KCS Haulage Trains

Background
One of the more interesting sights in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area are the KCS haulage trains that are brought in by the BNSF. Though these are only grain trains they do provide a nice break from the monotony of UP yellow and grey. Currently these KCS trains run on the BNSF even though the KCS has a haulage agreement on the UP into Omaha/Council Bluffs for 199 years that was awarded as part of the 1988 UP- MKT merger. The BNSF agreement is also a result of concessions that were awarded for the 1995 ATSF-BN merger. 


Customers Served
There are currently three customers served by these haulage trains. 

• Cargill at 2401 South 37th St., Council Bluffs, IA.
• 108 Car capacity
• Bartlett Grain Co. (North House) at 1030 Ave L, Council Bluffs, IA.
• 81 Car capacity
• Bartlett Grain Co. (South House) at 2600 S. 4th St., Council Bluffs, IA.



KCS Haulage train departing Lincoln, NE east on the BNSF Creston  Sub

• 85 Car capcity

Operations (Area Map)
The haulage trains are not operated on a set schedule. They can and do operate into and out of the area any day of the week.Typically the Bartlett elevators will receive and load at least two trains a week each while the Cargill elevator will load one train a week.A good indication that a train is about to be loaded at one of the Bartlett elevators is an increase in grain truck traffic unloading grain.

While the  BNSF operates these trains with BNSF crews and symbols they are almost always composed of  KCS family locomotives and grain hoppers. If there is a road failure of one of the KCS units BNSF will add a BNSF unit to the consist. A typical train is composed of two AC traction units and around 80 cars. It is rare to see a TFM or KCSdM locomotive but grain hoppers are always a good mix of KCS, TFM, Ferrosur or leaser names.

Routings

A KCS haulage train is taking the Amtrak connector from the BNSF to the UP in Omaha, NE.

Empties grain trains are typically routed on the St Joe sub from KC to Lincoln. The Creston Sub from Lincoln to Ashland, NE and then the Omaha Sub from Ashland to the Amtrak Depot in Omaha, NE. From the Amtrak connector to BN Jct they use UP trackage rights to gain access to the Council Bluffs Sub and South House or continue to the North House on the UP Omaha Sub. Loaded trains ( from all three customers) are routed down the BNSF Council Bluffs sub to Pacific Jct, IA then west on the Creston Sub to Lincoln, NE and then back down the St Joe sub to KC.

Cargill Elevator
Those trains that are destined to the Cargill elevator take the normal routing into the Omaha/Council Bluffs area. At the Amtrak connector they take the UP bridge into the UP yard and then down the western most yard elevator track. About 3/4 of the way down is the connector switch to the Cargill lead (see map). Trains must roll through the yard and out across S 16th St and around the Chrysler auto unloading ramp to clear this switch. Once they have cleared the switch they will back up the mile or so to the Cargill elevator where they will fit the train into the various tracks for loading.

Cargill uses a ex Amtrak GP10 and a SW1 to move cars through the loader. Since this is not a loop or flood loader, it typically takes a couple of days to load an 80 car train. The KCS locomotives are parked in the UP service area while a train is being loaded, though it is possible that the units maybe parked on one of the yard elevator tracks during this time frame.

KCS 3916 passes the 12th st line in Council Bluffs on its way to the North House.

Once a train is loaded it is routed back out the same way it was brought in. When the train has cleared the Cargill lead switch it is backed out of the yard onto the UP mainline and then pulls down the Omaha Sub to BN Jct where a BNSF crew boards and takes the train down the Council Bluffs Sub to Pacific Jct. , IA.

