Illinois Central steam locomotive No. 790 had spent 55 years in freight service and was headed for the scrap yard in 1959 when “railfan” Lou Keller bought it and brought it to Cedar Rapids from ...

Editor’s Note: This is one of multiple stories in ETX View’s 2026 January/February issue that published Jan. 10. To read more stories and view the full digital edition, visit our ETX View homepage.

A small group gathered along the railroad tracks crossing Richmond Avenue late Wednesday afternoon to watch a rare sight. Union Pacific’s No. 4014, known as a Big Boy steam locomotive, thundered ...

"For nearly half of the nation's history, the steam locomotive was the outstanding symbol for progress and power. It was the literal engine of the Industrial Revolution, and it played an instrumental ...