Nebraska August 2001 Page 1 of 4 Click the thumbnail to see the full-size pictures
									Taking a vacation in central Nebraska probably isn't what most people would consider a lot of fun, but when you consider that the Union Pacific main line parallels U.S. Highway 30 for more than 250 miles, this makes for some excellent railfanning.  The fact that the 3-track section west of Gibbon to North Platte is the busiest freight railroad line in the world adds to the fun.  This eastbound intermodal is on the two track portion of the route between Omaha and Gibbon. August 17, 2001
									Another eastbound, this time coal, on the portion between Omaha and Gibbon.  A large percentage of the trains we saw were coal trains - loads coming from the Powder River Basin in Wyoming headed for power plants in the midwest and east, or empties headed back to the mines. August 17, 2001
									Grain also accounts for a tremendous amount of traffic on this line, and just about every town along U.S. 30 has at least one elevator.  This Union Pacific train is parked at an elevator in Clarks, NE, east of Grand Island. August 17,2001
									We spent our first night on the trip in Grand Island, where the main Burlington Northern Santa Fe route to the Powder River Basin crosses the UP.  UP maintains a small yard here.  BNSF coal trains through this area typically used distributed power, with one unit on the head end and one on the rear.  This SD70MAC is going solo on the point of an eastbound coal train. August 18, 2001
									And a sister SD70MAC, this one a bit faded, brings up the rear.  That's the Union Pacific main line under the bridge. August 18, 2001