CP raises track to get around Iowa flooding NEWSWIRE

DAVENPORT, Iowa — Canadian Pacific Railway’s Davenport Subdivision is getting a reprieve from mother nature and flooding along the Mississippi River. Flooded riverfront tracks in Davenport led the railroad to raise dump several dozen car loads of ballast along the flooded track, with tampers raising the track level.

The City of Davenport says it has concerns over how the work will affect the reopening of seven waterfront intersections.

The Quad-City Times newspaper reported that CP engineering officials met with Mayor Frank Klipsch and other city officials recently, with CP assuring the city the crossings will be restored to compliance with federal disability access laws once the river waters subside.

Thousands of sandbags surround downtown businesses, flood gates remain closed, and several pumps are running 24-7 to remove water. Iowa Highway 61 and River Drive are closed in several locations with water over the roadway.

CP had been shoving both north and south bound trains through the flooded area with locomotives on either end to prevent shorting out traction motors, but is back to running conventionally-powered trains slowly through the flooded area due to the work done to raise trackage.

The National Weather Service monitoring station at Rock Island, Ill., directly across from Davenport showed 19-feet-3-inches of depth; the flood stage is 15 feet.