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Big Derailment on the UPRR.

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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, May 5, 2005 8:19 AM
CCSS, both local news channels had video this AM, but can't find it on their websites. You might have better luck. KWQC.com and WQAD.com. Now headlines about DRail in Chicago, it's a bad week for UP. Watch out! Higher licensing fees!!! [(-D]
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Posted by CopCarSS on Thursday, May 5, 2005 8:07 AM
So is there pictures of this thing anywhere? I poked around the sites of the news agencies in Northern, IL, and can't find any that have a picture. Very few even had a write-up on line. This really kind of surprises me. 31 cars, and a demolished bridge is not a small accident.

Chris
Denver, CO

-Chris
West Chicago, IL
Christopher May Fine Art Photography

"In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form of exploration." ~Ansel Adams

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Posted by spbed on Thursday, May 5, 2005 6:22 AM
Yes the newswire says the same. Maybe we will see movement on the cam this PM [:o)]

Originally posted by dblstack

Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR  Austin TX Sub

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Posted by spbed on Thursday, May 5, 2005 6:20 AM
Thanks for the super info. [:o)][:p]

Originally posted by UPRR-MDC

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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, May 5, 2005 6:14 AM
Just got up and watched local news and they had a good story and video on the cleanup. Went to their website KWQC.com but they hadn't updated yet. Should be able to watch vid clips in a while.
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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 8:48 PM
whoa...how do i find out if any are detouring over the IAIS and when??

i've been by this area many a time, very nice place although i don't take many pictures. it's a shame that bridge will be gone...
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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 7:47 PM
UP bulletin says that they will have 2 temporary tracks around the derailment (shoo-flys) working by late Thurs or very early Friday while they replace the bridge.
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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 4:02 PM
My dad bills railcars, and is given railroad operation updates. He emailed me some of the information that was given to him.
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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 3:26 PM
Gentlemen, How are you able to get this wonderful info?
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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 3:12 PM
Here is some other information:
Dear Customer:

At approximately 5:30 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, May 3, 2005, the QNPSKP 2 train
derailed 30 cars near Galt, IL, blocking both mainlines and severely
damaging a bridge. Galt, IL, is located approximately 100 miles west of
Chicago near Nelson, IL. This derailment will affect all eastbound and
westbound Union Pacific traffic currently moving into and out of the
Chicago area.

As a result, Union Pacific will close the gates at our Intermodal ramps
Global I and Global II for all local westbound traffic beginning at 8:00
a.m. CDT on Wednesday, May 4, 2005. We will continue to accept all rubber
and steel-wheel intermodal interchange at the Global I and Global II ramps.

We are in the process of building temporary trackage around the derailment
site until the bridge can be restored to service. Additionally, we are
working with other railroads to develop re-route plans around the impacted
area. We anticipate a minimum of 48-72 hour delays to all eastbound and
westbound traffic into and out of Chicago as a result of this incident.

Hope this helps.
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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 3:12 PM
Wow.
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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 2:59 PM
My dad bills railcars for ADM, he sent me this update on the situation:
The Union Pacific had a derailment in Galt Illinois derailing 30 cars and wiping out a bridge. Service will be
> interuped for several days while this bridge is repaired. This on their main line between Chicago and North Platte, Ne.
> Both Main lines are out of service and approximately 200 trains are affected. They are trying to reroute over
> the BNSF but they will only allow them to run 2 trains every 8 hours. Trains are being rerouted over St. Louis
> and Kansas City which will delay shipments for several days.

He has gotten lots of information on this. As I find out more, I will keep posting.
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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 2:48 PM
Just found out a couple of Wisconsin coal empties are detouring via Twin Cities to the Spine Line. Also MDMPR, Des Moines to Proviso will take same route. Some west coast trains have detoured on BNSF to K.C. It should be interesting railfanning until the bridge is replaced. Spbed that train you saw on the webcam can detour down the Peoria Sub at Nelson.
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Posted by CShaveRR on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 2:48 PM
Latest word is that a shoo-fly will be built around the derailment site while the bridge is replaced. Here's what the UP is saying:

A Union Pacific freight train going from North Platte, Neb., to Chicago, Ill., [This was the "Express Lane", Train QNPSKP--Carl] experienced a 31-car derailment Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. just west of Galt, Ill. There were no injuries. Galt is about 125 miles west of Chicago, near the Illinois/Iowa border.

