2007 Rail Fest is History

The 2007 North Platte Rail Fest is officially history, and everyone involved feels it was a great success. Judging from some of the comments I’ve heard from Union Pacific Bailey Yard employees (my husband included), the #1 goal of the festival was achieved – that of making local UP employees feel appreciated. The secondary goal was showcasing the Railroad itself and capitalizing on the popularity of all things Railroad among a segment of the population, and that was accomplished as well.

According to our un-scientific map of the United States, on which visitors were invited to insert a pin indicating their home town, we had visitors from 38 states and the District of Columbia, four Canadian provinces, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Germany, Israel, Bahamas, Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, Japan and Mexico. We even had a pin indicating Antarctica, but I’m still trying to figure out if someone is pulling my leg or not.

I just got off the telephone with chief organizer Dave Harrold, and he’s already making plans for next year. Stay tuned to the North Platte Convention and Visitors Bureau website, www.VisitNorthPlatte.com, or the Rail Fest website, www.nprailfest.com for future plans.

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.

Living History at Rail Fest

Have you ever wished you could turn back the clock to the time when rail travel dominated the nation? When every little town had a depot and getting to the nearest big city was as easy as a walk across the platform in your hometown depot?

You can relive those days at the Cody Park Railroad Museum during Rail Fest, when local station masters, retired railroaders, telegraphers, and even volunteers from the North Platte Canteen will be sharing their stories.

Visit with them, ask questions, hear their stories, and share your stories or those of your family with them. Whether you’re a rail fan, a history buff, or just have a nostalgia for “the good old days”, you’ll enjoy meeting these wonderful people.

Check the schedule of events out at www.nprailfest.com, or stop by any of the information booths at Rail Fest to see what time the different people are available for a visit.

Most of the preparations have been made, all that's left to do is to see you all here! Remember, the first-ever North Platte Rail Fest will begin with the first tours of Bailey Yard at 8:30 a.m. on Friday September 21.

North Platte Railfest

We have just received the first draft of information concerning the first-ever RailFest in North Platte, scheduled for September 21 through 23 2007. It is billed as “railroad appreciation days for railfans and employees".

North Platte is certainly the right place to hold railroad appreciation days. Home to the largest railroad classification yard in the world, Union Pacific Bailey Yard, North Platte is definitely a railroad town! The statistics are sometimes conflicting, because the yard is constantly expanding, but it is estimated that more than 3,000 men and women work at Bailey Yard, it covers 2,850 acres and switches 10,000 rail cars daily. The main rail line through North Platte is the busiest rail freight corridor in the nation, with more than 135 trains operating over the line every 24 hours.

The goals for the RailFest include recognition the contributions made by the rail industry and its employees to the past, present and future development of North Platte, show support for members of our existing railroad family and extend a welcome to new members relocating to North Platte from other cities and states, and create an interactive festival for railroad and steam engine enthusiasts and employees from across the United States.

Some of the festivities already being planned are
NebraskaLand Bank Pancake Feed
Tours of locomotives on display locally:
Tours of the 1903 Baldwin UP #480 Steam Locomotive
Tours of the 1943 UP #3977 “Challenger” Steam Locomotive
Tours of the 1969 UP #6922, the world’s largest diesel locomotive

Interactive Locomotive Simulator
The Radio Shack
Literary Guild speakers and authors
Graffiti Contest
Harley Owners Group Motorcycle Rally & Show
Gold Wing Owner’s Group Motorcycle Rally & Show
Haz-Mat Seminars
Live Music in the Pavilion
Union Pacific Railroad Choral
Women of Railroading Fashion Show and Luncheon
Tours of Mid-Plains College Railroad Technology Center
Railroad Equipment Manufacturers booths
Railroad Art and Collectibles Vendors
Games for children and families
Food vendors and carnival rides.

If you love railroading, either the big stuff or models, you are going to find something to enjoy at the first-ever RailFest in North Platte.

You can get more information on the festivities by contacting the North Platte Original Town Association, 1021 North Jeffers, PO Box 1704, North Platte, NE 69103. Phone: 308-534-3648, Fax: 308-534-6175, e-mail railfest@nque.com.

You can get the scoop on everything going on in North Platte by contacting the North Platte/Lincoln County Convention and Visitors Bureau at 1-800-955-4528 or visiting the CVB website at www.VisitNorthPlatte.com.