Damage in Iowa

Bob Collins

Active Member
Read yesterday that all of the east/west and north/south mainlines of the UPRR are shut down due to the extensive flooding throughout the state. There are many, many bridges that have been washed out on the Iowa Interstate as well as several short lines. The article that I read also stated that they expected the BNSF mainline at Ottumwa to be closed because of additional bridge problems. Needless to say it is a mess. One of the major problems is getting coal moved to coal fired power plants throughout the state and beyond

I live here at the western end of the Iowa Interstate, the eastern end of the UPRR and a major grain movement center for both the BNSF and the Kansas City Southern and I can step outside and not hear a single loco horn unless they are moving coal to the local power plant which has not been impacted yet!!
 

e-paw

Member
On the front page of a local paper I saw a picture of a railway bridge in Iowa that was damaged from the folding. It looked pretty bad, it seamed that they tried to ballast down the bridge with freight cars but it still washed out. It had smashed up houses against it with all other kinds of debris. I was in a hurry and did not have a chance to pick up the paper.
If you know the bridg I am talking about can you tell me where it is? thanks...
 

Bob Collins

Active Member
That bridge is across the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids. You are correct. I believe they put 11 ballast cars on the bridge to attempt to stabilize it and the whole thing went into the river.
 

Ralph

Remember...it's for fun!
Things look pretty tough down there! Best wishes to everyone affected by the flooding. My wife's parents used to live in Marion near Cedar Rapids so a lot of the places I've seen pictures of look familiar. My wife used to work at the Iowa City library which we heard this morning is under water!
Ralph
 

Bob Collins

Active Member
I was down near where the UPRR, BNSF and Iowa Interstate all are within sight and except what is moving west across into Omaha there just isn't much going on in any of the yards. The BNSF/KCS yard is basically empty!
 
i live 32 miles from ottumwa, and there was just as many trains running through ottumwa as there ever was. only thing different is that instead of coal trains, it was gravel/ ballast trains. im guessing to replace/repair tracks in other parts of iowa that washed out. might of been going to Des Moines. i did see a train full of brand new shiny empty hoppers a few weeks ago . looked like they was on there first run, or being delivered to the customer.
 

Bob Collins

Active Member
My post on rail traffic is almost 6 weeks old now. Things here in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area are pretty much back to normal. The UP and Iowa Interstate have found alternate routes where there are still bridge problems and I see lots of trains headed in every direction every day.
 
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