Bartlett - North House
North House trains follow the typical routing into Council Bluffs but continue on the UP Omaha Sub to the north house. Once they have arrived outside the elevator these trains pull north through the north yard cross overs and are shoved back into the elevator tracks from the southbound the main. The north house elevator trains are only 79 cars inbound or 81 cars total with the two locomotives. Its a very tight fit on the elevator leads for these trains.

ex KCS NW2 at the North House

The north house employs a ex KCS NW2 switcher to position cars under the elevator load outs. This unit is still painted in KCS white but is missing the two exhaust stacks giving it a unique look.The unit is keep inside the load building until needed. When a train is being loaded it will work the load outs from the south end pushing cars toward the north end of the complex. 

The KCS power for the north house trains are parked on the north end of the elevator complex and are easily observed form Mynster Springs Rd. They can be photographed in the mornings, but the best lighting is in the evenings. NOTE - They are parked next to an active mainline and you will have to trespass to photograph with the sun. This area is marked as No Trespassing and you will be confronted by BNSF and UP Special Agents if seen trespassing.

Loaded trains are given a inspection and have there air hoses laced by the UP car department. Bad orders are identified and tagged for set out on the materials salvage lead. A UP extra crew is called and they assemble the train from the north end occupying the southbound main during this process.Once assembled they make a reverse move across Council Bluffs until they clear the BN Jct switch. BNSF crews will then board the train and proceed down the Council Bluffs sub to Pacific Jct., IA.

A north house train is curving through Council Bluffs and crossing the IAIS 

Bartlett - South House
South House trains follow the typical routing into Council Bluffs and take the switch at BN Jct to enter the Council Bluffs Sub. This part of the Council Bluffs sub contains a number of railroad crossings with the UP 12th St line being the first. The IAIS crossings are located just south of 16th St near the ex CRIP depot.

South house trains are pulled down to the elevator and then the train is positioned under the two loading shoots for loading. The south house uses two older shuttle wagons to handle the movement of the cars through the load outs. The road power is typically parked with the BNSF Council Bluffs switcher in the old yard south of 16th St. On occasion this power is "borrowed" and is used to pull a train over to the BNSF S. Omaha Gibson yard. The units can  also be parked in the old Milwaukee Road yard on occasion.

Late afternoons and evenings are the best for photographing the units while they are parked in the BNSF yard. NOTE - If you trespass to get close up photos of the units expect a visit from BNSF Special Agents. There is no need to trespass as photos can be taken from a public road.

A south house train being assembled.

Once the elevator has loaded a train the BNSF car department inspects the train and laces the air hoses. A switch crew from Gibson will then perform the process of assembling the train. The cars are pulled from the north end of the elevator and are parked on the new main. Not all cars will fit on the new main and the road crew will double over a short cut of cars once they have boarded the train.

Once assembled the road crew will take it down the Council Bluffs sub to Pacific Jct., IA to travel west on the Creston Sub.

Occasionally the switch crew will take a train down to Pacific Jct., IA and park it north of town. A road crew will then take the train west later as crews become available.

KCS haulage train awaiting a road crew at Pacific Jct. IA.

The last couple of Fridays

The new year hasn't presented me with too many opportunities for outings but I was able to venture out the last couple of Fridays for some quick train watching in Council Bluffs, IA.

February 24, 2012
An interesting snow squall came into the area during the mid afternoon which was followed by a brilliantly sunny late afternoon.  This low bright lighting convinced me to head out the door and see what was going on over in Council Bluffs.

Before heading across the river, I stopped along I-80 to get a quick grab shot of the DDA40X and Big Boy basking in the sun at Kennefick Park. It is interesting to think of what it took to get these locomotives up there. I wasn't living in the area when these where moved to the park, so I've only been able to see a few pictures of the moves.

Heading back across the river into Iowa and getting off at the Lake Manawa exit, I found the local BNSF switcher with BNSF 2702  parked at the south Bartlett elevator with a short train. There wan't a KCS grain train at this elevator so after a quick stop at Casey's for some gas a run to the north side of town was in order.

