Nebraska Northwestern Railroad

The Nebraska Northwestern Railroad (reporting mark NNW) 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. In addition to the 7.5 miles of owned track, the railroad leased the line between the connection with the DME Rapid City line at Dakota Junction and the connection with BNSF Railway at Crawford, Nebraska.

In addition to the connections to the west, the railroad connects with the remaining 4 miles of track owned by the Nebkota Railway coming from the east where a unit train grain loading facility has been proposed.

Included in the purchase of the track were the railroad facilities at Chadron, including the former Chicago Northwestern roundhouse. Nebraska Northwestern intends to use the roundhouse for the repair and refurbishing of large railroad equipment.

In the spring of 2011 a 4.9 million dollar Federal Tiger grant was awarded to pay 80% of the cost of upgrading the line between Chadron and Dakota Junction to continuous rail and to add stringers and ties to the bridges between Chadron and Crawford.

References

• "Chadron roundhouse coming back to life". Chadron Record. 2010-07-10. http://www.thechadronnews.com/articles/2010/07/10/chadron/headlines/doc4c3373e38dbaa260282563.txt. Retrieved 2010-07-10. 
• "New railroad files to purchase track in Chadron and west". Chadron Record. 2010-02-12. http://www.thechadronnews.com/articles/2010/02/12/chadron/headlines/doc4b72c97c9c574062778135.txt. Retrieved 2010-07-10. 
• "NNW railroad grant survives budget battles". Chadron Record. 2011-4-19. http://rapidcityjournal.com/thechadronnews/news/article_c5e0a06e-6abc-11e0-8d83-001cc4c002e0.txt. Retrieved 2011-8-7.