Union Pacific Railroad detour on the normally out-of-service ex-M&I Mosher Branch in Missouri, 2017
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- Опубліковано 8 вер 2024
- In May 2017, major flooding in Missouri caused BNSF Railway to shut down its River Subdivision between St. Louis and Memphis. Normally, at Ste. Genevieve, MO, Union Pacific's local moves traffic for its customer, Mississippi Lime, using trackage rights over the BNSF River Sub from here on north for approximately 10 miles to access its own line in Crystal City, MO. At Crystal City, the lime cars are then forwarded on to another UP local (LSE-57) which takes them to St. Louis over UP's De Soto Sub.
However, when the BN River Sub closes due to flooding, derailments, or other calamities, Union Pacific has to re-open the normally out-of-service Mosher Branch of the former Missouri & Illinois (M&I) Railway between Ste. Genevieve and Derby Jct. in Park Hills, MO, in order for Mississippi Lime's traffic to access the De Soto Sub. At Derby, the line joins in with a regularly-used UP branch to reach the De Soto Sub main line at Bismarck.
The video starts off with the LSH-20 running southwest a few hundred feet east of the Interstate 55 overpass on the outskirts of Ste. Genevieve. Subsequent views include the Missouri towns of New Offenburg, Weingarten, and Park Hills. A special feature of this video is footage of the train crossing the famous Rough Creek trestle, one of the few of its kind in this part of the country.
Unfortunately, I wanted to capture more video during this run, but my mobile phone developed software issues towards the end of the day and kept crashing, so several scenes were not included. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy my home video of the UP LSH-20 local using this rarely-used, historic route. -Scott Nauert
Seeing old, dilapidated lines like this one get trains after years of dormancy is one of my favorite things in railroading. Great job catching this, man!
That went right by the farmhouse I loved in...we BOUGHT that house not only for the beauty and character, but for the railroad..never forget my husband waking me up at 1:15 a.m. One night saying , TRAIN!! TRAIN!! HUGE TRAIN!!! The U.P. but stopped at every crossing, and ours had no lights. The train literally ran through our yard. I miss that place!!!😢
Thank you for doing this! I've wondered about this line since I was a kid. Always passed it going to St. Joe Park and SbarF....So cool to see it getting some use!
With flooding looking more and more likely this Spring, it might see some more action!
I drove to Hawn State Park today and noticed this train line. Found my answer to when it’s used (rarely). Would love to catch a train on that tall trestle! I’m surprised the crossings don’t say “exempt.”
Wow, look at the light gauge rail sag under the weight. No wonder it is not used much. Too much traffic and it is just a derailment waiting to happen....Nevertheless, love seeing these rarely used lines get some action. The best part of rail fanning!
I see that line off of State hwy 32 going from I-55 to Hawn State Parking camping a couple times a year. I notice that sometimes the tracks are rusty, and other times they appear to have had recent traffic. The electrical boxes lining the tracks are lighted all the time, so it appears they always keep it open and powered up. Nice catch! I've wondered what the story is with that line.
This is really cool! I work for a glass factory in Indiana that receives those car loads of Mississippi lime. During that flooding we had to have the limestone trucked in due to the longer travel time for the cars. They are delivered to us by CSX on the Indianapolis line.
That's awesome! I see this train at least twice a week on its normal route, and Mississippi Lime is a very important and long-time customer of UP's.
Scott Nauert Our cars are usually the green ex-CNW now AOKX 3 bay cars. Sometimes we get it in the 2 bay cars but we also receive a lot of sand cars from TN as well as a couple other materials. I've posted a video of CSX pulling our empties. You should check it out.
Great video! I love seeing all of the older signals.
Very cool ! I didn't know anything was left of the M and I. I am from Salem Illinois, the eastern terminus of the Missouri Illinois railroad.
Thanks for posting.
I did not know this was Missouri, until I seen the Weingarten sign. I never thought that line would ever be used between Farmington and Ste Genevieve.
Keep your eyes peeled on the river stages.. This line starts getting used once the flood gates close on the BNSF @ Ste. Genevieve
These kind on runs make nervous for the crew. I have seen small lumber trains almost come off the track. I am sure they sent down equipment to make sure things are ok but then again you never know when money needs to be made.
