Nebraska, Iowa floods inundate railroads NEWSWIRE

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Darrell Wendt BNSF lines out-of-service map as of March 15 BNSF Railway MILWAUKEE — Union Pacific and BNSF Railway are halting trains and assessing damage to hundreds of miles of rail lines threatened or damaged by rising flood waters in the Missouri River valley. Rapidly warming temperatures in the past two weeks have led to […]

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Coal train derails, burns in southern Minnesota NEWSWIRE

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MANKATO, Minn. – Emergency crews are responding to a derailed Union Pacific coal train and subsequent fire in Ottawa, about 18 miles north of Mankato along the Minnesota River in southern Minnesota. The line, connecting the Twin Cities with Sioux City, Iowa, was previously part of the Chicago & North Western system. The derailment, which […]

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UP updates customers on Midwest weather woes NEWSWIRE

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OMAHA, Neb. – Union Pacific has issued the following customer service advisory following a week of extreme weather in the Midwest. The troubles essentially close the railroad’s main line between Boone, Iowa, and Gibbon, Neb., a source close to the railroad tells Trains News Wire. Announcement Number: CN2019-13 Categories: General Announcements Posted Date: March 14, […]

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MTH RailKing Big Boy 4-8-8-4

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A Big Boy for small layouts Several models of the Union Pacific Big Boy have been produced for the O gauge model railroaders, including a selective-compressed model from MTH Electric Trains RailKing line. MTH recently announced a new production run of O gauge Big Boys in its RailKing Imperial line. The model will be available […]

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Wind a factor in New Mexico train derailment NEWSWIRE

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Twenty six cars of a Union Pacific freight train derailed on a bridge near Logan, N.M., March 13. New Mexico State Police Wind gusts of up to 64 mph likely caused these railcars to derail in northeast New Mexico. New Mexico State Police Twenty six cars of a Union Pacific freight train derailed on the […]

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Where was the Transcontinental Railroad completed?

Today, Promontory Summit is home to the recreated Golden Spike Historic Site, home for two replica 4-4-0s: Union Pacific No. 119, shown, and Central Pacific Jupiter.

Today, Promontory Summit is home to the recreated Golden Spike Historic Site, home for two replica 4-4-0s: Union Pacific No. 119, shown, and Central Pacific Jupiter. Jim Wrinn Most school children learned that the Transcontinental Railroad was completed May 10, 1869, at “Promontory Point,” where the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific met, and where […]

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Winter weather wallops operations on Donner Pass NEWSWIRE

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The SPMW 222 at Crystal Lake, Calif., about 15 minutes before its bearings failed. S.R. Bush TRUCKEE, Calif. – Winter on Donner Pass is only at the halfway mark but already is proving one to be remembered. November and December were mild, but in January things began to shift the pace and strength of storms […]

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Transcontinental Railroad history: challenges to Union Pacific’s survival lead to rebirth under Harriman

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Transcontinental Railroad financial troubles After just 18 years of operation, there had been so many irregularities and so much concern over the Union Pacific’s ability to repay its federal loans that in 1887 Congress created the United States Pacific Railroad Commission to investigate the finances and structure of all the major railroads initially described as […]

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Photos show removal of snowbound UP train in Minnesota NEWSWIRE

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ELLENDALE, Minn. – Two Union Pacific trains stuck in deep snow near Ellendale are free this week following the efforts of railroad and contractor crews to free them. Ellendale is located on the so-called “Spine Line” between Minneapolis and Des Moines, Iowa, about 30 miles north of the Minnesota-Iowa state line. The work took place […]

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