I know NS still owns a short segment of former WAB trackage that runs SE out of Des Moines, and from what little I saw of it last summer it looked to be in good shape.
Does NS still operate into Des Moines? If so, they must be exercising trackage rights over the BNSF. How do they connect with the BNSF? Do they connect at Hannibal?
the only route I am aware of is out of moberly,mo but i could be wrong…
NS traffic moves to/from Des Moines in BNSF trains. NS still does the industrial switching for itself, and I think for BNSF, on trackage east of the Des Moines River. Industries on the west side, including the ex-MILW branch to Grimes, that used to be served by the NS are now worked by the IAIS.
Jeff
Once again, Jeff is the knowledge base! Do you know where one would have the best chances of photographing some NS power in that area? The reason I ask is I’ll be visiting a close friend in Des Moines next spring and attending the CNW Historical Society convention (“meet”) there.
Maybe a bit OT, but what trains does the BNSF run into Des Moines?
I don’t know the train identifications or the actual numbers, but I know BNSF has plenty of business there. Des Moines is a big John Deere manufacturing center, and there’s about a zillion grain elevators and food-processing businesses there, and other manufacturing. I think UP and IAIS have the lion’s shares (in that order) of Des Moines rail business, but BNSF certainly has a share too.
Train symbols last I knew were BNSF mainfests M-DMOWQM and M-WQMDMO, which run daily between Des Moines and West Quincy, MO and perform haulage business for NS. As for customers, Union Pacific serves the John Deere cotton picker plant at Ankeny, which I think is outside of the switching district, but NS has access to a number of industries served directly and also those served by BNSF, IAIS and UP. NS-served customers include an Alter Co. scrap yard, a Cargill soybean processing plant, Heartland Co-Op and Titan Tire among others.
To see a list, go to www.bnsf.com , click CUSTOMER TOOLS on the drop-down menu, then click “SWITCHING INFORMATION” near the bottom. There, you can select station and serving carrier. For a full list of Des Moines industries served by and accessible to NS, just select IOWA and DES MOINES.
DPJ
DPJ is correct on the symbols.It was a good train to run but the branch kinda sucks now ( you rock and roll at 10 mph and get seasick lol) We do have industries along the line from Albia up to Des Moines but NS does all the town stuff and makes up our train. I have never had a cotton picker on any DMOWQM I was on,not saying it has never happened but I have never had one.
There is a truck dump along a siding out there on the branch but I cant remember where.
The train rates a brakeman and is a regular job ( two crews fill the bill) out of Burlington Iowa covered by boards 33,13 and 24 out of Galesburg if the regular guys lay off.
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Yes, the NS still does operate into Des Moines. A few months ago, I caught a lone NS GP60 with a string of tank cars doing switching in DM. And NS apparently owns a small yard near an elevator. As for how they get to that yard, I don’t know
The yard that (I think) railfanspee4449 is talking about is at E18th and Market Streets. This area is where the UP and NS/BNSF interchange. It’s west of the UP “Spine” and the Titan Tire plant.
I don’t know the Southeast side, other than UP, very well. I think the BNSF/NS yard is out on Vandalia Road, but I’m not sure exactly where. I couldn’t tell you what is between the 18th st yard and the main yard.
I don’t know if NS assigns power to Des Moines. I’ve seen them use BNSF engines to do the switching. They may use whatever comes in on the BNSF train.
Good luck, Jeff