(The following story by Tom McMahon appeared on the Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil website on May 18.)
OMAHA — Union Pacific Railroad will move trains off its western Iowa line beginning today. But it won’t mean a reduction in rail traffic, according to Mark Davis, U.P. spokesperson.
Davis said the railroad is making improvements on the Iowa tracks and trains will be rerouted to operate on the parallel Canadian National/Illinois Central Railroad while the work is done.
“The Canadian National/Illinois Central operates an average of one train per day over their line between Arion and Council Bluffs,” Davis said. “Union Pacific will operate up to 20 trains per day over the line through mid-July.”
Davis said U.P. is spending $20 million on track improvements between Carroll and Council Bluffs. Crews will replace and install almost 72,000 concrete ties and 13,600 wooden ties, spread 127,000 tons of rock ballast to ensure a stable roadbed, and replace surfaces in 32 grade crossings, he said.
The work is expected to be completed by mid-July, with trains switching back to the U.P. tracks at that time, Davis said.