October 2 Railfanning

Sunday provided me an opportunity to enjoy some beautiful cloud free fall skies. With light winds and the nearly perfect sky, I was able to record some video which is something that can be pretty difficult to do with the wind in Nebraska.

The first catch of the day in the area I planned on fanning was an empty MidAmerica coaler just west of Lincoln, NE.

BNSF 6021 & 6096

I followed this train up to the bridge west of Pleasant Dale, NE to try to catch it coming through the widened cut the BNSF created for the second main train. Unfortunately, it had an advantage with the shorter route and beat me there.

After a short wait, the signal at CP 14.6 displayed a red over yellow and then a red over flashing yellow followed by a green. Drifting down grade an empty Bunge bean train rounded the curve to the west of the bridge and took the diverging clear for main two.

BNSF 3826 & 7420

Once this train cleared, the signal at CP14.6 went red over yellow and stayed that way for about 10 minutes. Since I haven't heard any horns across the valley, I headed west to Milford. Once at Milford I setup to get a shot of the anticipated eastbound on the slight grade out of the Blue River valley. Within about 5 minutes horns could be heard coming from the north side of Miford along with a distinctive EMD 2 stroke sound. Soon BNSF 9246 lead an Alabama bound coal load up the grade.

BNSF 9246 & 6124

BNSF 5857

While in Milford a quick stop at the local Casey's for a slice of pizza was in order. While eating another eastbound was heard blowing for the crossing north of Milford. Shortly a TU Utilities coal train approached and I was able to capture it rounding the curve.

After this train passed, I headed back to the bridge for some more photos and videos. Since it was after noon the farmers had returned from church and were out in the fields cutting their crops and stirring up dust as the winds had started to pick up. With that in mind, I decided to stay for the westbound that was holding at CP 14.6 but the BNSF had a bunch of eastbounds to get in before it would finally get a green.

First up was another loaded MidAmerica coaler. BNSF 6350 lead another ES and another was the DPU making an all GE consist.

BNSF 6350

Following the MAXX coaler was a Kansas Power and Light coal load with the BNSF 6209-5639 and DPU 8546. Once it crawled into the clear at CP 14.6 the westbound was given a green to head out. As the train came into view the green sheen of  the Boeing B737-8xx's could be seen. This tipped me off that the HKCKLAU-01 was about to pass my spot. 

BNSF 7686

After this train passed, I packed up my stuff and headed for the car. I decided to check out the signal one last time just in case and sure enough one more train was in store for me followed by another.

First up was the first train I recorded earlier in the morning. BNSF 9109-5775 and DPU 6057 with a GGPX coal empty was first seen on the east side of Waverly, NE holding for an opening in Hobson yard. Four hours later it had pasted trough the yard and was about 40 miles further west.

BNSF 9109

Once the BNSF 9109 passed it was followed by the last train of the day for me. BNSF 6404-NS 1086 with DPU 5821 rolled an empty JHMX coal west. After watching this roll by I headed for home. Not a bad day for about 4.5 hours of quiet. 

A couple of cold hours at Ashland, NE

Waking up to a dusting of snow Friday morning and some brilliant post storm sun light gave me an urge to get out and do some train watching. Unfortunately the clouds rolled back in by the time I got motivated and out the door.

First train I encountered was the ZCHCDEN as it rolled down from Gretna, NE toward Ashland on the Omaha Sub. I caught up with it before it got to Ashland but I wanted to get a shot of it further west and settled on a shot of it rolling east of Greenwood, NE. Unfortunutely, since its now stick season and the sky was gloomy a b&w conversion was needed to salvage the shot.

BNSF 7249 leads the ZCHCDEN between Greenwood and Ashland, NE.

BNSF 7249 heads west toward Greenwood, NE.

As I passed thru Ashland toward Greenwood, two coalers were stopped to give the Z train a clear block thru the area. A westbound empty coaler was holding at east wye in Ashland but was given a green on the heels of the Z train. It passed me as I headed back to Ashland and I wasn't able to get a shot of it.

