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MoPac Pueblo Line
Author: cdub said...
Date: 03-10-2020 - 10:28
Quote from The Trainorders.com. Emphasis below mine. Time for cdub to eat crow.
Date: 08/20/08 06:07
Re: When did UP sell off MoPac's Kansas Division?
Author: cdub
The Osawatomie to Pueblo line was disposed of in pieces. First, Osawatomie to Herrington was abandoned back in the early to mid 1990's. Originally when DRGW got trackage rights on this line, they used the entire line into Kansas City. But gradually, they started interchanging more trains to the Cotton Belt at Herrington for Kansas City and then pretty much all of their Pueblo-KC trains began using the Herrington interchange after the 1988 SP-DRGW merger. By the early 90's, there was hardly any traffic except a little local stuff on Osawatomie to Herrington, so they abandoned it.
Then the UP-SP merger came in 1996. UP deemed the Pueblo line to be redundant to the KP, so the Pueblo line was disposed. The entire line was shutdown as a main line route in late 1997, along with Tennessee Pass. Herrington to Hope is still owned by UP, about 10 miles. From Hope to I believe Lindsborg was abandoned, about 30 miles. From Lindsborg all the way to Pueblo, I believe all or most of the line is still in place but sold off to various short lines.
I firmly believe the UP made the right decision by getting rid of the Pueblo line. Without Tennessee Pass, it was useless. If you wanted to run trains to Denver, you still have to go up the Joint Line. The KP is a straight shot to Denver.
I really wished all you Tennessee Pass fans would give it up. That line will never come back. What railroad is out of their mind to run trains up 3 percent grades, using over 10 units a train with 2 or 3 sets of helpers? The DRGW and SP were forced to out of necessity, they didn't have any choic with capacity limited over the Front Range line back in the 1990s. For awhile there back in the late 80's, DRGW tried running all it's traffic over the Front Range, but it didn't work because it got clogged up. UP didn't have to because they have far superior routes around Colorado. And I don't think a regional or a Class 1 (like BNSF) would be crazy enough to even approach UP to purchase that line, if UP wanted to entertain bids for it. It would be a money losing proposition.
Date: 08/20/08 06:07
Re: When did UP sell off MoPac's Kansas Division?
Author: cdub
The Osawatomie to Pueblo line was disposed of in pieces. First, Osawatomie to Herrington was abandoned back in the early to mid 1990's. Originally when DRGW got trackage rights on this line, they used the entire line into Kansas City. But gradually, they started interchanging more trains to the Cotton Belt at Herrington for Kansas City and then pretty much all of their Pueblo-KC trains began using the Herrington interchange after the 1988 SP-DRGW merger. By the early 90's, there was hardly any traffic except a little local stuff on Osawatomie to Herrington, so they abandoned it.
Then the UP-SP merger came in 1996. UP deemed the Pueblo line to be redundant to the KP, so the Pueblo line was disposed. The entire line was shutdown as a main line route in late 1997, along with Tennessee Pass. Herrington to Hope is still owned by UP, about 10 miles. From Hope to I believe Lindsborg was abandoned, about 30 miles. From Lindsborg all the way to Pueblo, I believe all or most of the line is still in place but sold off to various short lines.
I firmly believe the UP made the right decision by getting rid of the Pueblo line. Without Tennessee Pass, it was useless. If you wanted to run trains to Denver, you still have to go up the Joint Line. The KP is a straight shot to Denver.
I really wished all you Tennessee Pass fans would give it up. That line will never come back. What railroad is out of their mind to run trains up 3 percent grades, using over 10 units a train with 2 or 3 sets of helpers? The DRGW and SP were forced to out of necessity, they didn't have any choic with capacity limited over the Front Range line back in the 1990s. For awhile there back in the late 80's, DRGW tried running all it's traffic over the Front Range, but it didn't work because it got clogged up. UP didn't have to because they have far superior routes around Colorado. And I don't think a regional or a Class 1 (like BNSF) would be crazy enough to even approach UP to purchase that line, if UP wanted to entertain bids for it. It would be a money losing proposition.
| Subject | Written By | Date/Time (PST) |
|---|---|---|
 MoPac Pueblo Line |
cdub said... | 03-10-2020 - 10:28 |