Fremont and Elkhorn Valley Railroad

Infobox SG rail
railroad_name = Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad
marks = FEVR, EVRC
locale = Fremont, Nebraska to Hooper, Nebraska
start_year = 1986
end_year =
predecessor_line = Chicago & North Western
successor_line =
hq_city = Fremont, Nebraska

The Fremont and Elkhorn Valley Railroad reporting mark|FEVR is a 17-mile (27 km) heritage railroad in Dodge County, Nebraska. It is owned by the Nebraska Railroad Museum which offers an excursion service.

The FEVR line extends from Fremont to Hooper. It was originally built as part of the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad (FE&MV) in 1869. In 1903, the Chicago and North Western Railway (CNW) acquired the FE&MV and the line from Fremont to Hooper was abandoned by CNW in 1984, after which it was acquired by the museum.

Inaugurated on memorial day of 1986, the trains were powered in the summer months by 2-8-0 #1702, a 1942 steam locomotive built by Baldwin. Another EMD SW1200, Soo Line 2121 was used as a back-up locomotive until 1996.

The current motive power, as of 2008, is an EMD SW1200, built in 1962. The railroad also runs the Fremont Dinner Train.

Roster of equipment

* EMD SW1200 #1219-Main locomotive built in 1962. Was acquired by FEVR in 1986. Received in C&NW colors, it was painted into FEVR colors in 1988.
* Passenger car 1101-Built in 1924 by Pullman, was originally a heavyweight sleeper for the CNW. It was acquired by FEVR in 1985 and painted FEVR in 1988.
* Passenger car 1102-Built in 1924 by Pullman, was originally a heavyweight sleeper for the CNW. It was acquired by FEVR in 1985 & painted FEVR in 1988.
* Concession car 1938-Built in 1926 by Pullman, was originally a heavyweight RPO for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad and later used in Maintenance of Way service for Burlington Northern Railroad. It was acquired by FEVR in 1985 and painted FEVR in 2003.
* Passenger car 649-Built in 1946 by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road), was originally used on the "Olympian Hiawatha". It was acquired by a private owner in 1985 after the Milwaukee Road went defunct and used by FEVR sporting the yellow scheme the Milwaukee Road had used after 1955. It was acquired by another private owner in 1993 who painted it back to the original color scheme in 1998. The third owner began restoring the car in 1993 by simply adding a diesel generator and air conditioner and in 1996, moved it to Chamberlain, South Dakota, where restoration work was continued.
* Passenger car 542-Was built by the Milwaukee Road in 1947. The car was acquired by the same private owner who owned the 649 when the Milwaukee Road went defunct. Along with the 649, 542 was sold to another private owner in 1993 who started restoration in 1995 and moved it with 649 to South Dakota for further restoration. The 542 was originally painted for the "Olympian Hiawatha" and was painted yellow in 1955 and still sports the yellow as of 2008.

Route details

The track the trains ride upon was laid by the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad (FE&MV) in 1869-71 and is one of the oldest sections of existing railroad track in the state of Nebraska. The tracks traverse the site of the 1848 Mormon Train on the way to Salt Lake City, Utah. The FE&MV was acquired by the Chicago and North Western Railway in 1903 and became a gateway to Chadron, Nebraska, where the tracks lead north to Deadwood, South Dakota, Rapid City, South Dakota and on to Colony, Wyoming. In Chadron, the tracks leading west terminated in Lander, Wyoming. In 1984, the section of track FEVR uses was abandoned by the CNW which was acquired by FEVR in 1985. By 1986, excursion operations were inaugurated by Steam Locomotive #1702.

External links

* [http://www.fremontrailroad.com/ Fremont and Elkhorn Valley Railroad]
* [http://www.geocities.com/fevr.geo/fevr.html Fevr Fan Equipment pages]