Does anyone know if it is true that the ATSF had a line in Nebraska? If so, where did it run and what did it transport?
greetings,
Marc Immeker
The Santa Fe touched Nebraska’s southern border at Superior. The 2.53 miles of line in Nebraska connected with the Burlington and the Chicago & Northwestern. The Santa Fe’s Superior connection stemmed from the mainline just west of Strong City, Kansas at a place called Neva. This was the 153.8 mile Strong City Subdivision built in 1887-1888. Primary freight on the line was grain.
Strong City Sub. was heavilly rebuilt in the 1980’s and still exists today. IT was used pre-merger to expedite grain from Kansas to the Pacific NW. From near Abilene on joint ATSF/UP track all the way north via Concordia. At one point there was also SLSF & MoP track that was up there as well (later a shortline [Great Plains Railway?], now gone - powered by CF&I/DRGW Baldwins)
if you can find it and it will be tough there was a magazine called RailClassics that did a article and photos of the Superior line in the early 70s. I remember that the article mentioned that the ATSF had aquirred the Chicago and Northwestern trackage in Superior and were using it for car storage Larry