news-photos-flooding-along-the-mississippihttps://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/news-photos-flooding-along-the-mississippi/News photos: Flooding along the Mississippi - TrainsWisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said high water and flooding may have been a factor in last week’s derailment of a BNSF derailment near De Soto, Wis., although investigation is continuing. That incident sent some cars into the Mississippi River [see “BNSF reopens track at site of Wisconsin derailment,” Trains News Wire,” April 29, 2023]. But [...]Read More...https://www.trains.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/TRN_Mississippi_Flooding_1_Schraeder.jpgInStockUSD1.001.00news-wirenews-reviewsarticleTRN2024-02-052023-05-01159867
Railroads continue moving trains despite high water
A BNSF train tiptoes through high water at Savanna, Ill., on April 29, 2023. Jeremy J. Schrader.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said high water and flooding may have been a factor in last week’s derailment of a BNSF derailment near De Soto, Wis., although investigation is continuing. That incident sent some cars into the Mississippi River [see “BNSF reopens track at site of Wisconsin derailment,” Trains News Wire,” April 29, 2023]. But it’s clear that railroads were dealing with flooding elsewhere along the Mississippi River, as these photos from Savanna, Ill., and Davenport, Iowa, indicate. Thank photographers Jeremy J. Schrader and Erik Rasmussen for the images.
Normally, there would be parking lots and a riverfront park along the CPKC tracks carrying this ethanol train. But not on April 30, 2023, as the Mississippi River overflows its banks. The baseball field and Ferris Wheel in the foregrond are part of Modern Woodmen Park, home of the minor-league Quad Cities River Bandits. Fortunately for the team, it is not scheduled to play its next home game until May 9. Erik Rasmussen
6 thoughts on “News photos: Flooding along the Mississippi”
From the pictures you can see the railroad does a good job keeping the right of way above the water. They can’t plan for every flood situation but in general they get through when the local roads are flooded.
This is what Metra fears would cause a rerouting of trains through Chicago for CPKC. After the last flood in Davenport, CP raised the signal boxes and added a new layer of ballast with riprap along side of it to get the tracks higher and keep the water out.
Maybe the group in nearby Silvis can lease out their locomotives to get some extra income. Just need to double-time the restoration of 3985 and get it back to pulling double stacks.
From the pictures you can see the railroad does a good job keeping the right of way above the water. They can’t plan for every flood situation but in general they get through when the local roads are flooded.
Is this Mississippi River spring flooding limited to the Savanna / Quad Cities area? Or is it flooding further downriver (i.e. Fort Madison)?
The BNSF (ex Santa Fe) line into Fort Madison, Iowa can be impacted by spring flooding sometimes ….
Steam locomotives didn’t have electrical problems but what did water do to their bearings?
This is what Metra fears would cause a rerouting of trains through Chicago for CPKC. After the last flood in Davenport, CP raised the signal boxes and added a new layer of ballast with riprap along side of it to get the tracks higher and keep the water out.
Bring back the steam loco’s to get through the water. No electric motors to short out That what the CB&Q used to do.
Maybe the group in nearby Silvis can lease out their locomotives to get some extra income. Just need to double-time the restoration of 3985 and get it back to pulling double stacks.