La Crosse, Wi area railroads shut down??

[jjtrains]

If the CP mainline is closed north of LaCrosse and the BNSF is blocked
south of LaCrosse, would it make sense to set up directional running on
the UP (ex-CN&W) and the CP (ex-Milw) between Tunnel City and
Milwaukee?    I think the relatively short stretch of
single track between Tunnel City and LaCrosse is CTC.   When
I've ridden the Empire Builder, the UP line at Tunnel City appears to
be in fairly good condition although I don't know the current track
class.

[Noah Hofrichter]

Interesting. If the CP main is going to be shut down for three weeks, that begs the question about where the CP 2816 will head down (though three weeks would mean it could be fixed by the time they do the turns out of MSP to La Crescent in mid September). My guess would be a move down the BNSF, turn on the wye at La Crescent, and then continue on the CP. But would the BNSF even allow the steamer, being from the CP? Would they use a diesel on the point? It leaves a lot of questions...

Noah

[nanaimo73]

The latest from the ICErail List-

I was told last night at work that it's looking like upwards of THREE weeks before the CP gets the mainline back in-service.

As Matt also reported, ICE is out and in pretty rough shape below LaCrescent.

DME is totally FUBAR-ed on the east end. No estimate on when or IF they will repair it.

The CP is detouring over BNSF, CN / WC, and UP if / when pilots are available. No word officially on a detour route for ICE's M-KCSP and M-SPKC. Personal speculation would be the UP Spine to Manly, IANR to Nora Springs, back onto the ICE over to Marquette and points south.

[Lord Atmo]

if you're after good blur shots, a tripod is key. check this one out:

 

got lucky on that one 

[CNW 6000]

Neat shot solz.  Sometimes the 'blur' shots can come out decent and your isn't too bad!  Mine never do anyway...grumble...LOL!

[Lord Atmo]

sounds like a hot fanning spot. i'll have to remember that one

[TimChgo9]

Is it possible that some of the reroutes could have come up the old SF line, through Joliet? I was at Union Station tonight, and there was a freight train every 10-12 minutes, with everything going through the station at a good clip. Two gentlemen that I see there from time to time were both commenting that tonight was busiest they have seen in a long time.  I know that that line is busy, I was there two hours and saw at least a dozen trains, not counting Amtraks, or Metra. It was constant activity. Northbound (or is it eastbound) traffic was a bit heavier than Southbound (westbound?) traffic.

[solzrules]

 

 

Sighted at 8:15 PM at Duplainville, WI.

3 BNSF Gevo units leading a trailor train eastbound towards Milwaukee.  A majority of the trailors were UPS.

Sorry for the bad upload, but it was very misty out and I didn't have a tripod for the camera so I had to shoot off the tailgate of my truck. 

I guess this means that BNSF is re-routing their hot trains over CP. 

There was a ton of activity on the old WC main to Fon du Lac.  After this train went through, I saw 3 CN trains (two manifests and the rock train) along with UP's coal train heading south to reload.  All in all, five trains is pretty good for about a half hour. 

[lhtalbot]

I waited for the AMTRAK this afternoon in Wauwatosa, but no show by 45 min after sched time for the westbound. There was a long auto rack/container freight on track 1 during that period.

I didn't have my scanner so I don't know any details abt cancel or delay.

Larry in Wauwatosa

[WCL]

Well I guess this post can go down south seeing that its ....The detour I guess now might soon be over with according to some people

[Lord Atmo]

because everything about my railfanning life goes against my favor

well i guess derailing this thread like a CSX train isnt doing anyone any good. i'll figure something out. it's time i went to determine solutions for my problems instead of protesting them 

[Gluefinger]

Sigh, why does every single thread turn into an Atmo whinefest?

[Lord Atmo]

i really should look into the small stretch where there's no trail and nothing but busy dangerous highway. if there's a backroad or something, i will take it and go. and the CP trains are rerouting through that chippy line?

[CShaveRR]

 chippy is way up north at least 20 minutes from here by car. i cant possibly make that bike voyage. 

I'm sorry--you lost my sympathy there.  I'm guessing that Chippewa Falls is no more than about 15 miles from you.  That should be able to be tackled on a bike in about an hour and a half each way.  I don't know what kind of shoulders or whatever you have on the roads up there, but I suspect you could don a helmet and just do it if you put your mind to it.  I was biking at least that far between Lombard and LaGrange (and this is urban biking, no bike trails in this instance) frequently until a couple of years ago, racking up anywhere from 40 to 50 miles on a round trip.  You might have some hills, but they are part of the challenge, and it can't be all uphill in both directions!

[Lord Atmo]

i keep telling her i'm 19 and can handle problems myself, but you know how parents can get...

 With all respect, why don;t you move out then?

i cant afford to live on my own. i know how, but i lack money. and i dont like being alone. it's nice to be around my family. i dont put trains before them, but even SOME trains would be nice to see

[EJE818]

I am hoping they can get the line running by August 29th because that when CP 2816 is going to be heading through there on it way to Chicago. I know CN doesn't really like steam too much so I don't think they would let it run down the WC.