Thank you for sharing-Awesome!
When I worked for a midwestern short
line back in the 1970’s-1980’s, one of
our frequent commodities terminated
on our line was bull limestone from
Mosher, MO, in MP/TP CH’s in the
707,000 and 709,000 series. This
video reminds me of that time. I’m
thinking the cars in the video are
empties for loading or loads received
from one of the mines in that area.
The white dust on the sides looks
strangely familiar. The shipper was
Mississippi Lime Co. Is it or it’s successor still in business? Thanks
for the video!
That’s supposed to read bulk limestone!
Indeed it is! In order to keep their product moving when the Big Muddy floods, Mississippi Lime leases this former Missouri Pacific Mosher Branch (UP calls it an "industrial lead") between Mosher just west of Ste. Genevieve and Derby Jct. in Park Hills, MO, as a backup route. This train consists entirely of lime and related product going south, and empty cars to be loaded on the return trip late in the day (north).
Awesome video! I live on the western side of the state, so I'm not too familiar with operations on the east side. I wasn't aware the branch to St. Genevieve was normally out of service. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for taking and making this video! This is a rare treat.
It's not mainline track, but it is in good condition - suited fine for 4-axle power and trains this size.
I would have been sorely tempted to hop a ride.
I was never offered a ride on this particular trackage (the grandson of a retiring Conductor did get that opportunity the last time they ran this way), but I did get one on the nearby Pea Ridge Sub which is currently out-of-service and facing a seemingly much more grim future. As (bad) luck would have it, I got called to work the day I was invited to go, and the following week, which was the very final run, my engineer friend marked off sick! Ugh..
Nice catches of the local train.
I know these lines very well Ive seen trains run on them since I was two and. Are usually got to see the BNSF Railway running in downtown Saint Genevieve
Nice! Interesting how it rocks from going over the crossing at 04:47 and 06:43
Scott, any rumblings of this line reopening for the recent/current flooding going on?
Has there been any traffic on this line since this video?
@STL-Railfan Yes sir. 2019 there was a short stint ~1 week or so
Great catches
Didn't know UP had GP60s on its roster. Nice to see 4 axle power on the UP.
UP and Ex SP GP60's also pop up in Tulsa, Oklahoma on the local assigned to work the area every once and awhile when the GP38's are out on 90 day inspections.
All of the UP GP-60’s came from the SP/SSW! And 3 from The D&RGW!
Neat! Yeah the floods really made the railroads scramble.
They sure do.
Cool video
I'm surprised the signals still worked! I thought they'd have to get out and flag every crossing.
Are''nt these 2 Geeps leading former SPee units because of the dynamic brakes in the video runnin on the M&I Mosher line?
Scott, on an average how many trains per month would this line see under normal circumstances?
atariforever2002 Normally zero. In fact, unless there's a flood or some issue with the BNSF River Sub, it can go years without a train. Before 2014, I believe it sat dormant for 7 years.
Scott Nauert Wow! If thats the case that line is in pretty good shape I would say.
atariforever2002 Mississippi Lime performs basic maintenance on it annually to keep it useable in emergencies
A few questions... Obviously no problem keeping up, but did the engineer get tired of seeing you at every turn or crossing? Was this thing loaded or empty? I noticed the other guy in the white SUV a few times. A railroad employee running ahead as spotter at crossings?
Someone made the comment that the locos were old. Check out the signage and pumps at the Gulf station @ 18:16, definitely prehistoric/stone age.
1) Engineer has known me for years, but I'm sure he did LOL
2) Loads went south/west in first part of video, empties came back east.
3) Yes, that was a UP operations manager who was there to add an extra layer of protection at the crossings because people aren't used to seeing trains run through here.
4) Locos are 25-35 years old
Second is right by my grandpas church (great grandpa)
I live extremely close to this crossing
If you own a Lamborghini, next time I'm down that way I want a ride!
At 21:26...my house was about 500 feet from the little side road
obviously they still maintain the track and signals, closed line? not so sure.
