Western Railroad Discussion > The Trip to Hoag, NE

Hoag was founded in 1885 and was the first station northwest of Beatrice.  It was never a very large community since Beatrice was so close but had a post office until 1934.  Starting in the late 50’s, Hoag was a bustling place for rail traffic and trains would spend a couple of hours switching there on each trip.  At that time, there were two different businesses there and both anhydrous and dry fertilizer were produced.  Over the years, business operations and ownership have changed so that now the Koch plant no longer ships or receives anything by rail even though track is still in place.  They are, however, planning a $90 million expansion so hopefully, that will generate more rail business.  South of the plant now owned by Koch there is a distributor that receives tank cars of anhydrous fertilizer that is then off loaded to trucks for distribution.
 
The elevator there no longer ships grain by rail but is expanding its operations to include a feed mill operation that will generate more rail traffic.  Grading for side tracks is complete and ties are piled nearby but I’ve seen no rail yet.
 
Last Monday, I had a chance to follow the BNSF Crete, NE to Beatrice local.  This particular day, they only needed to go as far as Hoag.    BNSF 3182 and 3192 were power that day.
 
The train left Crete at about 10:30 with seven cars of anhydrous ammonia fertilizer for the distributor at Hoag.  They stopped to switch at the Smithfield plant south of Crete where they picked up a hopper.
 
In the first two views, the train is departing the yard at Crete, on the Hastings sub, part of the Chicago – Denver main line.  About a half mile from my vantage point, the train will go south on the Beatrice sub.
 
The third view shows the train headed south on Beatrice sub trackage a mile north of Dewitt.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/20/20 09:30 by twjurgens.

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The fourth view is of the train passing an old elevator on the north side of Dewitt.
 
Next, I’d been wanting to get a shot of a train with that farmhouse in it for some time.  The train has just crossed Turkey Creek south of Dewitt. 
 
In the last view, the train has arrived at Hoag and will spot the fertilizer loads at the distributor.  Empty tanks will be taken out and the train will return to Crete.
 
 

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Koch is planning a $90 expansion. I don't think $90 goes very far these days . . . . . maybe a typo?

Corrected!  Thanks for catching it.  Had it in my original draft but took it out for some reason....must be an old guy thing:)

alcoc636 Wrote:
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> Koch is planning a $90 expansion. I don't think
> $90 goes very far these days . . . . . maybe a
> typo?

Neat!