Rollin' in the Green

March 29, 2012 - Near the Cole and Osage County Line. Union Pacific coal train crossing the Osage River on its way back to the Powder River Basin.

Find more transportation images through MoDOT's Flickr links - http://www.modot.org/flickr/

Bottleneck Be Gone

By definition, a bottleneck is something that halts free movement and progress. While it may not be a term we like to see associated with any mode of travel, bottlenecks still do exist on Missouri's main passenger rail corridor.

The good news is that MoDOT, Union Pacific, Amtrak and other partners are working together to eliminate these trouble spots.

In accordance with this goal, MoDOT recently signed a service agreement with Union Pacific Railroad that will allow work to begin on Missouri’s first rail infrastructure project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act – a second rail bridge over the Osage River.

The project will eliminate the last bottleneck on the eastern segment of the St. Louis to Kansas City rail corridor that sometimes causes delays for freight and Amtrak trains between Jefferson City and St. Louis.

The agreement was made following extensive negotiations between MoDOT, UP, Governor Jay Nixon’s Office and several other agencies, including the Federal Railroad Administration.

Don’t look for dirt to start flying quite yet though. MoDOT and UP will need to develop the construction plan before work can begin. Construction is expected to begin this fall, but prolonged flooding could push the start date into the spring.

This project, along with others Missouri has received funding for, will continue to alleviate remaining bottlenecks that cause congestion on the state’s major rail corridor. In turn, these improvements will make rail transportation safer and more reliable with a greater capacity for delivering both passengers and freight.

No. 844

You routed the steam, now have you seen it?

When your votes caused the Little Rock Express route to win the Union Pacific's Route the Steam Excursion contest, we received many inquiries about when the 1940s steam engine, No. 844, would come through Missouri. This week, those fans have had a unique chance to see a piece of living history roll right up to them.

It began early this week in Kansas City, and I was able to catch a glimpse of the engine last night in Jefferson City. I have a picture of my family gathered near the front, dwarfed by the massive engine (with my son, as usual, refusing to look at the camera). I couldn't help but think of it's early routes decades ago as World War II was nearing an end and trains were so heavily relied upon for travel and goods. When people first stood next to that engine, interstates were still more than a decade away.

This morning, I watched as No. 844, with steam billowing, headed east towards St. Louis, where it arrives this afternoon and will be on display tomorrow. Many more stops are scheduled through Monday, June 6, before it crosses into Arkansas. See the schedule here.

I hope you each have a chance to glimpse those clouds of steam in person. 

A Nostalgic Ride on the Rails

I haven’t ridden on a train in a very long time, so yesterday was an awesome experience. Instead of heading to the office as usual, I boarded the Columbine car, one of several Union Pacific heritage series cars being pulled by the Challenger 3985 – a 1940s-era steam engine. It is one of only two steam engines of its kind that still runs today.

Soon we were departing for Washington, Missouri. I was awed by the site of the fog still rolling off the Missouri River as we pulled away from Jefferson City. The thick, billowing steam from the engine continuously rolled over the top of the train, helping block the bright glare of the sun on this crisp fall morning. The sway on the tracks and the clacking of the car connectors wasn’t enough to distract from the beautiful view of bluffs and trees now beginning to sport their fall colors.

Not too long into the journey, we passed over the Osage River. This is where a second train bridge will soon be built with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds awarded to MoDOT. This project will help eliminate another bottleneck that impacts the speed and velocity of today’s modern trains.

Later, we passed over the Gasconade River where UP eliminated a bottleneck two years ago by completing a second track over the Gasconade River. Then just before we got to Washington, the train correctly stopped to let the westbound Amtrak train go by.

Throughout the journey, we must have been quite a sight to see for the many people who were stopped at crossings along the way and in the quaint towns nestled by the tracks.

Although the Challenger left us behind there to travel on to Illinois, it will return to Missouri this weekend as a part of Sedalia’s sesquicentennial celebration. What a fitting tribute to a city that was shaped by railroad history. What a great way I have discovered to see Missouri!

A Passing Lane for Trains

The eastbound Amtrak Missouri River Runner train whizzed by California City Hall just minutes before a dedication ceremony kicked off to officially open a new railroad side track located just west of California, Mo. The $8.1 million, 9,000-foot track enables two trains to pass.

The project was completed on time and under budget. It has helped unclog a major “bottleneck” caused by a 25-mile stretch of single track between Kansas City and Jefferson City. The new passing lane for trains allows a slower moving freight train to move off the main line so faster Amtrak trains can pass.

The side rail is estimated to reduce passenger train delays by nearly 17 percent per year. In fact, two out of the first three weeks it has been open, Amtrak trains have achieved a 100 percent on-time rate – the first time ever. Plus, ridership on the corridor is up 30 percent from 2007.

Union Pacific, Amtrak, MoDOT and the state of Missouri worked in partnership on this project to help increase capacity on the St. Louis to Kansas City corridor. Funding came from a $5 million allocation specifically for rail development from the Missouri General Assembly and a $3.1 million grant through the Federal Railroad Administration.