PotatoeEatsFish wrote: Sun May 25, 2025 11:45 am
It’s a pretty easy solution, literally have 1 single train that goes from the Omaha Amtrak station downtown to the Lincoln Haymarket station. The only reason this wouldn’t work is railroads being greedy but with UP headquartered here I think the public could push them to do something. One of their only Fortune 500 companies renovated the park and brought a streetcar just for a new headquarters. It’s pretty sad if the largest railroad in the company couldn’t have even a single train between their headquarters and downtown Lincoln. I’m just getting sick of these billion+ dollar companies not investing in their communities when they could solve so many issues with 10% of their annual income. God forbid their investors don’t make a 150% profit in their fruits year knowing the people who run Omaha.
It’s been said that the ideal railroad owns no track and runs no trains. The class one railroads, including the BeenNothingSinceFrisco are all obsessed with cost cutting. A viable passenger service would require investing in more crews with new training and new equipment and new and/or upgraded facilities. It would also probably require some capacity improvements, as it’s my understanding that the tracks westbound into Lincoln have a habit of getting congested. All this for a service that wouldn't even be profitable.
I think the only scenario in which a freight railroad would even entertain the idea of passenger service is if they could run a single 110-car train jammed completely full with passengers. I’m pro-passenger rail, but the only way it works well is with significant public investment.
After years of dreaming, I don't see it ever happening with shared rails. Maybe, maybe, if there's room in the ROW, BNSF would be willing to relinquish enough space for a separate set of rails. But I highly doubt either is possible, unless it were abandoned.
However, I have spent a lot of time around that line that goes between Ashland and Omaha, in various locatoins along it, and only once have I seen or heard a train in that section.
I'm curious as to what the main purpose of that section is. Or if anybody that lives next to it hears trains. I don't live near the line, but have spent a fair amount of time around it. It just doesn't seem to be real active.
Busguy2010 wrote: Mon May 26, 2025 5:36 am
However, I have spent a lot of time around that line that goes between Ashland and Omaha, in various locations along it, and only once have I seen or heard a train in that section.
I'm curious as to what the main purpose of that section is. Or if anybody that lives next to it hears trains. I don't live near the line but have spent a fair amount of time around it. It just doesn't seem to be really active.
Amtrak twice daily, empty unit coal trains, intermodal, and local freight (the LINLIN, which makes a round trip to Omaha beginning and ending in Lincoln. Sometimes it's a triangle route Lincoln-Ashland-Omaha-Oreapolis-Ashland-Lincoln.) Basically two types of trains--light and fast that can make the hill in Gretna without a problem, or slow that would otherwise gum up the Louisville line.
Busguy2010 wrote: Mon May 26, 2025 5:36 am
However, I have spent a lot of time around that line that goes between Ashland and Omaha, in various locations along it, and only once have I seen or heard a train in that section.
I'm curious as to what the main purpose of that section is. Or if anybody that lives next to it hears trains. I don't live near the line but have spent a fair amount of time around it. It just doesn't seem to be really active.
Amtrak twice daily, empty unit coal trains, intermodal, and local freight (the LINLIN, which makes a round trip to Omaha beginning and ending in Lincoln. Sometimes it's a triangle route Lincoln-Ashland-Omaha-Oreapolis-Ashland-Lincoln.) Basically two types of trains--light and fast that can make the hill in Gretna without a problem, or slow that would otherwise gum up the Louisville line.
Both Amtrak are off hours, 11pm and 5am. The Chicago to Denver freight train is usually early morning after Amtrak. The LINLIN is also mid morning and early afternoon. So if you are along to Omaha line afternoon or evening, you probably wont see much unless the Creston Sub is busy, that's when you will see the empty coal trains damonhynes mentioned. Coal traffic is way down anymore, so you don't see the empty coal like you use to.
Starting Aug. 19 in Columbus, Juarez and ProRail Nebraska advocates are kicking off a statewide series of five town halls to gauge the interest Nebraskans have in passenger rail options.
The feedback is for a legislative interim study also evaluating existing passenger rail infrastructure in Nebraska — which sponsors say could lead to legislation proposing ways to create easier commutes between Nebraska cities.
