We often hear of other RR’s facilities in Kansas City, but I never read much mention of NS’s (former Wabash) facilities at the west end.
What yard is their primary terminus out there, and how is that tied into the overall picture for interchange?
Do they typically run thru, or is it more of a tedious “terminate-shuttle-and-reclassify” operation between east vs western roads?
For what I know about it, NS Avondale Yard in Kansas City is a cramped, short track yard, but very well maintained. UP interchanges Autoracks with them, although, most of the time they end up doubeling their trains up in the NS yard, and send UP back to 18th street with their power. I believe NS has a branch up to Claycomo(?) to serve a Ford plant as well.
NS also runs trains into Argentine for westward movement on BNSF.
Would this be the yard you list as “Avondale”? http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=Avondale+mo&ie=UTF8&ll=39.141877,-94.552245&spn=0.015477,0.026908&z=15
Yeah that’s it. It kinda diverts to the right in a north-east direction off of that north-south line to the old BN Murray Yard, now BNSF. The actual western end of the NS would start somewhere near Harlem Road, just after that line that it shows on the map crossing the Missouri river north-south. If ever in Kansas City, you can see the NS yard really good from the I-35/I-29 overpass, but I wouldn’t stop on it to look as it is very busy highway…lol.
While were on the subject of the West End of the NS, didn’t N&W (I assume Wabash) go onto Omaha? Was that a trackage rights/haulage agreement or did they own the tracks? Why doesn’t NS run there anymore?
N&W (Wabash) did have a line that went northwest through Chillicothe MO to Omaha. I think it left the KC line at Brunswick MO. I don’t belive there were any trackage rights. It as an all Wabash route.
It was abandoned in the late 70s early 80s. I assume deregulation killed what little traffic was running. Portions of the north and south ends of the line were run by shortlines, but these were not very succesful operations.
Stephen
Does NS do much business from Des Moines?
I believe most of the old Wabash from Albia, IA south is abandon and joint trackage with BNSF from Albia to Des Moines is reached over BNSF. Did Ottumwa, IA ever amount to much for the Wabash?
Excellent book on the subject…check your local library:
Cool!! thanks. So then the “Second Hannibal Bridge” over the Missouri is probably the end point?
description (click on bridge for info)
The line south of Albia, IA to Moulton, IA belongs to a county-owned short line (if it is still even operating). The line from Albia to Des Moines was originally owned by the Wabash. At some point, ownership transferred to the CB&Q, then BN and then BNSF. N&W and then NS retained trackage rights on this segment. In addition, NS has trackage rights on BNSF from Albia east to Burlington, IA.