UP must have indeed also been shut down between Ogden and Salt Lake; causing traffic to seriously back up. But now, since that corridor has reopened, there still ain't much moving. I have been hearing reports that trains are now stacked up between Ogden and Salt Lake city, one after another on the main for nearly forty miles (with lights out), apparently waiting for a spot in one of the yards.

This is a bit reminiscent of UP's melt down days of old. We should though, cut 'em some slack, as this is an easy to understand consequence of a prolonged track closure. Many trains are going to get stranded, and when the crew's time is up - it's up. But when all those delayed trains finally do reach the yards or a normal crew change point, they all will arrive at close order, swamping the facilities, thus many will have to wait their turn - out on the main. The back log should clear up in a few days.

As to the winds along the Wasatch Front: when those "Canyon Winds" (as the locals call them) blow, they are indeed contrary and fierce, and concentrated; being funneled through deep canyons between 10,000 to 12,000 high mountains - the worst winds anywhere on the UP, often exceeding 80mph with gusts sometimes exceeding 120mph.

Anything not tied down gets blown away (including people!); also sheds, billboards, fences, trees, power poles, street lights, railroad signal bridges!; you name it, and even whole roof structures, get stripped off and blown away. Nothing is safe. And yes, even automobiles - I15 was also closed to all high profile vehicles (SUVs & minivans on up). Moreover, several times in the past, UP trains have been literally blown off the tracks at the mouth of the Farmington Canyon. And those were regular trains too. But modern double stacks and the UTA'a double deck Frontrunner trains are both very high profile targets. Shutting down was prudent.

As a side note, in the 80s, UP did experiments with various catenary systems in this area. They were installed over the tracks across the mouth of the Farmington Canyon and a couple of miles either side; to see whether or not particular designs could withstand those fierce winds. To my knowledge, no voltage was ever applied to the catenary. as these were just mechanical and endurance tests.