Railfan Trip Reports > Chasing the UP in NE on US30.

My original plan for Sept. 27 was to try to make it from Omaha to Gibbon and back. Such was not to be. Oh, I could have done it if I ignored all the trains, but they were the purpose of the trip.
I left downtown Omaha about 9 AM, heading west on Route 6. That led onto 275 to Fremont were I'd pick up 30. However, Valley, NE got in the way first. Here's three from Valley: the small UP building at the edge of downtown, a coal train stopped for a crew change, and a second coal train coming through town at speed. Funny what you don't see sometimes until after the photo. I had no idea there was a wind generator there in Valley.

Bandob

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At Fremont, I happened across a grimy, almost greasy-looking unit with a few coal hoppers on a siding along Military Road. Then it was on to North Bend, where the grain elevators provided a classic prairie scene.

Bandob

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Schuyler provided a place for lunch, and more grain elevator scenes.

Bandob

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Enroute to Columbus, I passed a local trundling west. A knot of passengers clustered about the former UP station told me something special was to occur. Sure, enough, in rolled the business train. (Also see Passenger Train Discussion Group.)

Bandob

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The train paused only a few moments and was soon on its way.

Bandob

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Shortly after the passenger train departed, that local I'd seen came trundling in. It moved into the yard to clear for a Westbound stack train. There is an excellent viaduct (23rd St) from which to view the activity, but now a lull set in. 45 minutes, no trains. It was past 3:00 PM and I decided to retrace my steps back to Omaha.

Bandob

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Again at Schuyler, I caught a pusher on an eastbound coal train, followed by a westbound of empty hoppers. There is a small Railside Green park, which also yielded a surprise caboose.

Bandob

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Another long eastbound coal train at North Bend brought the shooting to a close. There were many more trains seen and photographed, but these are representative. Coal trains seemed most common, and surprisingly only the one westbound of empties was seen. I wonder if the night is full of westbound trains of empty hoppers?

I look forward to another opportunity, this time further West in the triple track country. But, not this trip. I'll be on #6 for Chicago tomorrow, 9/29.

Bandob

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bandob Wrote:
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> Enroute to Columbus, I passed a local trundling
> west. A knot of passengers clustered about the
> former UP station told me something special was to
> occur. Sure, enough, in rolled the business
> train. (Also see Passenger Train Discussion
> Group.)
>
> Bandob


"local trundling west"? Was M. Martin on this journey?

Those are some really odd trucks under that caboose!

Ryan

Nictd1000 Wrote:
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> Those are some really odd trucks under that
> caboose!
>
> Ryan

This may be an old Rock Island caboose with the Rockwell trucks. Dan Tracy