South 8th ave into the Gibson yard area of S. Omaha ia open again. The Hills Bros box plant is free of water and there are locomotives back in Gibson. The area around Hickory St and S 2nd St is another story. Lots of water is still over the rail and debris has also been deposited on the tracks
The area around the Izard pumping station which is right next to the UP 844 display is a mess. Signs of a lot of water is visible for blocks to the north of the pump station. 844 would not have been damaged but the 26 passenger cars and support cars where vulnerable to flood damage if the secondary pumps had not been used.
Traffic was flowing on all of the sub divisions into and out of Omaha/Council Bluffs. The BNSF Island Park local even had a UP SD70ACe and two CSX ES44DC's that it picked up at Bungee.
The bad news....its raining and storming again.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Omaha Area Flooding 06/25/11
2 - 3 inches of rain feel between 0400 and 0630 this morning leaving alot of areas underwater.
I left my house around 11am and noticed that the Big Papio creek was levee full just to the east of my home. While driving south to Oreapolis a quick look over to the east at La Platte revieled that the Papio was almost to the top of the levee.
Oreapolis is basically lost. The road into the area is closed and underwater. The BNSF main track 1 had just the rail head above the water. Track two has been elevated but is still barely above the water. On the Omaha Sub was a loaded ballast train that was cut off due to the track 1 issues and the east leg of the wye also being under water. The area surrounding the diamond crossing is becoming a lake and the only available access point being from the west.
In Bellevue, NE the BNSF Omaha Sub north of the levee that was built across the track at Hwy 370 is underwater. The main and siding have been covered and are for a significant distance to the north. The BNSF will have lots of rebuilding in this area once the flood waters receed.
On the Iowa side 192nd St from Hwy 370 to Council Bluffs will soon be impassible. I encountered a couple of sections of the road where is was water covered and the level was rising. This is the gravel road that is used by BNSF and UP crew vans to get access to the small yard at the Bunge Soybean plant.
On the northside of Council Bluffs the Beano crossing (Musical Hills Lane) for the UP has been raised but the CN crossing is an island and flood waters have now reached the land in between the CN and UP (see above picture). The UP should be save as the row was raised a foot two weeks ago.
Omaha is having issues today. The BNSF dragged all of the units they had in their S. Omaha Gibson yard and the two shoving platforms out and had them parked and shut down at the Amtrak station. This got my curiosity up and I headed down to Gibson yard. Soon after crossing over the tracks on Missouri Ave the hell mary move became apparent.
It appears that the storm water has collected in the "bowl" that is the Gibson yard area and has flooded a large section of the area. Omaha city crews where setting up pumps and trying to pump the water out but the damage had already been done. The Hills Bros box plant has been flood out and probably sustained some significant damage.
The BNSF owned line that is used by the UP for N. Omaha access was also observed as being under water just north of the I-80 Missouri River bridge. This eccentially cuts off the UP 844 and 26 passenger cars at the TD Ameritrade stadium and would prevent them from being removed if there was a levee break in the N. Omaha area.
I left my house around 11am and noticed that the Big Papio creek was levee full just to the east of my home. While driving south to Oreapolis a quick look over to the east at La Platte revieled that the Papio was almost to the top of the levee.
Oreapolis is basically lost. The road into the area is closed and underwater. The BNSF main track 1 had just the rail head above the water. Track two has been elevated but is still barely above the water. On the Omaha Sub was a loaded ballast train that was cut off due to the track 1 issues and the east leg of the wye also being under water. The area surrounding the diamond crossing is becoming a lake and the only available access point being from the west.
In Bellevue, NE the BNSF Omaha Sub north of the levee that was built across the track at Hwy 370 is underwater. The main and siding have been covered and are for a significant distance to the north. The BNSF will have lots of rebuilding in this area once the flood waters receed.
On the Iowa side 192nd St from Hwy 370 to Council Bluffs will soon be impassible. I encountered a couple of sections of the road where is was water covered and the level was rising. This is the gravel road that is used by BNSF and UP crew vans to get access to the small yard at the Bunge Soybean plant.
On the northside of Council Bluffs the Beano crossing (Musical Hills Lane) for the UP has been raised but the CN crossing is an island and flood waters have now reached the land in between the CN and UP (see above picture). The UP should be save as the row was raised a foot two weeks ago.
Omaha is having issues today. The BNSF dragged all of the units they had in their S. Omaha Gibson yard and the two shoving platforms out and had them parked and shut down at the Amtrak station. This got my curiosity up and I headed down to Gibson yard. Soon after crossing over the tracks on Missouri Ave the hell mary move became apparent.
