Omaha Shops

When did the Omaha Shops close? What happened to the employees? I had no idea it was gone until I went home and saw the "qwest center". It would have been nice if UP had paid for that sponsorship.

From what I remember, the consist of the executive train set was kept and maintained at the Omaha coach shops at 9th and Webster. I had read a while back in the Omaha World Herald a few years ago or more that the cars would be moved and stored in Council Bluffs IA across the river. The new Union Pacific museum is in Council Bluffs and is an excellent display of history and items.
The Omaha shops were dismantled in fall of 2001.

related articles
http://www.epa.gov/region07/news_events ... _shops.pdf

http://www.historicomaha.com/weekly74.jpg

http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/photos/ajru ... ndex.shtml

I think that they always kept the business cars in Fox Park in Council Bluffs (it's not really a park - it's part of the yards) but I could be wrong on that.

I was just wondering how many employees were furloughed. That used to be a huge operation.

The new UP Museum (the library, back in my day) is quite striking. I'm glad they were able to find a use for that building, and a suitable place for all the UP historical items. The old museum, in the old "Headquarters Building" was not nearly big enough.

There's a new place called Heritage Park, North of US-6 and towards the middle of Council Bluffs. 10th St and Ave I

UP keeps most of the fleet under shelter now. There's a roundhouse with turntable as part of the complex.

John Perkowski

My parents moved to Omaha back in '91 or '92. The Omaha Shops were there, but just barely. Some buildings were still standing and there wsa plenty of track still in place, but the buildings were all boarded up and the tracks were all rusted and empty. If there was still any activity there at that time, you'd never have known it by looking at the facilities.

I can confirm that the business car fleet was kept at Fox Park. When visiting the family I would try to get over to Council Bluffs and Fox Park to get some railfanning in. Glad to hear that most, if not all, the business cars are now protected. Can I assume the E-9's are kept in the new roundhouse?

Omaha/Council Bluffs is still quite a haven of rail activity, just not what it probably once was.