A two track 140-foot bridge over Elkhorn Creek, just west of Galt, was heavily damaged and will have to be replaced. A temporary crossing over the creek is being constructed using five pipes, with an average diameter of 100 inches, 36,000 tons of ballast and 1,800 feet of track. This will enable trains to operate around the damaged bridge. The temporary creek crossing is expected to be completed late Thursday.

An average of 60 trains a day operate over this corridor between Chicago and Iowa, which handles rail traffic to the West Coast. Union Pacific is working with all railroads to establish detours and currently has identified more than 40 detour opportunities using other railroads.

Of the 31 cars derailed, eight contained lumber or plywood; seven, canned tomatoes; five, potatoes; three, soda ash; four, empties; two, loads of salt; one, fertilizer; and one, manganese. Cause of the derailment is under investigation.



IAIS should be able to be accessed directly at Omaha. As for the train spbed saw on the cam, I suspect that it was being pulled back for rerouting; don't know what arrangements have been made yet.

Carl

Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)

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Posted by dknelson on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 2:44 PM
RIRR80: to answer your question I live near Milwaukee WI but learned to love Galt during trips to and from Galesburg Railroad Days over the last 20 plus years, and was fortunately enough to visit Sterling during the steam days, circa 1979-80 or so.

As for an Iowa Interstate detour I assume they mean the old Rock Island main from the Quad Cities through Joliet, unless there are other junctions they can get back on home rails from. That would provide some very photogenic area for UP photography if true, such as the famous round grain elevator at Sheffield IL, or the nice curve along the old canal at Wyanet IL -- featured on the cover of Trains a bit over a year ago in a feature on the Rock Island's big freight train.

Dave Nelson
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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 2:43 PM
There hasn't been any Trains here since Yesterday around here. The Rails are getting just a little Rusty.
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Posted by spbed on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 2:08 PM
Right now see a UPRR WB @ 1405 CDT on the cam. How does he get from the CNW to wherever he is detouring to? It looks like he is being pushed or there are 3 DPUs [8D][:)][:p]

Originally posted by CShaveRR

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Posted by spbed on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 1:56 PM
Well just eyeballed it off Mapquest. Should have done what I did now & would have found it is only 11 miles west of Nelson [:D][:p]

Originally posted by CShaveRR

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Posted by spbed on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 1:52 PM
Actually was just joshing you a tad! [:p][:D]


Originally posted by RIRR80

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Posted by spbed on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 1:41 PM
To get to the IAIS does it affect the route they would normally take from Gibbons to Omaha? [:o)][:p][:)]

Originally posted by CShaveRR

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 1:09 PM
How long will they be detouring? i was planning taking a trip west out of Chicago along the UP to Clinton and back for about 2 weeks now, since i finally got a free Saturday to do some railfanning. i think i might need to reroute my trip. i'll go where the trains are. Galt is a nice location to photograph at but i never got a shot there.
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Posted by CShaveRR on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 12:40 PM
The IAIS is the old Rock Island, running south of our line and crossing the Mississippi River at the Quad Cities. I'm sure that UP will have to use IAIS, ICE (the ex-MILW, crossing at Savanna), CN (ex-IC), and BNSF to detour sone of the traffic, and will reroute other stuff via other UP lines, including through St. Louis and KC. Nothing official here, but I suspect that our traffic would be capable of swamping one or more of these lines.

Carl

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 11:12 AM
I can't seem to find any info on this derailment...
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Posted by CShaveRR on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 10:04 AM
"Fifty miles west of Nelson" would put you in Iowa.

Galt is, as others have said, just west of Sterling, at most 15 miles west of Nelson.

I've heard that it will take anywhere from four days to two weeks to get this line up and running again. Kind of sucks for us freight-watchers, though other lines will benefit from the reroutes.

I don't go back to work until tomorrow; by then I may know a little more about how the business is being handled.

Carl

Carl

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CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 10:00 AM
CopCarSS, you still home?
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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 9:46 AM
Naw, too much work. Old trestle will work. Got too much time involved in rusting and weathering
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Posted by spbed on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 9:43 AM
Well unless they put up the same exact bridge you will give the UPRR more $$$$$ as you will have to remodel your layout to match the new bridge! [:o)][:D]

Originally posted by RIRR80

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 9:43 AM
BNSF, where does IAIS run. North to Savanna or South to Quad Cities.
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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 9:42 AM
OPS!
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Posted by spbed on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 9:41 AM
Yes just do a Yahoo search for Galt IL & you will get the newswire. This explains why there have no EBounder on the cam. All I saw today is 2 W/bounders. [:o)][:p]

Originally posted by RIRR80
[

Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR  Austin TX Sub

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