The Nebkota Railway is a Class III railroad

Class III railroad

A Class III railroad, as defined by the Surface Transportation Board, is a railroad with an annual operating revenue of less than $20 million . The term only applies to United States railroads, but is sometimes applied to other countries...

 that began operations in 1994 with 73.5 miles (118.3 km) of former Chicago and North Western Railway

Chicago and North Western Railway

The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was a Class I railroad in the Midwest United States. It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s...

 Cowboy Line track between Merriman

Merriman, Nebraska

Merriman is a village in Cherry County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 118 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Merriman is located at ....

 and Chadron, Nebraska

Chadron, Nebraska

Chadron is a city in Dawes County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 5,851 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Dawes County. Chadron is the home of Chadron State College....

. Due to a loss of grain shipments from Gordon, Nebraska

Gordon, Nebraska

Gordon is a city in Sheridan County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 1,612 at the 2010 census.- Geography :Gordon is located at ....

 in 2006 the railroad abandoned the eastern 43 miles (69.2 km) of its line between Merriman

Merriman, Nebraska

Merriman is a village in Cherry County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 118 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Merriman is located at ....

 and Rushville, Nebraska

Rushville, Nebraska

Rushville is a city in Sheridan County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 890 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Sheridan County.-Geography:Rushville is located at ....

. In September 2007 the railroad abandoned the line between Rushville

Rushville, Nebraska

Rushville is a city in Sheridan County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 890 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Sheridan County.-Geography:Rushville is located at ....

 and 4 miles (6.4 km) east of Chadron

Chadron, Nebraska

Chadron is a city in Dawes County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 5,851 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Dawes County. Chadron is the home of Chadron State College....

 due to the loss of grain traffic to larger main-line loading facilities. In addition to freight service the railway offered a three hour passenger excursion service as a dinner train that ran through the scenic Pine Ridge

Pine Ridge

Pine Ridge may refer to:*Pine Ridge , of northwestern Nebraska and southwestern South Dakota*Pine Ridge Indian Reservation of southwestern South Dakota*Pine Ridge Campaign of the United States Army*Pine Ridge, Alabama...

 area near Chadron. Prior to the abandonments, the railroad hauled primarily grain along with some gravel and timber.

Since 2007 the railroad has continued to haul grain from the elevators in Chadron several miles west via trackage rights to its connection with the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern at Dakota Junction and a further 20 miles (32.2 km) by trackage rights to a connection with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe at Crawford, Nebraska

Crawford, Nebraska

Crawford is a city in Dawes County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 997 at the 2010 census. It was incorporated in 1886 and was named for the late Captain Emmet Crawford who had previously been stationed at nearby Fort Robinson.-Geography:...

. In 2010 newly formed Nebraska Northwestern Railroad

Nebraska Northwestern Railroad

The Nebraska Northwestern Railroad is a Class III railroad that began operations in April 2010 after it purchased 7.5 miles of former Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern, previously Chicago and Northwestern Railway Cowboy Line track between Dakota Junction and the rail yard at Chadron, Nebraska...

 purchased the line between Dakota Junction and Chadron, including the Chadron rail yard. Nebkota retained it's 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) miles of track east of Chadron capable of loading a 126 car unit train

Unit train

A unit train, also called a block train, is a railway train in which all the cars making it up are shipped from the same origin to the same destination, without being split up or stored en route...

 in 10 hours. After local opposition and the purchase of the track between Dakota Junction and Chadron by Nebraska Northwestern Railroad

Nebraska Northwestern Railroad

The Nebraska Northwestern Railroad is a Class III railroad that began operations in April 2010 after it purchased 7.5 miles of former Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern, previously Chicago and Northwestern Railway Cowboy Line track between Dakota Junction and the rail yard at Chadron, Nebraska...

, the large loading facility was instead built near Alliance, Nebraska

Alliance, Nebraska

-External links:* * *...

 and a much smaller $800,000 grain loading auger was built east of Chadron.

Roster

Number	Builder	Model	Date
49	EMD	GP7 EMD GP7 The EMD GP7 is a four-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division and General Motors Diesel between October, 1949 and May, 1954. Power was provided by an EMD 567B 16-cylinder engine which generated . The GP7 was offered both with and without control cabs, and...	1952
613	EMD	SD9 EMD SD9 An EMD SD9 is a 6-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between January 1954 and June 1959. Power was provided by an EMD 567C 16-cylinder engine which generated . This model is, externally, similar to its predecessor, the SD7. The principal spotting feature are the...	1957
1374	EMD	SD9	1957