Western Railroad Discussion > Union to Weeping Water

This is a continuation of the report on a trip that started with shots of the Falls City local. https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,4528915

In the first shot here, at about 11:30 the morning of March 21, the Union, NE to Louisville, NE local powered by 1759 and UPY 697 departed Union under the bright skies we had leaving Lincoln.

Most of the way to Weeping Water, the track is visible and close enough for pics. The grades don't appear to be too steep and it travels through some wooded areas. The next 2 shots are in and west of Nehawka, between Union and Weeping Water. There is still an elevator at Nehawka but it's probably been several years since anything has been loaded there.

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The last 3 shots are of the train approaching Weeping Water. The BN hopper contains coal for the cement plant in Louisville.

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Your posts on this branch line are interesting. I took a look on aerial photos and there was what appeared to be a unit coal train wuth loads stashed in sidings everywhere around the cement plant. Is the cement plant switched by BNSF too? I couldn't help but notice all the abandoned workings around Weeping Waters. It appears that was a major source off revenue at one time. I believe you mentioned once that this was the location of where a branch line extended to Lincoln many years ago.
Thanks for the posts.
Gonut

Glad you're enjoying these!

I'm not sure of the frequency but, they do run unit coal trains to Louisville over the UP. Many times it will be the larger road engines and the train will be half or so of a normal coal load. I've seen photos taken by others but haven't seen them first hand. BNSF serves the Louisville plant too. The following photos show them there at the same time as UP last December. The UP train is barely visible to the left of the BNSF engines in the first view. I didn't see what BNSF brought in that day.

There were several rock quarries served by MoP at Weeping Water. Much of that activity is gone now and what's left is handled by rail. The branch to Lincoln split off on the west side of Weeping Water. The line was abandoned after flooding washed out bridges west of Weeping Water in the mid 80's.

Gonut1 Wrote:
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> Your posts on this branch line are interesting. I
> took a look on aerial photos and there was what
> appeared to be a unit coal train wuth loads
> stashed in sidings everywhere around the cement
> plant. Is the cement plant switched by BNSF too? I
> couldn't help but notice all the abandoned
> workings around Weeping Waters. It appears that
> was a major source off revenue at one time. I
> believe you mentioned once that this was the
> location of where a branch line extended to
> Lincoln many years ago.
> Thanks for the posts.
> Gonut

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Nice shots and coverage of this line!

Great photos.

Ronda Thomas

Thanks for the additional info.
Gonut