Where is the Omaha Posse?

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Post 102 in this group shows a windmill train on the BNSF line from Council Bluffs to Pacific Junction. It was also interesting to look at the temperature variations noted at the time of the postings. I saw 96 degree temps and temps in the negatives. Certainly not boring around here. Next week when it's 35 I'll take my coat off and head out to take pictures. Just glad we are going to daylight savings time so we get that extra sun to melt snow.
 
40 degrees today. Caught some UP action around Missouri Valley Iowa. Lots of snow and muddy roads. Much ice on roads in the morning from the daily melting and over night refreeze. Still some stored locos in Missouri Valley. The Southern Belle needs some warm knickers.
 

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Had to go out again. Oreapolis for 2. 2 locos on head end three on the back. Unusual. And an owl
 

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In an extremely rare move, flooding caused Amtrak to be routed through Council Bluffs, past the Rock Island Station and on to the old CB&Q. It's been a long time since a passenger train was in town and the first time Amtrak was on the IAIS, as far as I know. First 2 pics are at 15th St. And 3rd from 4th St. In Council Bluffs.
 

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Further info shows this train as number 6 that had to be backed from Pacific Jct and turned on the new wye at the South end of Council Bluffs, due to high water near P Jct.
 
Yes. They hosted Amtrak for a number of years until BN decided it was easier to send the trains up to Omaha on the Nebraska side and avoid the UP bridge over the Missouri River.
 
The U.P./BNSF Bridges over the Platte River at Oreapolis are out of service. Badly damaged.

That's bad news, but I imagine more will be going through Council Bluffs. I know that Pacific Junction was being evacuated, but are the tracks high enough to keep traffic moving?
 
A Washington state birder asked if the flooding in Nebraska has affected the legendary Sandhill Crane migration. I know there are some nature photographers among the Omaha Posse. If anyone has an answer/guess/opinion, let me know (a PM will do) and I'll pass it on.
 
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Just watched a weather report on the internet. You guys are really getting hammered with big flooding forecast as the the weather warms up and the snow pack melts. Be careful out there.

We are in a pocket of beautiful weather up here in the PNW, but I expect the Seattle bound Empire Builder (Amtrak #7) will be running very late for the next few weeks.
 
Rivers have subsided a bit but more melting and rain on the way. Lots of rebuilding of roads and railroads is going to have to happen. I haven't heard a train go by for some time and engineer friend of mine has not worked for several days. I think Pacific Junction is the worst at this point for the BNSF and the Platte River bridges of both the UP Falls City Sub and the Omaha Line of the BNSF are in question. Fremont and Columbus still have a mess but I am not sure the condition of the UP mainline as it parallels the Platte most of the way. I saw a picture of the Loup River bridge at Columbus with ice up underneath it. It is going to take a long time to rebuild stuff. Many gawkers and sightseers getting in the way, including a few that think they can drive over closed roads, because they are good drivers. Then the first responders have to take time to rescue them. I'd leave them there. Which is why I wouldn't be a good first responder.
 
UP had extensive damage on the Columbus Sub. Also water over the tracks/ washouts on the Omaha and Blair Subs. Boone Sub around Logan also was underwater. Everything came to a stop late Wednesday. Friday saw the tracks opened at Logan so a few trains have been running to/from Council Bluffs. UP used their corporate jet to fly crews out of Fremont on Friday when all roads to there were closed.
A couple of eastbound trains that were tied down at Fremont have been called, so tracks may be open east of there now. A few UP trains have been detoured over the BNSF, I think between Omaha and Hastings. Many trains that use this corridor have been detoured over other UP lines.
 
1-North looking view of Oreapolis
2-Damaged BNSF (foreground) and UP (background) bridges at the Platte River
 

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