BNSF 5968 heads east on the Creston Sub instead of the anticipated north on the Sioux City Sub.

An eastbound loaded coaler was holding at west Ashland and I thought it was going to head up the Sioux City sub and was caught off guard when it heading toward me instead of taking the hard left for Sioux City.

Soon after the eastbound passed a train was heard blowing for crossings and the chirp of a EOT was heard on the scanner. After a couple of minutes CREX 1312 rolled a westbound empty up to the signal on the Omaha sub. After about 15 mins she got a green and headed west again.

CREX 1312 leads a westbound empty coaler off the Omaha Sub.

Once the CREX lead train passed another empty coaler followed about 20 minutes later.

BNSF 9655 leads an empty coaler at east Asland.

After the BNSF 9655 passed a lull in the action developed. The Sioux City Sub DS was talking to a southbound and soon it was heard blowing for the crossings north of Ashland. One nice thing from the lull is it gave the sun a chance to make an appearance.

BNSF 9262 leads a ballast train off the Sioux City Sub.

Into nearly perfect sunlight BNSF 9262 lead a short ballast train across the Salt Creek bridge and then curved west toward west Ashland and the Creston Sub. Its passing gave me a chance to head for Casey's and some pizza.

BNSF 7335 leads a DEEX empty at west Ashland.

Crossing the bridge over the tracks reveled another westbound empty coaler so I headed over the west Ashland and waited for it to roll west. After a bit the BNSF 7335 and two C44-9W's slowly moved up to the signals. This is the first time since I've moved back to Nebraska where I've seen a coal train without AC units. Too bad it was still  roaches on the front.

BNSF 6243 leads a empty coaler at east wye Ashland.

After grabbing some shots of the units, I headed back over to east Ashland and caught a couple of more empty coalers before hearing the Sioux City Sub DS calling out the BNSF 2778 south. BNSF 2778 was leading the Fremont switch down to the yard in Ashland and soon was head blowing for the crossings north of Ashland. As soon as I was able to see the headlight thru the trees I headed out to get a shot of it curving off the Sioux City sub before calling it a day and heading for home.

BNSF 2778 leads the Fremont switch off the Sioux City Sub.

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.

Oct 8th and 9th 2011

An interesting weekend as both days started out sunny but turned to clouds in the afternoon. Saturday was the worse of the two as it became cloudy around 11 am.

Saturday Oct 8th.
I started the day out in Council Bluffs with a quick trip up to the Missouri Valley, IA area to check out the progress on the double tracking between Allen Creek and California Jct, IA.

Council Bluffs, IA
UP MNCCB
UP 4319-2299-2331

KCS Grain train
KCS 4125 - TFM 1658
This train came in last Sunday to be loaded. Its highly unusual for a loaded train to stay in town.

UP MSXCB
UP 2302-9474-536-826

Missouri Valley, IA
UP PRCB
UP 8044-8204-5188

California Jct, IA
QELNP
UP 8592-NS 7717- HLCX 5956

The new ROW for the double tracking is progressing between Italy Ave west of Mo Valley to California Jct. The north side is projected to be a third track/siding to allow for crew changes and appears to be the furthest along. It is nearly completed between Grover Ave and Italy Ave with fines having been laid up to about a 1/4 mile east of Grover Ave. There is still grading being done on the south side ROW est of Grover Ave. From Grover Ave west to California Jct both sides of the ROW are still being worked on. The UP is also pulling signal cables along the new ROW's.

Sunday Oct 9th
Sundays weather was more promising and I headed out to Oreapolis, NE  and Pacific Jct, IA to see what has been going on there. As I crossed over the tracks at LaPlatte, NE a sb UP coaler was slowly rolling up to the diamond at Oreapolis as an eb BNSF coal load was crossing in front of it. From Pacific Jct I headed back north to Council Bluffs which turned out to be quite busy.

