On the east end, this new line connected to an existing mainline between Omaha and Ashland, as well as a route between Plattsmouth and Ashland. The Plattsmouth route connected to Chicago.
In 1872, the railroad continued building westward, reaching Kenesaw. By 1880, the railroad became part of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy system, which owned extensive trackage to the east.
In 1880, work continued to extend to Holdrege. From there, the original mainline continued west towards Sterling, Colorado.
Also in 1880, work begun at Oxford, Nebraska, reaching McCook the following year. By 1883, the CB&Q desired a connection between the two lines, and constructed it.
While the mainline continuing west from Holdrege went towards Cheyenne, the line west from McCook went towards Denver. The Lincoln-Hastings-Holdrege-Oxford-McCook route became an important backbone for the CB&Q.
In 1910, the CB&Q built a new cutoff between Cobb (near Denton), and Cushman, near the present day intersection at 48th Street and I-80. This connection allowed a connection between the Lincoln yards and the main line.
Other upgrades occurred along the route over the years, and the route was often met with well engineered infrastructure.
In 1970, the CB&Q merged with Northern Pacific and Great Northern to form Burlington Northern. BN continued to operate this route as a mainline, until it merged with Santa Fe to form BNSF Railway, the current owner.
Today, this route is still a significant backbone for BNSF, and is known as the Hastings Subdivision.
06/26/21
Located near the town of Denton and just south of Yankee Hill Road, this through girder bridge is the first of several crossings of Haines Branch along this line.
Although it is unknown when the bridge was built, it appears that it dates to approximately 1910. The bridge features a through plate girder span with a ballasted deck, set onto concrete substructures. No plaques or stamps were found on the bridge.
Several similar bridges can be seen throughout the former CB&Q system. Instead of using two parallel stringers, these bridges use a series of floor beams placed between the two plate girders. With the ballasted deck, the track actually sits approximately halfway up the girder.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in excellent condition, with no serious deterioration noted.
The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
The photo above is an overview.