(The followings tory by Rick Willis appeared on the Omaha World-Herald website on July 8, 2010.)
SIDNEY, Neb. — A storm that hit the southern Panhandle late Tuesday is still delaying trains.
One track is open but another remains closed after the flash flood damaged both tracks between Lodgepole and Sidney Tuesday night. According to Mark Davis, Union Pacific spokesman, railroad dispatchers in Omaha are able to move trains both ways over the lone track for now.
“We’re lucky that there is a crossover nearby where we can pass one train around another,” Davis said.
Davis said that the crews worked until midnight Wednesday dumping ballast into the tracks and then resumed Thursday morning at 6 a.m. Some crews, responsible for tamping the rock to make it more stable, stayed on site through the night.
To open the first track, the crews dumped more than 4,100 tons of rock to fill gaps created by the water. Crews had 8,800 tons of rock available to use on the second track. Most of the rock came by trains from Cheyenne, Wyo.
There are no damage estimates available yet. In addition to the materials and man-hours, costs include such intangible as the diverting of trains and delays.
“We get the track open first and then work on costs,” Davis said. “We won’t know the costs for a month or two.”
Davis said he’s amazed at the work the employees do in adverse conditions.
“It’s amazing how these professionals work and work safely in all sorts of adverse conditions,” Davis said. “Right now they are working around the clock. It’s a tough profession.”
Davis said that customers are surprised that Union Pacific recovers so quickly.
“Customers are amazed how quickly we can resolve a major incident,” Davis said.