Ghosts of the Union Pacific Cemetery Tour

Buried deep within the Rail Fest schedule of events (no pun intended!) is an event that every true history or rail buff will enjoy.

From 1:00pm to 5:00pm on Saturday September 23 is the “Ghosts of the Union Pacific Railroad” cemetery tour at the North Platte Public Cemetery, just down the street from Cody Park, the site of most of the Rail Fest activities.

Hosted by the North Platte Library Foundation, the Cemetery tour features local actors portraying characters from the past, whose lives were, in some way, touched by the Union Pacific Railroad.

One character is George W. Vroman, born Sept. 27, 1841, who represented Union Pacific employees at the first arbitration case in United States history between railway employees and the company that took place in North Platte in 1879.

Another is Rae Wilson, who organized the North Platte World War II Canteen, which served more than 6.5 million service men and women between Christmas Day 1941 and April 1st, 1946.

These and more than a dozen more characters from the past will come to life at the Cemetery tour. Tickets are available at the gate, and will include a booklet containing the biographies of the characters and the actors.

The complete schedule of events can be found at the North Platte Rail Fest website at www.nprailfest.com, or at any of the information booths located in Cody Park during Rail Fest.