Movements 5.2.1 Regional Freight Movements
The BNSF; the Union Pacific; and the
Omaha
,
Lincoln
&
Beatrice
Railroads, provide railroad freight transportation in the study area. Key commodities using
rail
transport include coal, farm products, food products, mixed freight and chemicals. Coal is the dominant commodity for products shipped by
rail
that end their trip at Nebraska receiving points. This coal is largely carried in unit 5-32 trains from the Powder River Basin in Wyoming to coal-burning utility power plants throughout Nebraska and the upper Midwest. Coal accounts for 55 percent of the
rail
tonnage terminated in Nebraska, followed by mixed freight (22 percent), chemicals (11 percent), transportation equipment (seven percent), and food products (five percent) according to the Association of American Railroads, 1993. Nebraska ranks first in
rail
-tons of farm products originated in any state. Of all the
rail
tonnage originated in Nebraska, almost 70 percent are farm products. Main routes of the two primary railroads in the west serve Nebraska. Burlington Northern Santa Fe. BNSF stretches from western Canada to Alabama in the southeast and has key lines to California. Powder River (Wyoming) low sulfur coal is a major part of its traffic mix. Otherwise traffic is quite similar to Union Pacific Railroad traffic, including much double stack intermodal container movement. BNSF is the largest railroad in the western United States. BNSF
Rail
traffic from Colorado, Wyoming and South Dakota traverses through
Lincoln
, and continues either east to
Omaha
or southeast towards Kansas City. Union Pacific Railroad. West of Chicago, Union Pacific (UP) Railroad stretches to Los Angeles, Oakland, Seattle, New Orleans, and Texas, and connects to Mexico. UP has heavy traffic in grain, chemicals, automobiles and parts, lumber and low sulfur western coal. (Nebraska Statewide
Rail
Plan, 1996) The
Omaha Lincoln
&
Beatrice
. The
Omaha Lincoln
&
Beatrice
(OL&B) Railway is a shortline railroad that operates only in
Lincoln
. It owns approximately six kilometers (four miles) of track and provides local switching service in the study area for grain and cement.
5.2.2 Study Area Freight Traffic Analysis Amended Draft Single Package. A key purpose and need identified early in the AV MIS was to eliminate the traffic and pedestrian hazards associated with the at-grade crossings of the BNSF Railroad mainline by major streets. The removal of the at-grade crossings has the potential to improve freight operations by eliminating the potential hazard of the pedestrian and motorist crossings. This, in turn, would reduce the railroad liability, and enable the railroad to operate with fewer stops through this section of
Lincoln
. Eliminating the at-grade crossing would also eliminate the need for trains to sound their horns; thus reducing noise levels at adjacent residential areas. Freight and delivery access plans in the area of 33rd Street, Cornhusker Highway, and the East-West Roadway, has been coordinated with local business. Access to all business would be maintained, although some access routes would change. Truck access to the grain elevators would be maintained. No-Action Alternative. Freight
rail
operations in the X Street Corridor would change. Trains that use the X Street corridor through the UNL City Campus will be re-routed to avoid the high pedestrian locations.
Under a separate Railroad Transportation Safety District project, a new track is being constructed along the BNSF Railroad right-of-way. The new track will accommodate UP's unit grain trains traveling 5-33 to and from the grain elevators served by the OL&B. No major changes to truck freight traffic are expected under the No-Action Alternative.