Nebkota Railway

Nebkota Railway

Nebkota Railway Engine No.49, an EMD GP7 locomotive.
Reporting mark	NRI
Locale	Nebraska
Dates of operation	1994–2013
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Length	73.5 miles (118.3 km)
Headquarters	Chadron, Nebraska

The Nebkota Railway (reporting mark NRI) was a Class III railroad that began operations in 1994 with 73.5 miles (118.3 km) of former Chicago and North Western Railway Cowboy Line track between Merriman and Chadron, Nebraska. Due to a loss of grain shipments from Gordon, Nebraska in 2006, the railroad abandoned the eastern 43 miles (69 km) of its line between Merriman and Rushville, Nebraska. In September 2007, the railroad abandoned the line between Rushville and 4 miles (6.4 km) east of Chadron 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 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, now Rapid City, Pierre and Eastern Railroad at Dakota Junction and a further 20 miles (32 km) by trackage rights to a connection with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe at Crawford, Nebraska. In 2010, newly formed Nebraska Northwestern Railroad purchased the line between Dakota Junction and Chadron, including the Chadron rail yard. Nebkota retained its trackage rights.