Oreapolis, NE
UP OMAX coal load
UP 6907-6282 UP 7189 DPU

Pacific Jct, IA
BNSF eb coal load
BNSF 6042-5816 DPU BNSF 9148-5780-5659

BNSF eb coal load
BNSF 8869-6252 DPU Unknown SD70MAC

BNSF eb coal load
BNSF 9607 DPU 5702

Council Bluffs, IA
UP light power
UP 2311-2100

UP MPRCB
UP 4961-8077

UP eb coal load
UP 5994-7063 DPU 6443

UP eb coal load
UP 5600-5700 DPU 5724

UP eb coal load
UP 6592-7108 DPU 5556

UP MKCVP
UP 5552-3934

UP light power
SP 187- UP 6013-7280

UP MCBDM
UP 3845-8240-6385

Oct 1st and 2nd

Fall is definitely here. The fields are being harvested and the days are shorter. The low sun and crisp skies are near perfect for photography.

Saturday Oct 1st.
The day started out with a drive to Council Bluffs and ended up taking me to Kennard, NE for a look at the progress of the second main installation.

Council Bluffs, IA
IAIS BICB
512-505

UP MCBPR
4428-4185-4247

UP Lt Power move
8698-8688

KCS Grain Train
3901-4123

UP MKCVP
5605-7260-6433

Missouri Valley, IA
UP Blair local
2100-2311

AMTK 6 detour
UP 6050-AMTK 160- AMTK 60

UP MOW Train
261-5080

UP eb Stack and Auto
7464-5029 DPU 8616-5207

UP eb Freight
4776-4763

UP wb Stack
7731-3812- DPU 4108-8424

UP eb Grain empty
7132-5023 DPU 7242

Between Blair and Kennard, NE
UP MVPNP
8203-6268 DPU 8002

UP wb empty coaler
UP 6453-6161

UP  wb empty coaler
UP 5730 DPU 6827

Omaha, NE
UP MNPBO
6071-6438-3749-6956-unknown AC4400CW

Sunday Oct 2nd

Sunday was a day to just explore around the Omaha and Council Bluffs area.

Omaha, NE
BNSF Gibson Yard
4565, 2024-3111, 746, 2392

UP Display track
UP 7400 RGC Pink Ribbon Unit

Council Bluffs, IA
IAIS BICB
507-502

KCS grain train power
4108-4603

BNSF switcher
3121

UP MSXCB
9474-2302

UP Engineering Special
8988-8998

KCS grain empty
KCS 4125 - TFM 1658

UP MKCVP
UP 4890 - NS 8424

UP eb coal load
5909-6271 DPU 6592

UP eb ETOH empty
5107-3897-4514

UP MKCCP
UP 7676-2366 DPU 7475

Some video from the weekend.

Sept 24th and 25th

Saturday was a trip to Sioux City for a change of pace and to see the family. I-29 was opened the evening of the 23rd so it was a straight shot up interstate to ole Sewer City.

Sioux City, IA
UP Port Neal local
UP 827-828

DAIR Hudson, SD local
DAIR 2512-2511

UP power parked in the stockyards
UP 4149-3981

DAIR switcher power
DAIR 7 & 9

CN Sioux City - Ft Dodge local
CN 2673-2546

CN switcher
CN/IC 9619

UP power in yard
UP 7464-5080-2061

UP MCBVP
UP 7163-5955-8183

BNSF MNTNLIN
BNSF 9323-4781-4766

S. Sioux City, NE
BNSF grain extra at Cargill
BNSF 6678-7525 DPU 4373

On trip back to Omaha encountered an empty UP rail train in the stockyards, a empty coaler south of Blencoe, IA and the MKCVP south of Mondamin, IA.

Sunday I started out by taking a drive by the BNSF Gibson yard in S. Omaha, NE before heading over into Iowa to explore.

