Nebraska's railroads have played a crucial role in the state's development and growth, connecting it to major cities and economic centers across the United States. The first rail line in Nebraska was the Omaha and South Western Railroad, established in 1854 as a subsidiary of the Council Bluffs and Nebraska Ferry Company, which facilitated trade between Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Omaha, located on the Missouri River. As the Transcontinental Railroad progressed, Nebraska's importance as a transit state grew, with the Union Pacific Railroad's completion of the eastern section of the line in 1867.

The Union Pacific Railroad, also known as the "UP," remains a major player in Nebraska's railroad industry to this day, operating an extensive network of tracks across the state, including the bustling Bailey Yard in North Platte. Bailey Yard, one of the largest rail yards in the world, covers over 2,800 acres and handles nearly 14,000 railcars per day, demonstrating the state's continued significance as a key logistics hub. Additionally, the Omaha and Council Bluffs Metropolitan area serves as a major interchange point between the Union Pacific and BNSF Railway systems.

Another prominent railroad in Nebraska's history is the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad, established in the 1850s and later absorbed into the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CB&Q). The CB&Q linked Nebraska to the nation's northwest via lines extending into Montana and the Dakotas. Its north-south route in eastern Nebraska enabled increased agricultural trade and colonization of the region. Many Nebraska towns and cities, such as those in the Platte Valley, developed along major rail lines, providing essential stops for trains to fuel and modify their configurations.

Some regions in Nebraska have also experienced periods of significant railroad activity followed by relative decline. For example, the central Nebraska city of Kearney was once served by the Omaha, Kearney and Black Hills Railway, the Union Pacific Railroad, and the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad, with four different rail lines converging on the city. However, as major railroad lines continued westward, many smaller Nebraska towns suffered from lessened train traffic and eventual abandonment of their local rail connections.

Further demonstrating Nebraska's influence in railroad operations and U.S. transportation policy, its Sandhills region to the north poses many logistical and engineering challenges for railroad systems. This vast area of hills and lakes has hindered efficient travel by trains; companies such as the Union Pacific and Burlington and Missouri River Railroad consequently developed innovative designs, construction techniques, and infrastructure implementations to traverse the Sandhills.

Despite their dominant historical presence, many of Nebraska's early railroads eventually merged with larger systems, as were typical of nationwide U.S. rail industry dynamics. For example, with major mergers in the latter half of the 20th century resulting in systems that combined large western lines, many system lines expanded while smaller systems lost prominence or were absorbed into competing structures.

Regional rail museums also operate throughout the state, providing significant historical archives and access to an immense artifact collection documenting the influence that Nebraska's railroad network had upon many lives. Notablly the Lincoln Neb. - States Historical Society also holds a wealth of Statewide records detailing the rise and subsequent control exertions put forth in forming the Nebraska's regional rail presence which exist alongside, yet also coexist competitively on any given day with multiple counterparts nationwide and beyond.


As previously mentioned Nebraska has an ever growing wealth to benefit historical knowledge regarding these systems many newly raised through the forming of new Museums and revitalisation projects being undertaken throughout the state.