Western Railroad Discussion > Questions for upkpfan

A few days ago, you reported that UP is constructing a new bridge at Ellsworth, Kansas. Is this the unfortunate structure that burned down last spring? Or, had an older structure merely come to the end of its useful economic life and needed to be replaced? And how many more bridges need to be renewed to bring the line up to snuff?

Also (hey, I'm on a roll tonight), has any work begun on the viaduct that is eventually supposed to carry KP/ex-DRGW tracks over BNSF in Denver? I know that UP has been talking about this project for a couple of years, but last I'd heard, about nine months ago, no earth had been turned.

And finally, has CTC been installed at the sidings of Buick, Collyer, etc.? And if so, does this mean that the the entire KP is CTC'ed, or just partly CTC'ed (for example, from Topeka to Salina), or that there are isolated CTC islands extending like a chain from Topeka (or somewhere on the east end of the line) to Denver?



It seems like forever that UP has been upgrading the KP. Well, at least since 1996? 1997? I know a lot needed to be done to the line, but still, I'm wondering when it'll be once and for all, completed.

Thanks for your report on the bridge construction at Ellsworth. And thanks in advance. --Billio

Billio wrote:

> A few days ago, you reported that UP is constructing a new
> bridge at Ellsworth, Kansas. Is this the unfortunate structure
> that burned down last spring? Or, had an older structure
> merely come to the end of its useful economic life and needed
> to be replaced? And how many more bridges need to be renewed to
> bring the line up to snuff?


I think the bridge he was referring to was the Highway 156 overpass that crosses the tracks in Ellsworth. The old bridge had been there for years, and that whole highway was being reworked from Ellsworth, KS to Great Bend, KS. Suffice to say the highway construction has prompted a few slow orders.

The bridge that burnt down was just east of Sharon Springs, KS. The KP is loaded with older wood trestles, and many have been replaced with concrete bridges on the Limon Sub portion of the KP. The Turkey Creek bridge that burnt down closed the line for a few days and UP worked around the clock and got a new concrete bridge in. I don't know for sure if any other wood bridges are going to be replaced or not.


> Also (hey, I'm on a roll tonight), has any work begun on the
> viaduct that is eventually supposed to carry KP/ex-DRGW tracks
> over BNSF in Denver? I know that UP has been talking about
> this project for a couple of years, but last I'd heard, about
> nine months ago, no earth had been turned.
>

The viaduct your thinking of is one that has been proposed at Utah Jct. where the East Denver Belt Line which connects N. Yard to the UP Greeley Sub, 36th St. Yard, and the Limon Sub. There is a diamond there where the Belt crosses the BNSF Front Range Sub. I thought that buidling the bridge had to do with the UP-SP merger..... but I can't recall what it was. The only trains I can immediately think of that would benefit from the bridge would be coal empties coming off the Limon and Greeley Subs. The Belt does not have a connection to head west to Utah Jct., and the track curves south into North Yard. The empties have to move power from one end of the train to the other in order to head west to the Tunnel. (Most empties don't need helpers to get up the hill WB) EB coal loads coming down the hill have to go into North Yard anyway to cut out their DPU helpers and change crews. Usually the two rear DPU's become the head end, and one of the head end units is left to become the rear DPU.


> And finally, has CTC been installed at the sidings of Buick,
> Collyer, etc.? And if so, does this mean that the the entire
> KP is CTC'ed, or just partly CTC'ed (for example, from Topeka
> to Salina), or that there are isolated CTC islands extending
> like a chain from Topeka (or somewhere on the east end of the
> line) to Denver?
>

Buick appears to be lit up. Collyer I am not 100% sure about, but fairly sure it has been lit also. It is set up for now as TWC with CTC "islands" at each siding from Denver to Salina and then partial CTC from Salina to Topeka.

>
> It seems like forever that UP has been upgrading the KP.
> Well, at least since 1996? 1997? I know a lot needed to be done
> to the line, but still, I'm wondering when it'll be once and
> for all, completed.
>
> Thanks for your report on the bridge construction at
> Ellsworth. And thanks in advance. --Billio
>
> [%sig%]

Billio,
CPB284 answered all your questions good. The bridge at Ellsworth is indeed the HWY 156 overpass over the RR tracks and they are also working on the river bridge 1/4 mile South of the tracks. They have about 1/2 mile of road tore up is all, but there is the 2 bridges there. We have one siding, 17 miles East of here, that don't have all the CWR down yet on the main, therefore the signals are not operating yet and we can't find out what the deal is on them. No CWR down at Ellsworth yet either and a lot of other places yet. Track gang was working out at Grainfield ,KS but has moved some place else. upkpfan