Does anyone have any ideas as to what is behind U P 's sprucing up of this line? I have thought this would be a fine candidate for a spin off. What does U P want with this property?
A couple of reasons ranked in importance IMO:
- One of the last areas on their system that still had/has more stick rail than welded rail.
- Running heavy coal trains and empties (UP got/will get WPS Weston Power Plant contract).
- Wind turbine traffic.
- One way around Chicago…kinda.
A little help with my ignorance. Where exactly is the Adams line? I assume it’s ex-CNW?
The “Adams Line” once hosted the Twin Cities 400 streamliner between Milwaukee and Wyeville, Wisc. The route more or less follows the shape of an arc that bows-outwards towards Michigan’s Upper Penninsula. Today, Adams, Wisc. is the first crew change point for through freights operating west of Butler Yard (Milwaukee). Eastbounds from the Twin Cities also change crews at Adams.
In the spring of 1963 the Rochester 400 ran westbound up the Harvard Subdivision, through Madison, Wisc. and stopped briefly at Wyeville to exchange passengers with the Twin Cities 400. Whereas the latter continued on to Minneapolis / St. Paul, the former headed directly west to Rochester and Mankato, Minn.
Just a few years ago the Adams line was handling a Norfolk-Southern road-railer autoparts train for the Ford Motor Company at St. Paul. It still may be running.
I was surprised to hear that the line had deteriorated as badly as the article stated, and am glad that UP has upgraded it.
Last I heard, the Roadrailer trains (ZEMCH and ZCHEM) were still operating over this line. Now the track will be more befitting their Z-train status.
It is fun watching the Z trains zip through here on the welded rail now. Speed limit is now 35 mph, I think, with further speed upgrades coming.
Rail isn’t brand new, but much better than before.
!(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x218/MFJ_album/Union Pacific/8-21-10028.jpg)
The crossing got rebuilt first, with concrete pads, and upgraded with gates.
!(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x218/MFJ_album/Union Pacific/6-23-10005.jpg)
Last week Saturday they were replacing the switch in town. Seemed unusual they were working on the weekend, as they were still fine-tuning things Sunday night.
Wisconsin DOT has a good map of rail lines here: http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/localgov/docs/railmap.pdf