Day 11 – Ft Kearny NE to North Platte NE – 100 miles across NE

We took it slow this morning, and finally left Ft Kearny at 11. About 50 miles out, we detoured back on US 30 to the Plum Creek Trail Derailment monument. Here some southern Cheyenne Indians destroyed some track causing a hand car and train to derail. Several railroad men were killed, and one man survived a scalping by playing dead. Then we were back on the freeway to North Platte.

We checked in to the Holiday RV Park in North Platte. We got a really pretty, large, tree shaded site. As we were setting up, a retired couple came by to chat. They are from Tennessee and are going to the Family Motor Coaching Rally in WA just like we are.

About 2:30 we went to the Lincoln County Museum. I wanted to see the exhibit they had about the North Platte Canteen. The museum had lot of interesting items, but I was focused on the canteen. They had a long – maybe 30 minute video about the canteen with lots of interviews. They also had some interesting exhibits about the canteen. I haven’t finished the book by Bob Greene “Once Upon a Town”, but it is truly an inspiring story. The photo is in the museum and shows some of the millions of servicemen that were served food, drinks, and hospitality from Dec 1941 to April 19, 1946 at the North Platte Canteen.

From there we went to the Golden Spike Tower. This is an 8 story tower with an enclosed air-conditioned observation floor on top with a magnificent view of the Union Pacific’s Bailey Yard. This is supposedly one of the world’s largest railroad yards, and it was awesome. There was a volunteer/retired railroader on duty who delightfully answered questions from everyone. I learned about humping. The yard has two large dirt mounds with tracks. Engines push cars to the top of the hump and over they go to join up on the right track to join a train. I got some wonderful photos which I will post on Flickr soon. After most everyone had left, we chatted with the volunteer. I asked him about accidents, and he said that he, unfortunately, had his fair share including two suicides. How dreadful. But it was a delightful hour spent watching a massive amount of trains being hooked up, passing through, engines being repaired.

From there we went to downtown North Platte to see the North Platte Canteen memorial. The old depot was torn down, and all that remains is this memorial. We returned to the RV, cleanup up a bit and then drove a short distance to Penny’s Diner for dinner. We are now doing laundry.