seriously, and property damage estimated to exceed $1,000,000, represents the toll taken by a series of tornadoes in central Iowa late yesterday, dispatches today showed.
Resumption of wire communication today brought reports of deaths in districts inaccessible last night. Apparently authentic reports today showed deaths as follows:
Boone, 6; Newton, 1; near Denison, 1; near Eldora, 1; Chelsea, 1; near Harcourt, 1; Walker, 1; near Jefferson, 2; near Carroll, 2. There were reports of other deaths, but in the absence of names it was thought they might duplicate, at least in-part, fatalities previously reported.
Names of the dead definitely reported early this afternoon are:
Boone:
MRS. FRANK ROBERTS and 9-year-old son.
JAMES BILLS, 65.
ALBERT DANIELS.
NICK KENEZEVIC.
ERNEST LINDQUIST.
Newton:
GEORGE REID, 25.
near Carroll:
JOSEPH BRINKS and 1 year old daughter.
near Jefferson:
J. G. ZENER and unidentified farm hand.
near Denison:
EMMETT EHLING.
near Harcourt:
MR. ANDERSON, 75.
near Eldora:
HENRY FINSTER.
Chelsea:
FRANK KOLOUPK.
Walker:
MRS. WILLIAM OSSMAN.
Boone sustained the greatest monetary loss, probably $500,000, half of which was caused by the partial destruction of the Chicago & Northwestern's division shops. Newton reported its loss as about $350,000, and the balance of damage was distributed over the extensive storm area.
At Newton the factory district and two score residences suffered damage. Other communities and country places were affected, and this loss may raise the total to a million dollars.
The storm area at Boone was confined to the extreme eastern edge of the city, about three blocks in width and nearly 10 blocks long. Greatest damage was done to the division shops of the Chicago & Northwestern railroad, and the loss there was estimated at $250,000.
In the country near Denison, a number of farm houses were wrecked. EMMETT EHLING, a farm laborer, was killed on the BRYAN HOULIHAN farm, and on nearby farms several persons were hurt, two or three seriously.
Crops are not enough advanced to have suffered.
From reports today, it was possible to trace at least three different tornadoes. The most destructive one, that which hit Boone, originated in the vicinity of Moingona, moving northeast; a second started somewhere southeast of Denison, Crawford county, and the third concentrated on Newton.
Eye witnesses at Boone, said the tornado "roared like a hundred mogul engines," as it ripped along the southeastern edge of the city. The on the half hundred houses damaged were utterly demolished and many others will have to be razed.
The Eleanor Moore hospital at Boone is filled with injured and many others are confined in nearby homes. The Chicago & Northwestern road's main line traffic is completely demoralized, and the trains on the Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern electric line have been cancelled until further notice.
The storm was confined to the poorer section of the city and among those injured were railroad laborers living in box car bunk houses.
The family hardest hit was that of BOODY KENEZEVIC. The family of 10 took refuge in their home, which was built of cement blocks. The storm threw the walls inward on its occupants. One was killed, two were probably fatally injured, and none escaped without bruises.
Of the injured persons, six are in a serious condition and may not live. They are:
MRS. CHARLES S. KILLBOURN, fractured skull.
SLANKA KENEZEVIC, internal injuries.
CHRIST LINDQUIST, ribs broken and internal injuries.
MRS. MIKE MAGGIO, chest and internal injuries.
BIRDIE KENEZEVIC, leg and face lacerated, internal injuries.
MRS. ALBERT DANIELS, internal injuries.
MRS. KILLBOURN was in a tent in their doorway when the storm came. She was blown out of the tent. MRS. KILLBOURN probably will die. Her husband, who was also in the tent, was less seriously injured.
Offers of doctors and nurses were made late last night by Mayor Fairweather of Des Moines and Capt. Cline, commander of a field hospital at Camp Dodge.
Doctors are not needed, but there was a serious shortage of nurses. The Chicago & Northwestern railroad is understood to be rushing a large force of workmen from Chicago by special train to repair the damage to their plant.
The devastated district is patrolled today by a large force of deputies under Sheriff David Hanson and George Hannum, chief of police.
Curious sightseers are barred and looters will be dealt with sternly, it was announced.
The death list of Boone may be increased when the ruins of the Northwestern rail house are thoroly investigated.
Reports here today were that Arcadia and Westside, two towns north of Boone, also had been affected by the storm.

