UP Blair Sub Construction update 10/12/12

Only a short update as work has pretty much stopped on the sub.

The bridge east of Arlington is still being built. The pre-stressed concrete deck sections has been brought in and are positioned on each side of the creek. The headers are also staged to be positioned for the sections of the deck.

At Kennard the new switch which will be the other half of the cross overs is being installed. This is about 100-150 feet west of the Linn St crossing. Once this switch is installed the double track should be extended to the end of the old West Kennard switch. That is if the super foamers proclamation in August is correct.

On the Iowa side the only work observed was a MOW crew working on the cross over switches west of Allen Creek. The third main is also now connected to the main on both ends. New signals have also been installed protecting all three tracks eastbound just east of Italy Ave.

BNSF Sioux City Sub south end

I took a chance today and set out to follow a train or two on the Sioux City sub. My prior luck with this goal had been decidedly unlucky but with the up tick of traffic on the sub I figured my luck would change.

I headed over to Ashland, NE to try and find a northbound Sioux City sub train to follow. While passing over the Creston Sub on old Hwy 6 east of Ashland, I noticed a grain train holding the main. As I got closer to the wye from the Sioux City to Creston Sub the power came into view. Two faded and grubby warbonnet units where found leading the empty grain train. I typically don't give these units much time as the paint on them is way past its prime, but with two of them as the only power I was up for a chase.

BNSF 685 heads north up the east leg of the wye to the Sioux City sub from the Creston  sub. The Omaha sub will be crossed in the process.

While waiting for the grain train to start heading north the scanner was active with chatter between the Lincoln power desk and BNSF 7317. Seems the windshield had developed a crack and was getting worse and the crew wasn't too happy about it. Thinking this was a southbound train off the Sioux City sub I parked over by the car wash to get a shot of it coming off the Sioux City sub and of the grain train heading north. But after about 5 minutes the signal turned green and the Sioux City sub DS was giving a track warrant to BNSF 685 to proceed from CTC Ashland to the north switch at Elk siding. So the chase was on.

Heading north through Ashland my goal was to get to Wann Rd and ahead of the train. Turning off Hwy 66 at CR B I noticed that the train wasn't ahead of me nor even close. Unfortunately Wann Rd was on the wrong side of the sun for any shots so I headed north looking for photo spots. It should be noted that this area is flat and pretty featureless outside of a couple of bridges and an old elevator at Big Sandy.

Rolling north through the harvested fields.

Finally getting to the sunny side of the tracks north of Big Sandy I setup at CR J out in the middle of nowhere to get a shot of the train running across the harvested fields. Figuring this might be my last shot for awhile I headed back to Wann Rd to head back north. Even with waiting for the train to pass and heading about 4 miles out of the way to Yutan Rd I was still able to catch up with the train at Yutan (about 7 miles away from the shot location).

Since BNSF 685's track warrant was only good to the north switch at Elk I was anticipating a meet at Elk with a southbound. Going through Leshara and crossing over the main about a mile south of Elk I noticed a southbound waiting in the siding at Elk. I setup at CR T and CR 7 to get my shots of both trains. BNSF 685 was coming at me out of the sun and I decided to see what I could do with the shot.

Back lit through Leshara.

BNSF 685 rolled on through Elk and soon I heard the DS give it a track warrant to Pappa (Fremont, NE). Figuring that it would get stabbed at the UP crossing in Fremont and then have to wait for a southbound at Pappa, I waited for the southbound coal empty to pass before heading over to Hwy 77 and north to Fremont.

BNSF 5875 leads a empty DEEX coaler out of Elk siding.

As luck would have it the UP cooperated with the BNSF and BNSF 685 got to roll right on through town to Pappa. The anticipated meet at Pappa was with a southbound empty coaler that was already waiting for the grain train. BNSF 685 released the track warrant from Elk to Pappa and was given a new one from north switch Pappa to the south switch at Oakland, NE. Decision time, do I keep going north or do I follow the southbound? Well the need to get rid of 20 ounces of coffee and to get some food made the decision for me.

After a stop at Burger King I headed back down to the area of the UP/BNSF diamond to wait for the southbound. The UP wasn't cooperating this time as the ZSKGR was given the green to run through the diamonds but the southbound didn't wait long.

BNSF 8917 crosses the UP at Fremont, NE.

No sooner does the ZSKGR clear the diamond and I hear the southbound blowing for the crossings to the north of the diamond. A quick run over to N M st and W 2nd St to get the southbound crossing the UP. As the train comes into view I see its another empty coaler. Two coalers back to back are fairly unusual on the Sioux City Sub. As the coaler sneaks through Fremont I head south to CR W and head toward the Platte river to get a shot. CR W ends at the railroad crossing and becomes a private community with lots of signs letting you know you are not welcome.

Running along the Platte.

From CR W it was a quick run over to Elk and LeShara to get a shot of the train running through Leshara. Before heading over to Valley, NE and back into Fremont.

Rolling through Leshara, NE.

Back in Fremont I headed back up to Pappa to see if another southbound had rolled into town but only found the BNSF Fremont switcher heading back into town after switching the industries on the north end of Fremont.

BNSF 2809 rolls through Pappa

BNSF 2809 ended my day on the BNSF but not my day of railfaning.