My exploits capturing a series of late Amtrak trains in late June and early July of 2020

My exploits capturing a series of late Amtrak trains in late June and early July of 2020
There are 13 projects up for bids in July, including signage replacement along US 50 and K-61 in Reno County.
Following up from my trip to Wedel Acres a couple of weeks ago… after leaving Wedel Acres, I pointed my Subaru west on US 50 and headed toward Newton.
While in Newton, I went browsing through the local antique dealerships (mask on, of course). The first one happened to be trackside, and just as I was entering the first store, I heard the familiar sound of a crossing signal activating. I turned back outside to catch a westbound manifest with a little bit of color within the power.
This past weekend, after seeing pictures and discussion on Facebook about Wedel Acres in Peabody, I finally decided to check it out.
Peabody is located just northeast of Newton in Marion County just off of US 50. It is also where the BNSF La Junta Sub crosses the UP [née Rock Island] Lost Springs Sub.
A fellow railfan named Dwight Wedel was able to acquire a small tract of land on the southeast side of the BNSF/UP crossing and has constructed a replica train station.
Although “Outdoor recreational activity” was allowed here in Kansas under the state’s “Stay at Home” order, I didn’t really feel a reason to get out of the house until last Saturday, when I headed out to Pomona to check out an old spot that has changed quite a bit since the last time I was there.
Recently, BNSF replaced the truss bridges over the Marais des Cynges River between Pomona and Quenemo. The eastern bridge at MP 69 is right next to the Arkansas Terrace crossing.
Here’s what’s up for bids at the June monthly letting.
Here are the projects up for bids at KDOT’s may letting
The COVID-19 pandemic has not affected the ability of KDOT to put projects up for bids. However, KDOT did post the following note with the list of projects for the April letting:
The Kansas Department of Transportation April 22, 2020 Letting WILL remain as scheduled with possible procedural changes to accommodate public building restrictions due to the COVID-19 emergency. We will be in contact and keep you updated as details become available. Thanks.
Most likely, this means that the bids will be opened on a conference call. The March bids were read in this manner.
Technically, there were two KDOT lettings in the month of March. The first one, on March 10, was the delayed February lettings. The projects in this list were put up for bids on March 25.
KDOT had a little issue with this letting… due to the US department of Labor changing the prevailing wage rates, the all of the bids for this letting had to be discarded and a special letting called for March 10th.