It appears that the storm water has collected in the "bowl" that is the Gibson yard area and has flooded a large section of the area. Omaha city crews where setting up pumps and trying to pump the water out but the damage had already been done. The Hills Bros box plant has been flood out and probably sustained some significant damage.
The BNSF owned line that is used by the UP for N. Omaha access was also observed as being under water just north of the I-80 Missouri River bridge. This eccentially cuts off the UP 844 and 26 passenger cars at the TD Ameritrade stadium and would prevent them from being removed if there was a levee break in the N. Omaha area.
Sunday, June 05, 2011
Pre-Flood Report
A run down of observations the last couple of days of the lines around Omaha, NE. before the Mo finally over tops some levees.
BNSF
Omaha Sub: Severed in S. Omaha at Missouri Ave for a levee to protect the sewer treatment plant. Severed at Bellevue just south of Hwy 370 with a levee across the tracks to protect the city's water supply and waste water plant.
Creston Sub: Open with a high potential for flooding at Pacific Jct, IA.
Napier Sub: Open but projected to be closed later in the week when the Missouri tops the levees west of Hamburg, IA. A trip to Hamburg showed the elevators being emptied of grain and the residents packing up to leave.
There are two Ohio rail cranes and Bartlett Elevator has two GP7's for power. Its unknown if these will be gathered up and dragged out before the water comes in.
Council Bluffs Sub: Open, but has a high probability of being impacted south of Council Bluffs especially if there are any levee breaks.
Sioux City Sub:Open, not expected to have any impact except for detours.
Union Pacific
Omaha Sub: Open, but may be closed at Council Bluffs. The city has dirt stockpiled to close the gap in the north side levee that protects Council Bluffs.
Missouri Valley - Omaha and Blair Subs join the Iowa main and the town has been told to expect flooding. The town folk are packing up and leaving but I did not observe any preparations by the UP to protect infrastructure yesterday.
Blair Sub: Currently has a daylight MOW closure. Westbounds and eastbounds are fleeting on the Omaha sub between Mo Valley and Council Bluffs, IA. MOW appears to be tie, rail, ballast type of work. No infrastructure fortification noted. Line could be impacted by flooding.
Sioux City Sub: Open, but more than likely will be impacted in multiple locations.
Falls City Sub: Open, no impacted expected until flood waters reach St Joe, Missouri.
CN/IC
The Ft Dodge train took all the stored cars out of the yard in Council Bluffs yesterday. Interchange cars are in the yard along with the CN 4028. No dirt was noted next to the CN track to fill in the levee gap in Council Bluffs.
Losts of county roads are under water and lots of farmers are moving equipment and household items to high ground. Country roads are really busy with all this traffic.
BNSF
Omaha Sub: Severed in S. Omaha at Missouri Ave for a levee to protect the sewer treatment plant. Severed at Bellevue just south of Hwy 370 with a levee across the tracks to protect the city's water supply and waste water plant.
Creston Sub: Open with a high potential for flooding at Pacific Jct, IA.
Napier Sub: Open but projected to be closed later in the week when the Missouri tops the levees west of Hamburg, IA. A trip to Hamburg showed the elevators being emptied of grain and the residents packing up to leave.
There are two Ohio rail cranes and Bartlett Elevator has two GP7's for power. Its unknown if these will be gathered up and dragged out before the water comes in.
Council Bluffs Sub: Open, but has a high probability of being impacted south of Council Bluffs especially if there are any levee breaks.
Sioux City Sub:Open, not expected to have any impact except for detours.
Union Pacific
Omaha Sub: Open, but may be closed at Council Bluffs. The city has dirt stockpiled to close the gap in the north side levee that protects Council Bluffs.
Missouri Valley - Omaha and Blair Subs join the Iowa main and the town has been told to expect flooding. The town folk are packing up and leaving but I did not observe any preparations by the UP to protect infrastructure yesterday.
Blair Sub: Currently has a daylight MOW closure. Westbounds and eastbounds are fleeting on the Omaha sub between Mo Valley and Council Bluffs, IA. MOW appears to be tie, rail, ballast type of work. No infrastructure fortification noted. Line could be impacted by flooding.
Sioux City Sub: Open, but more than likely will be impacted in multiple locations.
Falls City Sub: Open, no impacted expected until flood waters reach St Joe, Missouri.
CN/IC
The Ft Dodge train took all the stored cars out of the yard in Council Bluffs yesterday. Interchange cars are in the yard along with the CN 4028. No dirt was noted next to the CN track to fill in the levee gap in Council Bluffs.
Losts of county roads are under water and lots of farmers are moving equipment and household items to high ground. Country roads are really busy with all this traffic.
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