[Anonymous]

i keep telling her i'm 19 and can handle problems myself, but you know how parents can get...

 With all respect, why don;t you move out then?

[Lord Atmo]

asctually Altoona is within biking distance. about 3 or 4 miles from my house. chippy is way up north at least 20 minutes from here by car. i cant possibly make that bike voyage. and my parents dont let me drive anywhere for fun. they need the cars for work. so i'm stuck with biking to a rather dead mainline.

i'm sorry, noah, i cant see anything fortunate about my area. everything comes at night and my mom is overprotective. so i cant go out there at 2:00 AM. there have been drunk driver incidents on another part of town and my mom fears they will also be present in altoona. i keep telling her i'm 19 and can handle problems myself, but you know how parents can get... 

believe me, it's not that i dont want to go up to the CN, i can't! 

[WCL]

Atmo,

 Here's a suggestion- instead of flipping out and getting all upset about the detours not going through Altoona- instead of going to Altoona- why don't you just go up to Chippewa Falls on the CN and watch the CP detours there? It's probably just as far to the CN at Chippewa Falls from where you are as it is to the UP yard at Altoona - so my advice is calm down, stop ranting and raving and head north to the CN!!

  Nicely Said...I didnt wanna say anything but at least some one did

[nordique72]

Atmo,

 Here's a suggestion- instead of flipping out and getting all upset about the detours not going through Altoona- instead of going to Altoona- why don't you just go up to Chippewa Falls on the CN and watch the CP detours there? It's probably just as far to the CN at Chippewa Falls from where you are as it is to the UP yard at Altoona - so my advice is calm down, stop ranting and raving and head north to the CN!!

[WCL]

Steve I dont think the CP will go that way....Only will go to JO and then SOUTH to NL and back on home rails...

[Anonymous]

I picked a great weekend to go to La Crosse!!!!

 Saturday was pretty action packed besides it was soggy.  I cought two trains on the Adams line (actually the Wyeville Sub) on Sunday on my way home.

 Here are the pictures if anyone is interested!!!

http://steve.rrpicturearchives.net/archiveThumbs.aspx?id=24919

 Steve

If anyone knows more about any trains detoruing on an entirely CN routing to or from Chicago please let me know.  I can manage to get over to Oshkosh this week but thats about it. 

[Noah Hofrichter]

Makes sense. The BNSF is usually the first option for Amtrak detours, and it sounds like they are expecting to be open again by the end of the day.

Noah

[WCL]

AMTRAK will **NOT** be on CN tracks....It is being put on BNSF tracks

[WCL]

Yeah it started today and will go for about a week....

[WCfan]

Well I'm in Winona right now, I haven't done any rail fanning so I don't now the traffic. But I would think it would be very little. I did see a CP train on the CN line so I think they have already rerouted traffic over CN.

[WCL]

Yeah I just talked to 2 CP engineers and they will be running about 4 trains a day and they are going on the route from Minnesota to Jct City and south thr Rapids and onto New Lisbon back to there rails....Now I dont know if trains 7 and 8 the Empire Builder will be running on that line or not but will find out shortly here.....They will be running on this line for just this week...

[Noah Hofrichter]

Ever thought about actually trying to do some work and make money for gas? Even just mowing lawns should get you a few bucks, and might get you out of town every couple or three weekends if you really wanted to try. That, or make a buddy who'll let you tag along railfanning. I know there are a couple of other railfans around Altoona and Eau Claire, that do quite a bit of railfanning.

And just be happy you've got a mainline through town at all. I have to drive 20 miles to see mainline railroading. The local line in my town only sees three trains a week, and they usually come after dark too. You really don't have it as terrible as you try to make it seem...

Anyway, back on topic, it sounds like the CP is rerouting some of their trains over the CN from Minneapolis to New Lisbon. I've heard one train go up the Valley line at New Lisbon already, and there are reports of one coming down the Valley from Wisconsin Rapids pretty soon (might be here already actually).

Noah

[Lord Atmo]

no no NO! not the CN!

ARRRRGH! i get screwed over on EVERYTHING! i can NOT wait till i move out of this hellhole! why did i have to get stuck living in Eau Claire?!?!

You are too funny.

Go west, young man ! If you don't mind the weather, you could make good money in Wyoming servicing the gas fields. Try Halliburton.

feh. so are you.

you assume i can afford a plane ticket when i cant even afford gas money

[Anonymous]

I know that BNSF wanted to run 8 trains on CN from CHI to MIN but that probably isn't going to work out. The line from CHI to Owen, WI could probably handle that many trains, but from west of Owen the line is not CTC (I think ABS) and with an extra 4 CP's that are already running, this line will be tight. I'll find out tonight for sure, and I'll be listening to the scanner all day just in case one gets run.

 

The Minneapolis sub is TWC, no ABS