Omaha, NE
Power on ready tracks
BNSF 4141-5146-556-4523

Power on an unknown train
BNSF 5261-766

Council Bluffs, IA
North CB Bartlett grain elevator
KCS 4582-4039

UP coal load
UP 5647-6309 DPU 6564

UP coal empty
UP 5884-6167

UP MNPEL
UP 6824-8480-8077-5990 DPU 6441

UP Pool Yard switcher
UP 831-1209

IAIS transfer
IAIS 601-650-720

UP empty grain train
UP 4833-6399-5863

UP Engineering special
UP 8688-8698 and about 15 cars

KCS grain train at S Bartlett elevator
TFM 1606-KCS 4578

Honey Creek, IA
ZG3BR
UP 7454-7733-4915 DPU 7348

I also encountered two westbound coal empties between Mo Valley and CB but was not able to get unit numbers. The UP had a 12 hour curfew on the Blair Sub and was routing westbounds through Omaha.

Sept 10th and 11th

Saturday Sept 10th
After reading that the tie train for the new second track between Blair and Kennard had arrived in Blair on Friday I decided to make a trip up to Blair.

Council Bluffs
IAIS
BICB
501-507

BNSF
Local power
BNSF 3201-3111-2309

Missouri Valley
Blair Local
UP 9474-2302

SB Mixed Freight
UP 8166-2337

Blair
Tie train
UP 8036-3949

MVPNP
UP 8223-6079 DPU 7165

Missouri Valley
WB Ethanol Train
UP 6736-6418

EB mixed Freight
UP 7854-9389-2247-CEFX 1038

wb Coal empty
UP 5886-6466

Council Bluffs
MNPBO
UP 6660-5872-3880-5840-SP 199-UP 5775

Sunday September 11th
Sunday was a day to hang out around town. I did start out in Oreapolis, NE and ended up in Council Bluffs via Pacific Jct.

Council Bluffs
Mid America coal empty
UP 6503 DPU UP AC44W

WEPX Coal load
UP 5719-5920 DPU 6719

MNPPR
UP 7896-9341-CNW 8701 DPU 5587

UP Officer Special
UP 7523

There was lots of coal train traffic on the UP Omaha Sub and I missed about 5 trains moving around town. The BNSF Creston sub was also active with me missing 3 trains between Oreapolis and Pacific Jct.

Sept 4th, 2011

Sunday Sept 4^th

I started the day out in North Platte and followed the UP eastward to Gothenburg. Since I wanted to follow the old CBQ/BN/BNSF line from Sterling CO into Holdrege, NE, I headed south to HWY 23 at Gothenburg, NE.  From There I followed the Nebraska Kansas and Colorado into Holdrege and then the BNSF into Hastings, NE. From Hastings I headed back up to I-80 until Lincoln where I got off on Hwy 6 and followed the BNSF into Ashland, NE.

Along Hwy 30 heading east

UP MP 274

WB grain loads

UP 5682-6467 DPU UP 5959

UP MP 268

WB coal empty

UP 5931-6046 DP UP 6273

UP MP 265

WB grain load

UP 7205 DPU FMX 4622-UP 5654

UP MP 262

WB coal empty

UP 5890-7025 DPU UP 6619

UP MP 258

WB freight

UP 2468-8180-4551

UP MP 253

WB coal empty

UP 5710-5664 DPU UP 5579

Loomis, NE

Grain Elevator

DLCX 2000

Holdrege, NE

Nebraska Kansas Colorado

HLCX 5005

DLCX 1202

NKCR 9259

NKCR 7427

Havelock, NE

WB Freight

BNSF 750-4646

Waverly, NE

EB  freight

BNSF 1103-4776

Ashland, NE

MLINLIN

BNSF 549-520

Aug 27th and 28th 2011

August 27, 2011
I started out the weekend with a trip to Sioux City, IA and was rewarded with some interesting units.

Council Bluffs, IA
At the north Bartlett elevator was a loaded KCS grain train with two Belles, KCS 4682 and 4036.

The QNPSK was going by the north yard and I was unable to see what the head end power was. UP 8016 was cut in about 2/3 of the way back in the train as a DPU, though.

Blencoe, IA
Blencoe is the main pssing siding between California Jct and Salix, IA on the Sioux City sub and today there where two trains in Blenco. The MCBVP was passing an empty Pt. Neal coal train.

Salix, IA
The MKCVP was in the Salix siding waiting for MOW equipment to clear the main at Sgt. Bluff, IA.