Yes, they perform just enough maintenance on the Mosher Branch to keep it operationally available between Ste. Genevieve and Derby Jct. in Park Hills, MO, when the need arises. Mississippi Lime covers much of the cost, as it is imperative its product keeps moving when its normal routing is cut off due to flooding or other issue. Authority to run trains over this line is given by the Roadmaster, per the company's special instructions.
boy that track is sure out of gauge. what's the speed limit?
Terry Witkowski - 10 MPH
I couldn't tell from the video. thanks.
Look at the top of the rails, no sheen on them at all, tracks have not been used.
And Pacific Provo to Spanish Fork
good job. keep updateing
Thank you. Will do as time allows
Idiot alert at 25:54
I guess it's part of the "maintenance of a closed line" to install e-bells and LED lights at many of the crossings. Those signals are in great shape for a closed line! Others not so much.
Some lines installed ebells before they we're closed. There's an old UP mainline that got torn up near where I live but the crossing signals are still standing on the side of the highway with ebells but no rails.
UP's signal maintainers still regularly service the crossing signals, including charging the batteries, keeping the lights / bells functioning, etc. as they must be ready to go at any time should anything happen to this train's regular route.
The part we lived on is maintained as a branch line to the glass factory. It is indeed maintained for emergencies and floods. Sad to say, sounds selfish, but I was excited to hear of floods.
As much as people say mobile phones and technology have gotten quote sophisticated nothing beats a good handheld video camera in situations like this sadly sorry to hear about your malfunction
It happens. To be honest though, this and other trips really put my phone through its paces. This used a ton of memory & battery to pull off, and overall I was satisfied. But I agree, a conventional camera would've been ideal.
Nice catches! Thank you. When was that track last used? They inspect it regularly? Inspect just before emergency use?
Engineer was late with horn at non signaled crossing. Must be careful with them, especially when local people are *accustomed to NO trains* !!
14:45 Did the railroad employee turn on the mee-mool lights *(o)T(o)* ? They were a little late in activating.
19:40 Mee-mool lights failed to operate? Employee leaves for next grade crossing?
Why stopping at 28:25 ?
Prior to this video, the last time this line was used was in January 2016. UP leases the middle portion of this line to Mississippi Lime who handles track inspections and required maintenance to keep the line operable when flooding occurs on the regular route. I cannot speak for the horn use other than some of those crossings are private, so in those situations, it's up to him/her to sound the horn or not. Signals at 14:45 were activated by the train. Lights were working properly at 19:40. The employee you see in the white Ford Explorer is the trainmaster who helped flag the crossings. At 28:25, the train was told to stop and wait for maintenance crews working on the track to clear before they could proceed east.
ola amigo essa locomotiva é uma gp9?...parabens pelo vídeo
Essas locomotivas são GP60
great catch..like and I have subbed to your channel...
Why was it detoured?
They normally get on the BNSF @ Ste. Genevieve and run 20 or so miles north to Crystal City, but it was flooded at the time.
Is this the Randy Funk of Mexico Mo.?
I'm sure this was one slow journey for this crew moving along at 20 mph on stick rail.
i supported your channel i liked the video
Wow.
First is on Highway 32 right?
Yes. Well actually, its State Highway A, just a few hundred feet from 32
how much can a train tilt to the side before it tips over??
A few degrees either way. If you notice the curved part of the track is almost always tilted at an angle.
@@gandalfthegrey7874 - Would you believe they left the super elevation in place in a lot of spots? Obviously the M&I ran a LOT faster through here back in the day!
i bet if they had upgraded the tracks i know they could go under 20
Supposedly when the M&I and even MoPac operated it regularly it was even faster than that. Note at some of the locations there was even some super-elevation in the curves.
Did you notice the engineer's trouble synchronizing the horn with the crossings?
I did, but do note that UP had a manager going out ahead of the train protecting crossings - even those with lights / bells as the public was not expecting a train on this otherwise normally dormant line.
I don't believe it's a "closed" branch...lightly used yes. Closed no. BUT nice video!!!
Good catch - it's normally "out of service" with operations subject to the authority of the roadmaster. UA-cam limits space one can use for titles, but I'll try and modify it.
Wow. 96lb jointed rail flexing, no ballast in places. Definitely under used.
Up until a few years ago, it sat dormant for 7 years without a train.
Gp60
Angelo Portal no shit