The CN had GT 5858 parked along side their yard office. Fridays is not a day that the local comes all the way into Council Bluffs so no road power was found in the yard. The CN of today is a very far cry from the ICG/CCP/IC days that I remeber when I was younger. I sure do miss those orange and white geeps that where the symbol of the ICG and CCP for me..

The old CNW yard or north yard as its called by the UP is still an fairly busy place. Through trains swap blocks, make set outs and pick-ups here and a switch job takes these cars cars back and forth between the original UP yard. A daily monster train (typically >180 cars and 6+ units) comes into Council Bluffs in the afternoons is the MNPCBB (double B as the crews call it) which uses the north yard. This train is broken into two trains; MCBVP and MCBSS for movement to their final terminals. MNPCBB-23 pulled into the yard with 5992-6284-7921-6540-5663-6541 and over 150 cars.

The north Bartlett elevator was busy loading a  KCS grain train. KCS 4621 and 4047 were parked along N.8th st. while the Bartlett ex KCS NW2 4222 was pushing cars through the loader.

The mainline out of the north yard was occupied by two trains. The head end of both of these trains was parked just south of the Beano's crossing at Musical Hills Ln. A northbound empty grain train with UP 5795-5802-8558 was on track one while a mixed freight was on track two with the UP 6718 leading another unknown unit. It is typical to find one train waiting for a southbound to clear before heading north, but with two trains holding there may have been MOW work somewhere between Missouri Valley and here.

With the sun setting I grabbed a burrito and headed over to MP 0.0 to sit and eat while the UP sent me some trains. First up was the MNPCH with UP 7644-4928 which was followed by a eastbound coal load with UP 5975-6381 and DPU 6001.

Since it was now dark, it was time to head for home.

March 2, 2012
Two brilliant Friday afternoons in a row are rare in this area for this time of year.Being able to spend some time out in sun is even rarer for me.

After work I was off to see what was going on and was rewarded with two clean KCS belles relaxing in the sun as a UP grain train was heading down the BNSF Council Bluffs sub to the Bunge bean plant. This is the first time I have seen three SD70Ms handling a UP grain train since I'd moved back to the midwest. Typically AC4400CW and SD90MACs are dragging these trains around. KCS 4779 and 4777 were the units parked in the BNSF yard while UP 4971-4364-3991 had the UP grain train in tow.

The CN switcher was still GT 5858 and since it was Friday no road power was in town.

UP YCB64 job was lined up on the south end of the north yard waiting for permission to head out onto the main, to cross over to track two and then head down the 12th st line. While this was going on the MPRCB was holding at ave G waiting for the yard job to make its movement west.

Once YCB64 was given permission to make its movement UP 826- 586 dragged their cars down the 12th st line and into the Pool yard.

The MRPCB did not have its typical all EMD power lashup.UP 5663-8084 were leading the PR  into Council Bluffs today. Besides having a GE in the consist the PR was about 8 hours late getting into the Bluffs, also. Typically the MPRCB gets into CB in the morning unless it has experienced issues across Iowa. As typical with the PR she will pull down the 12th st. line and head into the Pool yard to call it a day.

While the YCB64 job was making its movement across town the MNPCB-01 pulled up to 9th Ave to begin it preparations for pulling into the north yard. Since this train is so large it is often held at 9th Ave until it can get a straight shot into the yard. Any issues with it pulling into the yard will block all the crossings in Council Bluffs except for the Ave G and Broadway Ave over crossings. This tends to anger most of the town when this occurs.The MNPCBB was pulled by UP 6700-6208-5776-7034-6237-6292 and had over 175 cars to be setout on three tracks in the north yard.

With the double B tying up the town I headed over to the Durham Museum in Omaha to investigate the train that had dies on hours of service there. A dog catch crew had been sent over earlier but had not been able to continue east as the MNPCBB was blocking the mains during its movement into the yard. This train was powered by UP 4800-4885-unknown SD70M-2367.

After grabbing a shot of the train strung out into the setting sun it was time to head for home.