From www.iowalivingmagazines.com/2012/10/24/northeast-boone-de...
Posted October 24, 2012 in Community Featured, Boone

Eight killed during 1918 storm
By Suzanne Caswell, Boone County Historical Society

At 4 p.m. on May 21, 1918, a deadly tornado destroyed the northeastern section of Boone, killing eight people and injuring more than 60.

The storm began near Bouton in Dallas County and traveled northeast through Boone County, jumping the Des Moines River at the 16 to 1 Bridge, before rampaging on to Boone. It was one of at least three tornadoes to strike Boone County that afternoon. Destruction to homes, businesses and at the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Yards was extensive, approaching $1 million in damages.

The Boone News Republican carried numerous dramatic accounts of the storm:
“The storm broke with a great roar which could be heard over the city and miles through the country. It could be seen forming. Great masses of black, then grey, and at times almost fiery red clouds could be seen, churning themselves into the fury that was spent in [over] the defenseless people of this city and vicinity. People in the city proper noticed the peculiar looking clouds at 3:45 Tuesday and watched them for about ten minutes. All felt the storm coming from the southwest could not pass without sweeping directly through the business portion of the city… Suddenly the storm seemed to veer off to the east and instead of coming up Boone and Story streets as threatened, passed east…”

The storm struck “at First street… It swept up Jackson Street and took everything in its wake from First and Delaware east and north… Houses were tossed about… Barns and sheds were carried through the air, people were picked up… livestock, chickens, etc. were scattered about and… killed. In several cases entire houses were wiped off the horizon, leaving nothing but the foundations and cellars filled with debris…”

The CN&W railroad yards suffered severe damage. “One hundred and twenty-seven cars were made into kindling.” Bunk cars “were tossed about like boxes. The great steel window frames with the wired glass in the big shops building were whipped out their fastenings and the glass in almost powdered condition scattered over scores of workmen inside the building. The day became almost black as night as the storm engulfed the east end of the town…” Railroad workers could not see what was happening.
The Boone tornados were part of a much larger Iowa tornado outbreak that day, including three in Greene County. Damage and casualties were reported in Dayton, Harcourt, Churdan, Carroll, Newton, Walker, Eldora and Dubuque. The Bethel Church between Ogden and Boone was smashed.

CNW pumping air.

Chicago Northwestern passengers ride north out of the Milwaukee station past the tony east side in this lovely photo from (I presume) the early 60s. The origin of this photo is unknown to me.

CNW Extra East with helper on McKnight grade E. St.Paul,MN.

This old girl has certainly put in her time and racked up millions of miles around the nation.

Supposedly this Dash 9-44CW is heading south for repainting. I've heard it was sold to Wabtec in Albia, Iowa ... and I've also heard it is heading to Texas for rebuilding. It's been around Des Moines, Iowa for weeks now.

If you look closely you can still see the original CNW shield under the cab window and the original CNW numbering on the flank. Built in 1993.

SE18th Street Yard
Des Moines, Ia

This old girl has certainly put in her time and racked up millions of miles around the nation.

Supposedly this Dash 9-44CW is heading south for repainting. I've heard it was sold to Wabtec in Albia, Iowa ... and I've also heard it is heading to Texas for rebuilding. It's been around Des Moines, Iowa for weeks now.

If you look closely you can still see the original CNW shield under the cab window and the original CNW numbering on the flank. Built in 1993.

SE18th Street Yard
Des Moines, Ia

Ex CGW 66A-B in the St.Paul Belt Yd. Milw Yard behind.

A beautiful set of F3 diesels sits at CNW's Proviso yard in this early 50's Kodachrome by Richard Horn. Wolf Rd. crossing can be seen in the distance. My favorite CNW paint scheme.

#4056 A/B/C

Postmarked May 14, 1914

Photographer unknown. October 1955.
The Dakota 400 has just arrived at Madison's Blair Street station. Train #581 only has a ten-minute stop according to the timetable, before heading to Chicago. E8A #5024 heads the consist.
Another gorgeous photo from the John Harker collection.

It's funny how it's possible to miss something that you never personally experienced. My heart hurts when I see beautiful scenes like this that disappeared before I was even born. Sometimes I feel cheated.