Sioux City, IA
First stop in town is the Dakota & Iowa ex Milw east yard. Today was sort of a disappointment as only the Hudson local was in town with DAIR 2513 & 2512. The local switch engine was DAIR 4 and tucked away at the end of what was the Milw main was DAIR 6 and 21. I'm not sure why these would be placed there except maybe they are being stored.

Next stop is the CN/IC/CCP yard office for a look at the power. Today was a suprise as the Ft Dodge local had came in with BC Rail 4625 and CN 2556 as the road power. IC 3133 (in CN paint) has been the local switcher power for a while and she was just getting ready to start the days activities. The inbound train had left there train on the main as the old IC yard is always full. The 3133 would pull this train off the main and clear thru the yard to allow the local to leave later in the morning.

A quick drive by the UP yard on my way over to the BNSF didn't revel any UP trains waiting to head north. I did miss an southbound BNSF rock train while driving over to the BNSF side of town. UP power in the yard was UP 515, UP 827, UP 828 and job one had UP 2181 and 817 for their switch power.

The BNSF north end was active with BNSF 2856 and BNSF 3464 switching cars for the MLINNTN which was sitting on the main with BNSF 7472 and BNSF 4849 as power.

While the north switcher was going about its business a loaded coal train passed through and I was not able to see the unit numbers. The DPU was 9898, though. Shortly after a sb COLX empty came in with BNSF 9466 as the head end unit.

After an hour the CN local was ready to head out of Sioux City. They called the UP dispatcher,  got permission and did not waste anytime heading east. We setup in Leeds, IA to get video of them rolling out of town.

While the CN local was leaving the MCBVP was calling for permission to enter the yard. Today's train was a heavy one as it was combined with the MCBSX. Power was UP 6551-6319-5981-9373-2337 and the train stretched from around 20th street back to the around 3rd st. The UP 9373-2337 where left in town and powered the MSXCB back to Council Bluffs.

That was it for the rest of the day except for a couple of coal trains that I spotted in Missouri Valley, IA and between there and Council Bluffs on the drive back home.

August 28, 2011
The sun was out when I left for the morning but this quickly gave way to clouds and thunderstorms only to become sunny again later in the afternoon. The worse part about the storms was the UP was busy during for a change on a Sunday.

A drive by the Iowa Interstate to see what the BICB power was found IAIS 507-504 tied down behind the stored units.

In the UP north yard was a UP officer special that would head out later in the day. Power was UP 8125-8564 with 8 cars. UP 8218 was being ferried by the hostlers over to the siding into the north Bartlett elevator to be tied onto the rear of the KCS grain train to facilitate the cross town backup that will be needed to get this train over to the UP - IAIS interchange in the pool yard. On the north end of the North yard the MKCVP was making a pick up and getting ready to depart for Sioux City and Valley Park, MN.

I found a quite spot to park and waited for the traffic to come to me before the morning storms rolled in.
MSXCB
UP 2337-9373

QNPEL
UP 7785-NS  8386 - DPU UP 7618

Z Train
UP 7415-4618-4416 - DPU UP 1982

BNSF Council Bluffs extra
BNSF 551-556

UP EB Stack train
UP 7432-4823-4775

UP EB Grain Empty
UP 8021-6410 - DPU UP 7305-5906

UP EB Coal Load
UP 5770-6229 - DPU unknown

BNSF Island Park Local
BNSF 4767-4623

UP MNPPR
UP 3843-2272

After this I headed down to Oreapolis for some afternoon action.Upon arriving I found a WB empty holding on track two and a EB  coal load holding west of the diamond. Both where waiting for the UP SCBCB which crossed about 15 minutes after I arrived.

EB Coal load
BNSF 9231-9837-DPU 8928

EB Coal load
BNSF 8972 -9387 - DPU unknown

WB Coal empty
BNSF 9712-9255 - DPU 8870

Over all Sunday was probably my most productive day of railfaning in quit some time. Video of the coalers at Oreapolis can be found here http://www.youtube.com/user/cnw6500?feature=mhee