Western Railroad Discussion > Miscellaneous Omaha (Iowa and Nebraska)

Here's a link to the headsup brc600 posted regarding the IAIS #516 and the KCS units in Council Bluffs:

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,4288666

After I spotted the IAIS #516, I headed north on Harry Langdon Blvd. and spotted the KCS units parked by themselves. It looked like they weren't going anywhere, so I headed east out of Council Bluffs to my motel 70 miles away.

After chasing the IAIS #516 the next day (Sunday), I returned to the Council Bluffs area and from I-80, I saw the KCS units with both the headlights and the ditchlights on, with a train behind it. I was unprepared and hadn't looked at the maps to figure out where to intercept the train, so I took the next exit, tried to use my sense of direction and found an access via a construction area to nab the KCS units going under I-80.

The train looked like a grain train, all covered hoppers. Video doesn't show the entire train.

- 3 KCS units + covered hoppers departing Council Bluffs.
- Quick video of the train as it got closer.

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After catching the KCS units, I headed to my motel just west of Central Omaha, where Berkyville pricing was no longer in effect. I was thinking of heading out to Fremont, NE to take advantage of remaining light, but decided to grab food and relaxed the rest of the evening.

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,4288792

I read the above thread while relaxing, to get ready for a quick triangular scouting trip the next day (Monday), where I'd follow the UP Omaha Sub going west, loiter along the Columbus Sub, time permitting, then follow the Blair Sub east to Missouri Valley, Iowa, then loosely follow the Missouri River to Eppley Field to catch my flight home.

I saw a couple of local jobs along the Omaha Sub near Valley, then saw an eastbound coal train (led by an SD70ACe) before I got to Fremont.

Columbus Sub was quiet between Fremont and North Bend, so I turned around and headed back east to Fremont.... headlights! I changed direction again, and nabbed the westbound Super Fruit near the grain elevator at North Bend, first clip.

I got back on Hwy 30... another headlights! So I took the next crossing between large farm plots and got what looked like a hauler to North Platte, second clip. Entire train is shown.

I was just east of Ames, when I caught something moving in the distance approaching my way, so I tried to setup at the nearest crossing (quiet zone), but too late, I had to shoot from the wrong side of light, third clip, a westbound stacker. It didn't look like a Northern California-bound stacker (ZG2OA, ZG2LT, KG2LT, etc.) based on the train make up, so no idea what the symbol was.

The westbound parade continued as I drove along the Blair Sub: two more westbound manifests (crew "bragging" that the train was a 15,000 footer instead of a 14,000 footer) then an autorack, then an empty coal train, confirming the observation by Copy19 in the above link regarding the traffic levels near Omaha.

I spotted a northbound stacker (heading toward Missouri Valley) as I drove south along I-29 to catch my flight at Eppley Field.

- Interesting UP trailer spotted in Fremont, NE.
- Historical marker along Hwy 30 between North Bend and Ames.
- Video of 3 trains, as described above.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/16/17 00:27 by cchan006.

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I did most of my "Pumpkin foaming" inside the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, where I caught the "Golden Swoosh" (BNSF 7695) on two different trains.

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cchan006 Wrote:
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> - Interesting UP trailer spotted in Fremont, NE.

Looks like one of the PTC training trailers.

You must of high tailed it out of there after those KCS shots. Definitely not a public spot.

Nice catches. Is the line the KCS units are on the one that goes past a shopping center and a diamond on the otherside of the freeway that is next to the IAIS yard?