Snowbound! IC&E train gets stuck in the drifts near Calmar

Maybe we shouldn't be complaining so loudly about having to dig out our sidewalks!

At least a dozen employees of Iowa, Chicago & Eastern railroad spent Thursday shoveling out several train engines that got stuck in a snowdrift three miles east of Calmar.  A couple of backhoes aided in the effort, but the workers had to shovel away the snow by hand next to the engines.

Brandon, an IC & E employee for Marquette, said the employees were called in "from all over" to aid in the project.  The work went on despite the gusty winds on Thursday.  Said Brandon philosophically, "It is what it is--it's winter!"

IC & E officials expected the train engines to be freed by the end of the day on Thursday.

Backhoes cleared snow from the tracks

Employees cleared snow from the engines