Western Railroad Discussion > Crossing the Great Plains - Part 1

For my trip to Kansas, I thought it would be somewhat different to go southward on US 83 from Bismarck all the way to Liberal, with a few diversions. This north-south route goes through several railroad division or crew change points, past and present. A constant fact about the Great Plains was that all the railroads ran their name, premier trains overnight across the Plains. Starting from the north, I would first look in my rear-view mirror some 105 miles, where US 83 goes through Minot - a major terminal on the GN and BNSF now and route of the Empire Builder, past and present. Mandan, across the Missouri River from Bismarck, was a terminal for the Northern Pacific and now BNSF. The North Coast Limited changed crews there.

As I traveled southward, at Selby, SD, US-83 crosses the former Milwaukee mainline to the Pacific Northwest, route of the Olympian Hiawatha. In Nebraska, US 83 crosses the former CNW Cowboy Line at Valentine, the former CB&Q, now BNSF Sand Hills Sub at Thedford, and the UP mammoth terminal at North Platte, where the Cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver and Portland once called. Some crossings had no train this day, some had many.

The day ended with some night shots along the UP triple track main east of North Platte. So come along - hope you enjoy the ride.

BB

1. Selby, SD - BNSF Mobridge Sub (former Milwaukee main to Pacific Northwest)
2. NREX 8103 idles at Onida, SD elevator. The RCP&E serves Onida
3. RCP&E crew ties down the 3437 east at Pierre.

---

---

---

4. Former CNW depot at Ft. Pierre - now a museum (on the RCP&E to Rapid City and Colony, WY)
5. Murdo, SD depot on the Dakota Southern (former Milwaukee line to Rapid City)
6. Valentine, NE - trail is the former ROW of the CNW Cowboy Line to Chadron and Wyoming
more...

---

---

---

7. The vast Sandhills of Nebraska
8. At Thedford, NE - hip shot of BNSF 4405 east leading an empty frac sand train - hmmmm - sand train in the Sandhills
9. Going away shot of same train
more.......

---

---

---

10. There was a 3/4 moon rise scheduled for that evening which was rise above the Sand hills northeast of North Platte. I search for a spot along the UP triple track main where there were farm or street lights. Waiting for the moon to rise, the UP 5803 west comes charging by with a stack train
11. The moon has risen but no train
12, An eastbound finally comes by with the moon back-lighting the train

---

---

---

Wonderful images  BB.  Thanks for sharing,  looking fwd to next part..

PWM

Very NICE and interesting series Bill!

Larry

Nice work.  Great gathering of depot shots 
Brian Stevens

I grew up in Selby. Spent many snowy days sledding down the embankment to the left in your photo.  I spent even more days hearing a train and biking to the overpass to catch a Milwaukee Road freight....mid to late 70s

thanks for the memory

Mark

MWP Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I grew up in Selby. Spent many snowy days sledding
> down the embankment to the left in your photo.  I
> spent even more days hearing a train and biking to
> the overpass to catch a Milwaukee Road
> freight....mid to late 70s
>
> thanks for the memory
>
> Mark

You're welcome. Selby is a great pit stop heading south from Bismarck. 

BB