While attending college in the early 1990s I worked part-time at a hobby shop and got to know two former gentlemen who worked for Illinois Central Railroad and became friends with them. They were willing to share some of their 8mm silent films whether it was shot from the ground, on a motor car, or from the train. Most of the filming took place around the Manchester, Iowa area and branches out towards Waterloo, Iowa to the west and Dubuque, Iowa to the east.

You will see a collection of not only Illinois Central trains but also derailment clean-ups, last days of the "Land of Corn" and "The Hawkeye" passenger trains. You will also see pool power equipment used on the Illinois Central. Most of the footage was shot in the mid-1960s to the early 1970s. Some of the footage is a little rough but these are images that can not be recreated today.