A couple of days along the BNSF Creston Sub

I was able to spend some time on Saturday and Sunday along the BNSF Creston sub in Lincoln and Ashland, NE. Its been awhile since I've spent anytime in that area and it was good to see something other than dirty yellow GE's.

Saturday March 2nd.

BNSF 8970 starts to head into the Lincoln yard.

As is typical, the closer one gets to Lincoln the more common it is to see trains backed up waiting for a spot in the yard. Taking the I-80 off ramp into Waverly, NE two coal empties were seen waiting for a slot in the yard.First in line was a empty KC Power and Light with BNSF 8970-5807 and DPU 9688 as power. Behind it was another empty coaler with a mixed bag of private reporting marks on the cars. Power was BNSF 9229-5895-9148 and no DPU.

BNSF 9229 leads mixed bag of empty coal hoppers into Lincoln, NE.

Both coalers needed to clear the main in order for a couple of loaded coalers to head east. While waiting for these movements to start the MLINLIN pulled up through Waverly and held on the west side of town.

The MLINLIN holds the main west of Waverly, NE.

The first of the eastbounds to head out was a Mid-America coaler for Council Bluffs, IA. Power was BNSF 6136-9964 and no DPU. The second train was being moved from the yard to Pacific Jct., IA. Instructions for it where to tied down in the old yard after backing down the east side of the wye to the Napier Sub. I wasn't able to get the power numbers as it passed on the opposite side of the BNSF 9229 in Havelock, NE.

After the brief stop on the east side of the Havelock shops, I headed over to the old depot area to take a look at the local power that is typically tied down there. BNSF 3171 and 8613 were noted as the local switch units which is a far cry from the days when they ran the Transcon full out.

BNSF 3171 and 8613 are the Havelock local switch engines.

Next stop was the area on the east end of the yard where the St. Joe, Creston, and Hastings subs all come together. This area is now no mans land as the BNSF had the city close J st. through the wye over to S 1st st. There are a couple of locations to park near the grade crossing at S 1st st, but since one of them is a private business there is no guarantee that one can park there for long.

While getting parked I noticed a set of lite power on the east end of the yard and was hoping they would come out a little bit closer to the road as the lead unit was BNSF 769 which still wears its red and silver BNSF scheme. She had the BNSF 4300 and a unknown CSX C40-8W trailing.

With no more eastbounds lined up to leave the yard the last train for me was another empty coaler with BNSF 9231 and DPU BNSF 9818.

BNSF 9231 curves under the signal bridge on the east side of the  Lincoln NE yard.

Sunday March 3rd.
Sunday started out with hazy sunny skies but soon turned to clouds. Since the sun was shinning I took off for Ashland, NE hoping to get a fair amount of traffic before having to head back home at noon.

BNSF 9693 leads an empty coaler through Ashland, NE.

Soon after getting parked the scanner started chirping letting me know an EOT was somewhere close. Within a couple of minutes an empty coaler came around the curve on the far east side of Ashland. BNSF 9693-6220 and DPU 6273 roared by in some nice light. The signal just to the west of where I was parked soon returned to yellow and then flashing yellow as another westbound approached. Today's MLINLIN came into view with the same units (BNSF 9161-6102) as the day before plus the BNSF 521 that they picked up in Omaha, NE..

BNSF 9161-6102-521 on the MLINLIN.

Video of the MLINLIN

Next up was another empty coaler setup as a 1x1 train. BNSF 6067 lead with BNSF 9955 as the DPU.

Another empty coaler was following pretty close behind. BNSF 6191-8851-9699 headed to Lincoln on the heals of the BNSF 9955. The yard must have been pretty fluid that morning to have empties this following close together.

After the EOT passed traffic died down on the Creston sub. A southbound on the Sioux City Sub toned out the DS for permission enter the Creston Sub. About 15 minutes after the radio exchanges a southbound loaded ethanol train slowly crossed the Salt Creek bridge and took the west leg of the wye to head for Lincoln. BNSF 4346-5281 and DPU 1078 where the power for the train.

Soon after the ETOH train cleared the Sioux City sub the DS was giving track and time to the track inspector on the Sioux City sub and another track inspector was heading east on the Creston sub. Seeing as the DS only lets the inspectors out when there is a lull in traffic, I took this as a clue to head for home.