State Sen Margo Juarez is absolutely correct (emphasis my own)
wrote:She referred to a trip she recently made to Salt Lake City, where she once lived. She said a light rail system allowed her to ride from the airport to downtown and her hotel for $1.25.
“It reinforced in my mind how far behind Nebraska is in mass transportation,” said Juarez. “That kind of reliability and affordability should be available to everyone in Nebraska.”
But, Nebraska will continue to be Nebraska. Only thing left is to sprinkle in a "boondoggle" or two.
NDOT wrote:The Nebraska Department of Transportation said in a statement to the Nebraska Examiner that passenger rail currently is “not viable in the state because the development of such a route would pose a significant cost, and there is currently no mechanism to pay for such a project with existing state revenue.”
I would rather prioritize light rails being built in Omaha before a connection to Lincoln. Then we could eventually connect the Lincoln connection to the Omaha main train station.
I think it might be easier and cheaper to do conventional passenger rail between Omaha and Lincoln than to build out any sort of useful rail system in Omaha.
skip wrote: Tue Aug 12, 2025 5:17 pm
I would rather prioritize light rails being built in Omaha before a connection to Lincoln. Then we could eventually connect the Lincoln connection to the Omaha main train station.
This, but also do light rails in Lincoln and have them eventually connect. That way the entire fate of the project wouldn't depend solely on a connection between the two cities, rather it'd be two cities building their own light rail networks and maybe, eventually, connecting them. Omaha's could go as far as say Gretna or Ashland and Lincoln's could go to Waverly, Eagle and eventually Greenwood. Both systems would be hugely beneficial to their respective areas, with or without the link between the two.
"Announcement about the movement" doesn't sound like the biggest thing in the world but we'll see. Joyce is quite the enthusiast for the idea so if he's making progress, more power to him
People are just excited that a Dem won in Iowa, so they're using this as an opportunity to restart the 100mph Amtrak service between Chicago and Lincoln conversations.
I don't fault them for being excited, but there's currently nothing to suggest that The Powers That Be have any interest in this (at least not at this time).
Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois frankly don't have the money to make this happen. Would require a significant rethinking of priorities, and even, with all three states facing deficits, there just isn't much appetite for a project like this. I know I'm not saying anything we don't already know, but even if there was some real interest in this, there's not going to be any *actual* appetite for the project.
*If* anyone was serious about this, they'd probably have to try a Brightline type of approach with a private entity that's maybe backed with public bonds? I'm sure there's some way to make it pencil out, but the states would be on the hook for the bonds / taking over the operation if it failed, obviously.
I love trains but this will literally never happen, nor should it. Would be a financial disaster. Even places with ridership strong enough to warrant actual service struggles to get a single mile of track built. Granted, it's often a policy issue, but even if Amtrak had the mandate of heaven to make a Midwest line, they'd never recoup their costs. Flying is faster and competes even at short distances like to Chicago.
The only rail line I can see even being marginally possible would be a commuter line that serviced Lincoln-Omaha. This is really the only "missing" form of transport for the region, and there's enough commuter traffic that it could be worth it. You sell it as a commuter line with sporadic stops, give preferential rates for Husker fans on game days, get Omaha and Lincoln to cost share with maybe some federal financing, and you might have a project on your hands.
Of course, given this state's delusional leadership and bleeding budget, it's never going to happen and certainly isn't a priority.
meliketrains wrote: Thu Nov 12, 2026 7:53 pm
The only rail line I can see even being marginally possible would be a commuter line that serviced Lincoln-Omaha. This is really the only "missing" form of transport for the region, and there's enough commuter traffic that it could be worth it. You sell it as a commuter line with sporadic stops, give preferential rates for Husker fans on game days, get Omaha and Lincoln to cost share with maybe some federal financing, and you might have a project on your hands.
I can *start* to understand the purpose of a broader line if it's thought of as a series of commuter lines. For instance, a Lincoln-Omaha-Atlantic commuter system followed by a Des Moines-area commuter, etc. that happen to all be connected could *potentially* work?
