Creative Re-use

The former train station in Ames, Iowa home of Iowa State University is being turned into a new restaurant.

Is that enough horsepower?

A pair of Iowa Northern MP2000D locomotives have no shortage of horsepower pulling a pair of cars along Canadian National tracks in north Waterloo, Iowa. The locomotives have been in storage for more than 2 years due to their cost of operation but a locomotive shortage forced Iowa Northern to put them back in service.

Waiting for the boys of summer...

The Waterloo Riverfront Stadium home of the Waterloo Bucks baseball teams during its winter downtime.

It's a hit!!

Another photograph from a baseball game between the Minnesota Twins and the Los Angeles Angels last summer in Minneapolis. A Twins player has just made a hit and you can see the ball sailing into the outfield.

Strike!!!

A Minneapolis Twins batter swings at a pitch and misses during a baseball game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis.

A little lamb...

A baby lamb is exploring his environment at the Oliver Kelly Farm in Elk River, MN. The Oliver Kelly is a Minnesota Historic Society site northwest of Minneapolis/St. Paul.

But Google told me it was here!!!

The abandoned former Amtrak Midway station in St. Paul, Minnesota. When we were there back in June, 2018 google maps was still showing this as an active Amtrak station even though it had been closed for a while (it is no longer showing on google maps). As it turned out it was only a short distance from our wonderful AirBnB that we stayed at. There is also an interesting model railroad museum just to the south of this old station. It looks like either this building started deteriorating fast or Amtrak had not been taking care of it for some time.

Meet up at the baseball stadium

Two Metro light rail trains meet alongside the baseball stadium of the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis. Currently both of Metro's light rail's terminate here but there is plans to extended both light rail routes beyond the stadium. The train in the right is about to depart for the Mall of America and the train on the left has just arrived from St. Paul.

Heading to the mall...

A Metro light rail train is just a couple of stops away from its final destination the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN.

Your bike is ready...

A lineup of bikes at a Minneapolis light rail station.

Reflections on the stadium

The football stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota which shows a cool reflections on two sides of the building.

The Mustang some would like to forget

A 1976 Ford Mustang Cobra II on display at a annual car show at a local car dealership in Waterloo, Iowa where all the money raised goes to a charity. The Mustang II was a car created in response to the first oil crises in 1973. Many were not happy with the new design but Ford improved it over the years before replacing it with a new model in 1979.

Out in the snow

A Peoria Charter bus sits in the parking lot of the Crossroads Mall in Waterloo, Iowa as its passengers spend the night at a nearby hotel. This overnight stay may not have been scheduled as the weather had been very bad with many highways in the area being closed.

Another empty store

Another empty retail store that was taken during a snow storm at the Crossroads Mall in Waterloo, Iowa.

Architectural Beauty tainted by evil

The Castle Apartments in Waterloo, Iowa are a beautiful piece of architecture having been built in the early 1910's. Sadly the unique structure was tainted when a young girl was murdered by her neighbor who then stashed her body in the attic space before being caught by police.

The buildings have been empty for years and are scheduled to be torn town at some point.

The Cedar River and Waterloo East Side Commercial District

Looking across the  4th Street bridge in Waterloo, Iowa across the Cedar River toward the Historic East Commercial District on a snowy morning.

Passing by in a blur

A Metro light rail train in Minneapolis, Minnesota leaves a station near the University of Minnesota.

Veterans Memorial Hall in Waterloo, Iowa

Veterans Memorial Hall in Waterloo, Iowa during a late January snow storm.

Younkers, an Iowa institution since 1856 was a victim of the collapse of the Bon-Ton. It started off as a dry-foods store in Keokuk, Iowa and grew to a regional chain.

Pictured is the former Younkers store at the Crossroads Mall in Waterloo, Iowa looking a little desitude during a late January snow storm.

The Whitesidewalls

The Whitesidewalls performing at Summerfest in Hampton, IA in August, 2018. This outstanding band performs at Summerfest every August which is just one of their many performances during the year.