Omaha trip questions

[eolafan]

My wife and I are planning a trip in late June to Omaha in order to use up one of my soon to expire free Southwest Airline tickets. I am planning on visiting the UP Museum, the Freemont Railway tourist line and the Strategic Air Command Museum (all within 30 miles of the Omaha airport). Has anybody visitied any or all of these sites and can you comment on any, or can you suggest others we might want to visit while in the area (we arrive late on Friday and will depart early afternoon Sunday). Thanks to you all!

[Anonymous]

The Jct on the UP in Fremont, NE is an amazingly busy place. Its only about 30 mins West of Omaha. You get the Westbound (WB) UP transcon traffic coming off the old C&NW line at Fremont and the Eastbound (EB) heading through Omaha. A BNSF line passes through Fremont as well. There's a big grain elevator there for backdrop. http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=29458

In Omaha, you'll mostly just catch EB trains. The footbridge near the museum on South 7th St is a good place to watch UP action. Its between the old UP depot and the CB&Q depot and overlooks the West end of the Missouri River Bridge. 10th St. is just west of there which is another good spot.
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=31946
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=2818

Blair NE is a little bit north and the UP WB main crosses the Missouri River WB there. Nice photo spot. http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=45748

Just to the South of the depots is the BNSF Omaha yard. Its near the zoo. Its a bit tricky to find, but not so hard to do w/ a good map. Its at the South end of 13th St. at Missouri Ave. Do a MapQuest.com map search for 1000 Missouri Ave, Omaha, NE. That will get you to the right spot.

Across the River in Council Bluffs, the UP has their main Omaha area yard. I've seen the exec E units there and the UP business train. 9th Ave is on the north border, 16th St is on the east.

The Iowa Interstate Yard is there too. I-80 crosses over the top, near the I-80 / I-29 interchange.

The old Rock Island Depot looked great last time I was there. Its a museum. http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/5660/railwest.htm

Now -all that said, Omaha does have some nasty parts to the town. Be a bit careful in the City.

[jeffhergert]

Fremont is also where many trains change crews. The UP 3985 right now, is scheduled to be in Fremont from Saturday night June 26 until Monday morning June 28.
The UP museum in Council Bluffs is worth a visit as is the Rails West museum in the ex-RI depot in Council Bluffs.
The UP business car fleet is based at the ex-CNW yard (also called the North Yard) at Avenue G. While you can't drive up to them, some times there are cars outside the storage building that you could get pictures of with a telephoto lens. The IC yard is right next to the CNW yard.
If you have a scanner, on the UP Road channel 160.74 trains coming into Omaha/Council Bluffs have to contact the STO for instructions.
At Fremont, trains changing crews will contact the depot. Also at Fremont, BNSF trains will call the UP dispatcher (who controls the interlocking) for signals.
The last time I was to the SAC musuem, it was at it's original location off of Offutt AFB. It was worth seeing then, I imagine it is just as good, if not better now.

[dehusman]

Leaving the Strategic Air Museum (way cool), turn right and go towards Ashland, NE.When you get to Ashland, you can turn left and follow the BNSF main (lots of coal trains) to Lincoln. From there retrace your steps and you can either get on I-80 at Waverly or continue east on the hiway 6 along the BNSF toward Gretna. At the Outlet mall turn right and your are back at the interstate. If you come back the interstate there is a cool antique store at the Platte Valley exit. If you are into antiques.

Or when you get to Gretna, stay on hiway 6 north to Elkhorn. At Elkhorn take hiway 275 west to Fremont. It parallels the UP, if you take the "old" hiway along the tracks. through Valley, NE. At Fremont, you can go east or west on hiway US 30. It parallels the UP also. If you take it east, you'll go to Mo Valley, where the line to Council Bluffs joins the line to Fremont. From there you can take I-29 South to Omaha.

Dave H.

[eolafan]

Many thanks to you all who answered. These are all very good tips (and even one or two that might just interest my wife on outlet and antique malls that hopefully will make her happy while she indulges my hobby...God bless her heart). You have all been great and I really appreciate your help!

[Willy2]

Everyone answered what I would have answered if I had seen this sooner. Fremont and Blair are great locations. The Strategic Air Museum is awesome!
Thanks everyone for saving me a lot of typing! [:P]

Willy