The Dakota Southeastern Division is pleased to Announce:

SiouxRail '08

When:
Saturday, June 14 and Sunday June 15, 2008
Saturday sessions begin at 1:00 p.m. and Sunday morning begins at 9:00 a.m.

Where:
Miles Rohan’s Rusty Spike Railroad in Everly, Iowa
Doug Harding’s Iowa Central Railroad in Sibley, Iowa
Alan Saatkamp’s Wisconsin Dakota Railroad in Harrisburg, SD
Mike Kaufman’s BNSF Marshall Subdivision in Garretson, SD

Lodging:

Comfort Inn, 1105 North Splitrock Blvd. in Brandon, SD 57005. A block single and double rooms has been reserved through May 14. Brandon is just northeast of Sioux Falls off I 90 and centrally located to all the railroads participating in SiouxRail08. Call 605-582-5777 and indicate you are a participant in SiouxRail08. Rates are $129.99 for a single or double room.

Super Eight, 1508 W. Russell, Sioux Falls. This is located approximately Twenty minutes east of Brandon. A double room costs only $85.99. The Super Eight is about 20 minutes west of our headquarters and dinner spot Saturday night. It's on the northwest side of Sioux Falls--less proximate to Harrisburg, Garretson and the two Iowa layouts --but a good bit less costly. They also offer a continental breakfast with coffee, three kinds of juice, rolls, muffins, cereal, milk, and bagels.

You may wish to explore staying at the Super Eight as an option to the more conveniently located Comfort Inn. There is a block of rooms reserved under"
Siouxrail" (note spelling) until June 7. The number there is 605-339-9330.

Saturday Dinner:

Dinner Saturday night will be at Tailgators, right next door to the motel, beginning around 6:30 or so. Following dinner, Prairie Lakes Division Superintendent Doug Harding will present a program on railroad facilities for handling livestock at shipping points in the corn belt region.

Sunday morning begins with a free, comprehensive continental breakfast (bagels, cereal, waffles, juice, fresh fruit, coffee, etc.) at the motel, before your travel to operate at the four various layouts at 9:00 a.m.

Participating Layouts:

Mike Kaufman’s Burlington Northern Sante Fe Marshall Subdivision.
BNSF Marshall Subdivision located at 400 Jesse James in Garretson, SD, just 15 minutes north of Brandon. This large, contemporary HO scale railroad fills the entire basement and was featured last fall on the Dakota Southeastern Division open house tour. It is based on the BNSF’s Marshall Sub. which runs from Sioux City, IA to Willmar, MN. It includes exquisite landscaping and detailed prototypical industries along the heavily traveled mainline route with switching along the way. Digitrax DCC system and computer-generated switch lists. No radios required. Not accessible.

Miles Rohan's Rusty Spike Railroad
located at 205 S. Washington in Everly, Iowa, about 38 miles from Sibley. HO scale layout modeling the transition era, loosely based on operations in small towns located in northeastern Nebraska from Dakota City west to Lynch. This free lance railroad features Digitrax DCC and a car card/waybill system. The Rusty Spike Railroad also sees Milwaukee road power. Much of the track is hand laid, as are switches on the 320’ mainline. Layout operates with a crew of 8-10. Headsets are required—Miles has seven available to use, so you are welcome to bring one also is you like. Layout in a basement and not accessible.

Douglas Harding's Iowa Central Railroad www.iowacentralrr.org
located at 1019 6 th St. NE in Sibley, Iowa, less than a hour’s drive from our lodging and dining site in Brandon, northeast of Sioux Falls. An HO scale layout following the Minneapolis & St. Louis mainline across Iowa, running from Mason City to Albia, set in 1949. The concept is that the Iowa Central was sold to the CB & Q instead of the M & StL at the turn of the century. This is single level shelf design with radio throttles using EasyDCC. Motive power is a mix of steam and diesel, some equipped with sound. The mainline is being expanded to over 300’ in length. There is a heavy focus on local switching, and the layout includes the Decker Meat plant where 30 cars can be spotted. Twelve to 14 operators required. Carcards and waybills are used, with dispatcher control using communication via the newer RS style radios. Operators will need to bring a radio for communication. The layout is in a basement and is not accessible.

Alan Saatkamp's Wisconsin and Dakota Railroad
Located at 902 Chestnut in Harrisburg, SD, five miles south of Sioux Falls, and 20 minutes south of Brandon. This combination style HO scale layout is based on the DM & E/ICE from Chicago to Savanna, Illinois and Wisconsin and Southern interchange at Davis Junction, Illinois. The switching layout has been revamped and features the Wisconsin and Southern, headquartered at Janesville, Wisconsin, with local service to Milton and Madison. Over 200’ mainline on this contemporary railroad utilizing Digitrax DCC and a carcard and waybill system. Six operators. No headsets. Located in a basement and not accessible.

Contact Superintendent Alan Saatkamp at 605-767-9743 (or submit the contact form below) for more information on this event.