As I set off across Nebraska I take road less traveled. I find myself getting lost among the endless hills and plains in Nebraska until I traveled to the furthest northwest corner of the state. There I found small mountains and canyons. There was a need for a railroad tunnel to cut through this rugged landscape. Therefore the Belmont trail tunnel was born and is the only train tunnel ever built in Nebraska.
During the years of 1888-1890 the beautiful Belmont tunnel was constructed. This tunnel is located in Belmont, Nebraska. The Burlington Northern railroad was trying to build tracks that would connect with the Chicago and Quincy Railroad. This also gave them a junction point in Alliance, Nebraska. Belmont started off as a railroad camp. The camp was made up of over a thousand tents and special wooden structures called boarding shanties. This camp became what is now known as Belmont. The town was a big rail stop for passenger trains traveling to the Black Hills in South Dakota. Belmont’s post office opened on November 9, 1889 and it closed in 1957. During the town’s peak there were about 80 people living there during the early 1920's. There where a whopping 28 buildings which included; two stores, a telephone office, pool hall, lumberyard, ice house, grain elevator, saloon, potato cellars, and a machine shop. Currently what’s standing is the Belmont school, which someone converted into a private residence. In addition two other houses still stand abandoned.
All around when there is not a sound, the train tunnel speaks because it has a story to tell as well. The tunnel is 750 feet long, or about 12 train car lengths. It was said to be an incredible feat of engineering at the time. Belmont's tunnel was considered the utmost importance to the point that there were guards standing there around the clock during WWI. The tunnel was widened and repaired and then renovated from 1919-1920. A symbol of that renovation is still seen on the top of the entrance to the tunnel with the year 1920 in bold on it. Only one worker died in the renovation period when there was a cave in. That said to be the only person ever hurt during the whole history in construction of the tunnel. The railroad stopped passenger services in 1969 and this is led to the decline of the city the closing of the Belmont's train depot. Freight trains continued to run until 1982. During the 1980's double tracking became standard. The railroad built its double tracking adjacent to the Belmont tunnel. "According to the Nebraska Trailblazer No. 10 from the NE State Historical Society, "Nebraska is flat, with no mountains and few hills". It was essential to build a railroad tunnel. Nebraska does have mountains I have seen them in the furthest corner of the Nebraska panhandle there are mountains big enough with canyons and caverns for train tunnel was needed. There is only one photo taken of a passenger trail on these tracks posed just before the tunnel. The Burlington Northern Railroad Alliance division, stopped just before the north entrance of the tunnel on July 1, 1966, so the passengers on board could see the view. In addition there are huge hills on the other side of Nebraska in Crofton. I went to go see Nebraska's abandoned ski resort, be sure to check out that story as well if you haven't. Belmont's tunnel was used was 93 years. Now it stands frozen in time. It’s a well kept secret that is preserved perfectly.
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