Western Railroad Discussion > Union Pacific disruption in Oregon

Washouts Caused by Heavy Rainfall Impacting Operations between La Grande and Hinkle, Oregon
Announcement Number: CN2020-4

2-7-2020 

To Our Customers,

Heavy rain has caused mudslides and washouts between La Grande and Hinkle, Oregon. Currently, we are unable to run trains through this impacted area.Trains are being held or rerouted until conditions improve and the main line has been cleared of debris.

Customers with rail shipments moving through the affected area may experience delays between 48 and 72 hours.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/07/20 11:39 by GenePoon.

An article in the "East Oregoninan" said that a mudslide yesterday (Thursday)  26 miles east of Pendleton had closed the UP.  I assume that this is somewhere up the Meacham Cr. canyon above Gibbon.

jbbane Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> An article in the "East Oregoninan" said that a
> mudslide yesterday (Thursday)  26 miles east of
> Pendleton had closed the UP.  I assume that this
> is somewhere up the Meacham Cr. canyon above
> Gibbon.

Pendleton is MP 215, so 26 miles east would be ~MP 241, a little east of Bonifer, about 5 miles east of Gibbon.  Hope they get it cleaned up quickly.

mapboy

ODOT has the freeway closed in the area, too.

Posted from Android

This information fails to convey the situation, which is a bit more serious than a simple washout.  There are no less than 17 washouts varying in size and already UP is rerouting trains.  Currently, the ZMNBR, as well as the IG3SE, are showing running west to Roseville and up the I-5 Corridor. The ITAG4 currently at Albina is also being rerouted south to Roseville where it will head east on the overland. All of these symbols have a "D" at the end for deviation from the normal route.  Surely more are to come.

Interestingly I also have it from a high source that UP is actively working on routing some trains, most likely empty soda ash trains for Wyoming across the MRL and down to Pocatello via Silver Bow.  I'm not sure how the logistics of crews would be, but technically UP still owns the section from Silver Bow to Garrison where the MRL interchanges.  It will be interesting to see.

From a crew perspective, there are currently 4 crews on duty deadheading back to Pocatello from Nampa after waiting for trains that were never to come.  There are 3 more deadhead crews prompted to be called.  I know, as I'm one of them.  I was in Nampa for around 30 hours and the trains never moved after the trouble began.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/07/20 14:50 by HogheadMike.

Sounds like a good time to railfan the Cascade line around Oakridge, Oregon. 
Jim

HogheadMike Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This information fails to convey the situation,
> which is a bit more serious than a simple
> washout.  There are no less than 17 washouts
> varying in size and already UP is rerouting
> trains.  Currently, the ZMNBR, as well as the
> IG3SE, are showing running west to Roseville and
> up the I-5 Corridor. The ITAG4 currently at Albina
> is also being rerouted south to Roseville where it
> will head east on the overland. All of these
> symbols have a "D" at the end for deviation from
> the normal route.  Surely more are to come.
>
> Interestingly I also have it from a high source
> that UP is actively working on routing some
> trains, most likely empty soda ash trains for
> Wyoming across the MRL and down to Pocatello via
> Silver Bow.  I'm not sure how the logistics of
> crews would be, but technically UP still owns the
> section from Silver Bow to Garrison where the MRL
> interchanges.  It will be interesting to see.
>
> From a crew perspective, there are currently 4
> crews on duty deadheading back to Pocatello from
> Nampa after waiting for trains that were never to
> come.  There are 3 more deadhead crews prompted
> to be called.  I know, as I'm one of them.  I
> was in Nampa for around 30 hours and the trains
> never moved after the trouble began.
>  

 Garrison to Silverbow might still be UP but its long term leased to BNSF..
RB

Please keep us updated on the possible detours down silver bow would love to see these.  Thanks TC 

How many more trains would we be seeing come through the Cascades from this?
Are will looking at 5 -10 or more a day till the line reopens?

How long till the damage is repaired do we think? A week or more?

Regards
 

 HogheadMike Wrote:
>>empty soda ash trains for Wyoming across the MRL and down to Pocatello via Silver Bow.  I'm not sure how the logistics of crews would be>>

Limited by the number of crews qualified and available. MRL can sure get a train or two to Garrison, but BNSF Copper City Sub (Garrison to Silver Bow) crews are few in number and the UP's Dillon, MT crew base has a limited amount of people. By the time they get people qualified and rested, those washouts might be repaired?

Another routing they could consider is across MRL to Laurel, south via Greybull, WY to Cheyenne. Can BNSF even interchange back to UP in Chi-ann?

Dave in Missoula

Daylight trains south of Dillon to Pocatello are nearly impossible to find. This might be a good chance to get action over Monida Pass unless wet heavy snows forecast in the area do not close the UP or I-15 and secondary roads.

I wonder sometimes if UP (or SP) regrets closing of the Modoc line during times like this?

Bermanator Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I wonder sometimes if UP (or SP) regrets closing
> of the Modoc line during times like this?

Probably not enough to warrant spending all that money you would need to reopen it.

HogheadMike Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I know, as I'm one of them.  I
> was in Nampa for around 30 hours and the trains
> never moved after the trouble began.
>  

There's some nice Held Away pay, though stuck in a motel isn't usually worth it!

Does any one have any knowledge of where the washouts have occured or what has happened there (ie major track damage)?  This seems to be an unusual event for this line.

The damage is much worse than stated. Major washouts between Pendleton and Meacham. Someone posted video of floodwaters eating away at the adbuntment of a bridge near Thorn Hollow. Another video shows a crew van being towed through floodwaters by a road grader at Gibbon. Thinking it will be a couple weeks before trains run again over that route, possibly longer. Impossible to get into the Meacham Creek Canyon at the moment, so the full extent of the damage won't be realized for a few days. But I'm sure UP likely has helicopters in the air at the moment looking at the damage.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/08/20 13:21 by funnelfan.

Coming now as the flood waters begin to recede is a major snow storm hitting the area.  One report I saw said near white out conditions on I84, so the conditions for even inspecting damage at the higher elevations may be difficult.  Here's a shot from ODOT on I84 at Meacham.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/08/20 14:51 by jbbane.

---

I wonder if UPS will route Chicago-Portland traffic on BNSF, or truck it, or just accept longer transit times from UP?

Posted from Android

They ran two Intermodal trains south through Dunsmuir today, first being the usual domestic containers and the second being mostly 40 ft International containers. Just heard on the radio about a 10,000 ft train heading south, not sure of the scheduling but it sounds like the same two trains combined would make sense. A 10,000 ft lumber train would be a serious pain compared to the lesser weights of an Intermodal with mixed loads and empties.

Sounds like the Dispatcher was putting all opposing trains into Klamath Falls yard until the monmster passed through. Not too many 10,000 ft sidings out there, although there are a few.

+ just leaving Dunsmuir, 9956 ft.
++ very noticeably a few Domestic containers on the point and the rest were International containers on the rear, with 2 unit DPU very unusual on this corrider for a SB.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/09/20 10:01 by TCnR.

TCnR Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> + just leaving Dunsmuir, 9956 ft.
> ++ very noticeably a few Domestic containers on
> the point and the rest were International
> containers on the rear, with 2 unit DPU very
> unusual on this corrider for a SB.

That sounds very much like an ITAG4, perhaps the one mentioned near the top of the thread.