We woke up at the Cedar Inn in McCook and after we checked our morning things, the first place we went after loading the rental car, was the McCook Amtrak station for pictures.
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy McCook station buit in 1926 and used by Amtrak's California Zephyr. We stopped at McDonald's for breakfast before driving up to Interstate 80 at North Platte and took this east to our first stop at Gothenburg.
Railway Service Contractors (MJRX) SD20 1021, nee Southern SD24 6315, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1960. From here we drove east to our next station in Cozad.
The Cozad Union Pacific station built in 1925.
Union Pacific caboose 25335, originally Union Pacific 2735, built by the railroad in 1955, on display.
The archway for the 100th Meridian.
The 100th Meridian sign. We then drove to Lexington.
I&M Rail Link SD9 612, ex. Southern Pacific SD9E 4391, nee Southern Pacific SD9 5485, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1956. Continuing our drive, we stopped at Lexington.
The Willow Island Union Pacific station has been moved to the Dawson County Museum in Lexington.
Union Pacific 2-6-0 485, built by Baldwin in 1903, is also on display here.
Elizabeth in front of the steam engine. From here we drove straight on Interstate 80 to Grand Island and made our first stop at the CB&Q station.
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy station in Grand Island, built in 1911, home to the Tri-City Model Railroad Association. We then drove across town to the Stuhr Museum. There was a school group getting a lesson in front of the steam locomotive so we of course went around the back and took pictures then went around front to get pictures but of course could not get a clean shot of the engine with no one in front.
Union Pacific 2-8-0 437, built by Baldwin in 1901 as Union Pacific 1657.
Plaque explaining about the steam engine.
A 1871 Union Pacific passenger coach.
Oregon Railway and Navigation Company caboose 313 built by Pullman in 1912.
The plaque for the caboose.
The rear of the train showing the school group.
Union Pacific 2-8-0 437 and the school group. From here we headed back to Kearney on Interstate 80 to the Trails and Rails Museum.
Union Pacific 2-8-0 481 built by Baldwin in 1903 as Union Pacific 1902.
Museum scene.
Union Pacific flat car.
Union Pacific caboose 25396 built by the railroad in 1955 as Union Pacific 2796.
The Shelton Union Pacific station which was moved to the museum site in 1975.
The Trails and Rails Museum sign at the front of the building as you come into the park. From here we started our drive to Alliance and drove Highway 10, stopping at Pleasanton where we found another station in the city park.
Union Pacific Pleasanton station built in 1890. We then drove north to Highway 2 which we would take all the way to Alliance.
BNSF 5507 East between Hazard and Litchfield.
BNSF 8790 East east of Mason City.
BNSF SD70ACe 8790.
Kansas City Southern ES44AC 4836.
Elizabeth and the KCS unit.
BNSF AC4400CWS 5655 is the DPU on this coal train. We were following a long empty westbound coal train then we stopped at Broken Bow.
The Broken Bow Chicago, Burlington and Quincy station built in 1916.
BNSF SD70ACe 8767 was the DPU on the long coal train that passed us in Broken Bow.
BNSF 9041 West west of Broken Bow.
BNSF 5772 East west of Broken Bow.
BNSF 9041 West caught up to us at Merna.
BNSF 8401 East was waiting at Merna.
BNSF 9041 West passing BNSF 8401 East at Merna.
BNSF 9041 West mid-train DPUs which had 8767 on the rear. We continued down the highway and our Garmin said that the next street was Llama Lane. Since I am a big fan of the Monty Python skit about llamas, Elizabeth and I had to get pictures underneath the sign.
The author of this story at Llama Lane.
The author's wife Elizabeth at Llama Lane. My camera battery would not let me take any more pictures so I did not and we just enjoyed passing trains the rest of the way into Alliance where we had dinner at Ken and Dale's Restaurant where I had a flat iron steak which was excellent and Elizabeth enjoyed salmon. We then checked in to our hotel for two nights at the Alliance Hotel and Suites and had a room with a sauna tub. Tomorrow, the Black Hills Central Railroad.
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