Joe Parsons has been promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Joe began his employment with us on September 16, 2013 as the Chief Operating Officer. As of January 1 this year, Joe had been given the responsibility of overseeing the Engineering Department in addition to the overall management of the Transportation, Safety, Customer Service, Locomotive and Mechanical Departments.

When Joe joined IAIS in 2013, he had brought with him 10 years of railroad management experience in both Class 1 and short line railroading. His management experience began with the Norfolk Southern as Trainmaster in Dayton, Ohio and Columbia, South Carolina. Joe was subsequently promoted to Terminal Superintendent in Cincinnati, Ohio.

In May of 2011, Joe accepted the position of Assistant General Manager with the Chicago, Fort Wayne & Eastern Railroad and was subsequently promoted to General Manager at the same carrier. He was assuming the same role at the Dallas, Garland, & Northeastern Railroad before accepting our offer.

Joe received his Bachelor’s degree from West Virginia Wesleyan College and recently received his Master’s degree in the Executive MBA Program at the University of Iowa.

Thursday, May 5^th, marked a first for Iowa Interstate Railroad as wind blades from TPI Composites departed Newton, IA by rail.  Thirty blades, measuring 56.9 meters each, were loaded one blade per two platform flat cars.  After inspection, the cars left Newton and proceeded to the Union Pacific in Des Moines to continue their journey south to Texas.

In 2015 Iowa Interstate Railroad, Union Pacific Railroad, Union Pacific Distribution Services, the City of Newton, TPI Composites and a major wind OEM worked together to develop a rail solution to move the 189’ wind blades from Newton, IA.  The project was not without its difficulties as laydown space, loading equipment, available tracks, and clearance points were all hurdles that needed to be overcome.

Plans were put into place, with the cooperation of Key Coop, to utilize a temporary loading site as permanent plans were finalized.  (Two new transloading tracks will be built to accommodate the move).  The first blades were carefully loaded on April 29^th for shipment.

Iowa Interstate Railroad continues to bring value to the Midwest through its nimble service and strategic location with connections to all class one carriers in the US.  We are confident that our partnership with TPI Composites and their customers will make shipping the wind blades more cost effective while reducing congestion on the highway and local road systems now and in future years ahead.