Photo ID: 108130 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, May 31, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Belmont Tunnel Dawes County, NE 826 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Butte (BNSF) BNSF A trio of units bring up the rear of this eastbound coal load over the top of Crawford Hill through the cut at Belmont. This is one location where you can still find manned helpers in 2020. The ES44AC in the only DPU on the end of the train. The two SD70ACes are actually manned helpers based out of Crawford. Up ahead, they will cut away from the train and return to Crawford. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108129 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, May 31, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Belmont Tunnel Dawes County, NE 825 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Butte (BNSF) BNSF A pair of SD70ACes leads an eastbound coal load on Main 2 to the top of Crawford Hill. Belmont Road passes right over the tracks here, offering a fantastic view of trains from either direction as they crest the top of the grade. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108128 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, May 31, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Belmont Tunnel Dawes County, NE 817 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Butte (BNSF) BNSF This loaded coal train is nearing the top of Crawford Hill on Main 2, coming through a steep cut that was built in the early 1980s. For a long time, there was only a single track over Crawford Hill. Here at the summit, the single track when through a tunnel. When BN decided to add a second main, rather than bore a second hole, an new cut was created and the tunnel was left. The tunnel is not quite visible in the distance and to the right of the cut. The last train went through the tunnel on May 3, 1982. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108127 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, May 31, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Crawford Hill Horseshoe Curves Dawes County, NE 838 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Butte (BNSF) BNSF In this shot, you can really see the incredible engineering behind the horseshoe curves on the west slope of Crawford Hill. A 120-car coal train wraps through the full "S" of both curves as it slowly grinds its way up the grade on Main 2. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108126 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, May 31, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Crawford Hill Horseshoe Curves Dawes County, NE 812 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Butte (BNSF) BNSF From this elevated vantage point, you can really see the horseshoe curves built to get the Butte Sub up and over Crawford Hill. As you can see, there are two main tracks the entire distance through the curves. Indeed, there are two main tracks for over 60 miles on this part of the Butte Sub, from Ardmore, SD all the way to Hemingford, NE. In this shot, a loaded coal train makes its way up Crawford Hill. The last two units on the train to the left are actually manned helpers based out of Crawford. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108125 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, May 31, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed Crawford Hill Horseshoe Curves Dawes County, NE 804 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Butte (BNSF) BNSF In order to conquer the climb up Crawford Hill, there are two horseshoe curves. The first is 180° wrapping one direction and the second is 180° wrapping the other way, allowing the tracks to climb the grade. Here, an eastbound coal load is in the first horseshoe curve on the climb up the hill. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture. Photo ID: 108124 Date Shot Photo By Sunday, May 31, 2020 Kevin Morgan Location Times Viewed MP 416 Dawes County, NE 781 (Add a Comment) Subdivision Railroad Butte (BNSF) BNSF This eastbound BNSF coal load is slowly grinding its way up the west slope of Crawford Hill. Although most people tend to think of Nebraska as being flat, there are some nice hills and a decent grade just southeast of Crawford, NE. Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster or add a comment to the picture.

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