In Davenport on CP’s Davenport subdivision, floodwaters from the Mississippi River are over the riverfront trackage for three blocks between Harrison and Perry streets. Trains were operating at walking speed through the flooded track, with CP track inspectors standing on both sides of three train movements on Saturday evening monitoring movements.
The flood stage for the river at Rock Island, Ill., is 15 feet. On Sunday evening, the crest was estimated at 18.4 feet.
Canadian Pacific’s River subdivision is still operating, including hosting BNSF Railway detours between Davenport and Camanche, Iowa. To the north the Marquette Subdivision remains out of service after the bridge over the Turkey River near Millville, Iowa, was destroyed by ice jams and a rising river on March 15.
The flood record for Davenport, Iowa, occurred on July 9, 1993, at 22.63 feet. Weather forecasters are warning more flooding will take place in April with a melting snowpack in central and eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin.
Nice video on YouTube of the movements.
Very good photo, Steve. Really covers the situation.
Reality amazing how they get a track inspector to sign his name on the bi-weekly inspection form when he can not even see the track in question. Even if he walks every foot, how can he see which ties are pumping and sinking after even one train? Glad I’m not the Train Master for that section of track. As for the engines, oh, their owned by the other guy. Mush on..