Nebkota Railway
 Nebkota Railway Engine No.49, anEMD GP7locomotive. | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Chadron, Nebraska |
| Reporting mark | NRI |
| Locale | Nebraska |
| Dates of operation | 1994–2013 |
| Predecessor | Chicago and North Western Transportation Company |
| Successor | Nebraska Northwestern Railroad(surviving trackage) |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft8+1⁄2in(1,435 mm)standard gauge |
| Length | 73.5 miles (118.3 km) |
TheNebkota Railway(reporting markNRI) was aClass III railroadthat began operations in 1994 with 73.5 miles (118.3 km) of formerChicago and North Western Transportation CompanyCowboy Linetrack betweenMerrimanandChadron, Nebraska.Prior to the abandonments, the railroad hauled primarily grain along with some gravel and timber.[1]
History
[edit]Founded in 1994, the railroad's purpose was to haul grain fromelevatorsinMerrimanand other locations farther west, via trackage rights to its connection with theDakota, Minnesota and Eastern,nowRapid City, Pierre and Eastern Railroadat Dakota Junction and a further 20 miles (32 km) by trackage rights to a connection with theBurlington Northern Santa FeatCrawford, Nebraska.Due to a loss of grain shipments fromGordon, Nebraskain 2006, the railroad abandoned the eastern 43 miles (69 km) of its line betweenMerrimanandRushville, Nebraska.In September 2007, the railroad abandoned the line betweenRushvilleand 4 miles (6.4 km) east of Chadron due to the loss of grain traffic to larger main-line loading facilities.[2]In addition to freight service, the railway offered a three-hour passenger excursion service as a dinner train that ran through the scenicPine Ridgearea near Chadron. In 2010, the newly formedNebraska Northwestern Railroadpurchased the line between Dakota Junction and Chadron, including the Chadron rail yard. Nebkota retained its trackage rights.
In January 2010, West Plains Company, owner of the Nebkota, announced plans to construct a 14 million-dollar grain loading facility on the remaining 4 miles (6.4 km) of track east of Chadron capable of loading a 126-carunit trainin 10 hours.[3]After local opposition and the purchase of the track between Dakota Junction and Chadron byNebraska Northwestern Railroad,the large loading facility was instead built nearAlliance, Nebraskaand a much smaller $800,000 grain loading auger was built northwest of Chadron.[4]
On August 26, 2013 John Nielsen, owner of theNebraska Northwestern Railroadfiled a petition with theSurface Transportation Boardto purchase 100% of Nebkota's stock and assume control of the railroad from owner West Plains, LLC. The petition noted Nebkota had no current customers, no current employees, and its trackage rights to Crawford, Nebraska were inactive. Planned replacement of ties before winter, development of business and rail opportunities as part of an effort to restore service, and the strong support of West Plains, LLC were cited as reasons to expedite the petition.[5]
On November 20, 2013 the Surface Transportation Board authorized John Nielsen to gain control of the Nebkota as of December 15, 2013.[6]
On April 11, 2017 the Surface Transportation Board approved a corporate merger effective in May 2017 between Nebkota Railway and Nebraska Northwestern Railroad with Nebraska Northwestern being the surviving corporate entity.[7]
Roster
[edit]
| Number | Builder | Model | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 49 | EMD | GP7 | 1952 |
| 54 | EMD | FP9A | 1958 |
| 55 | EMD | FP7A | 1953 |
| 66 | EMD | F9B | 1955 |
| 613 | EMD | SD9 | 1957 |
| 614 | EMD | SD9 | 1957 |
References
[edit]- ^"Chadron rail line removal starts".Chadron Record.Retrieved2011-11-07.
- ^"Chadron to Rushville Nebkota line track removed".Double Q Country Radio. Archived fromthe originalon 2012-04-25.Retrieved2011-11-07.
- ^*"Grain loading project prompts concerns".Chadron Record.Retrieved2010-03-04.[dead link]
- ^"Grain loading facility raises road damage concerns".Chadron Record.Retrieved2011-11-07.
- ^"JOHN D. NIELSEN -- CONTROL EXEMPTION--NEBKOTA RAILWAY, INC"(PDF).Surface Transportation Board.Retrieved2014-03-09.
- ^"JOHN D. NIELSEN -- CONTROL EXEMPTION--NEBKOTA RAILWAY, INC".Surface Transportation Board.Retrieved2014-03-09.
- ^"Nebraska Northwestern Railroad, Inc. and Nebkota Railway, Inc. Intra Corporate Family Transaction Exemption"(PDF).Surface Transportation Board.Retrieved2018-03-08.
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