Western Railroad Discussion > UP Main Bridge Ice Jam- Columbus, NE

Hearing that the Union Pacific mainline bridge in Columbus, Nebraska has a large ice jam against it.  If that bridge fails, major issues for UP!

---

Wow! I don't see how that ends well.

Dynamite works well (not joking)

BB

bmarti7 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Dynamite works well (not joking)
>
> BB
Bmarti is correct in that this will have to be broken up with dynamite or something similar.
I believe that is the Loop River bridges.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/14/19 15:13 by Bob3985.

No big deal they'e got a parallel line through Kansas, now if the Consol in the park is threatened
then that's big news.

Out

That's an open-lattice bridge so it is quite old. You'd think they'd park two lines of loaded ballast hoppers on the bridge to help hold it down. Should probably be raised up more anyway, and replaced with a concrete deck bridge for maximum clearances. Perhaps they would like it to fail for a tax deduction, would make the new one cheaper. === === = === JLH

The camera at Columbus has been in and out but when it was up it looks at the US 30 Bridges down river from the UP bridge. Police had both the older and newer bridges closed.

Posted from iPhone

How long does it generally take for floods to recede in the area and how quickly does UP usually take to get things moving?

I fly into Chicago from the UK a week on Saturday and was planning a two week road trip across Iowa and Nebraska. I'm looking at other plans already but I really want to stick to the US 30 corridor.

Rugby
UK

You may be affected by the flooding. Depends on where you plan to go. 

As long as the Missouri stays in it's banks you'll be able to make it through Blair. If the Elkhorn floods
you'll need to detour to get through Fremont and you can see the issue in Columbus. Hopefully it'll
be better shortly but it was warmer in Arlingto NE this morning than in St George UT.

Out

callum_out Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As long as the Missouri stays in it's banks you'll
> be able to make it through Blair. If the Elkhorn
> floods
> you'll need to detour to get through Fremont and
> you can see the issue in Columbus. 

To relieve the strain on upstream dams the Corps of Engineers is increasing the water release into the Missouri from the Gavins Point Dam, so you can almost plan on the Missouri going out of its banks.  By the way, parts of Missouri Valley, IA are under mandatory evacuation orders.

Gary B.
Waverly, NE

Gary, that's not good. that's what happened last time when the Corps miscalculated the runoff and started Spring
with a full reservoir., Easily did $40M in damages at Dakota Dunes.

Out

Plattsmouth already has major flooding down town so this will only make it worse.
Also heard BNSF is under water at Oreapolis.
Also told #6 due into LNK at 13:24 will fuel at LNK so maybe not going to OMA.
Steve

binder001 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> callum_out Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > As long as the Missouri stays in it's banks
> you'll
> > be able to make it through Blair. If the
> Elkhorn
> > floods
> > you'll need to detour to get through Fremont
> and
> > you can see the issue in Columbus. 
>
> To relieve the strain on upstream dams the Corps
> of Engineers is increasing the water release into
> the Missouri from the Gavins Point Dam, so you can
> almost plan on the Missouri going out of its
> banks.  By the way, parts of Missouri Valley, IA
> are under mandatory evacuation orders.
>
> Gary B.
> Waverly, NE

callum_out Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As long as the Missouri stays in it's banks you'll
> be able to make it through Blair. If the Elkhorn
> floods
> you'll need to detour to get through Fremont and
> you can see the issue in Columbus. Hopefully
> it'll
> be better shortly but it was warmer in Arlingto NE
> this morning than in St George UT.
>
> Out

Missouri is already out of its banks and will be worse with the increased releases from Gavins point dam. Hwy 30 is closed from Logan to Missouri Valley, IA. Closed at Arlington, NE and west of Fremont. Closed around North Bend and Columbus, NE. It also appears to be closed from Kearney to around Gothenburg, NE due to flooding. 

NE Road Conditions

Hwy 30 in Iowa is better until you get to the western half. IA Road Conditions

The National Weather Service office in Valley, NE, west of Omaha, is being evacuated for an indefinite period of time along with the radar being turned off, due to the flooding.
Most of the area is being evacuated, as well. 

The couple who bought my house in Arlington both work in Omaha, she's a head trauma nurse at Nebraska Medical
Center, they're gonna have a tough time getting to work! Looks like UP between Fremont and Mo Valley is either now
or going to be shut down.

Out