I think I can confirm that this was done in other places. At least I have heard
about it.
Although I have never seen them because they are far back off the highway and
only accessible by dirt road, I am told by longtime railroaders out of
Brookfield, Missouri that there are what is known as "ballast pits" laying just
north of the railroad right-of-way about two miles west of Laclede, Missouri.
The physical description of these "ballast pits" sounds very much like the
ground features described near Lincoln. I am told that they are 2 parallel pits
about 1/3 mile long and each several feet deep. The original depth is difficult
to determine because the pits, unused for many decades, are greatly eroded.
Local lore has it that they were constructed to bake clay for the railroad. I
have asked around and been told that between Laclede and Chillicothe (20 miles
distant) the railroad ballast contained a lot of what looked to be like
pulverized clay roofing tiles.
What further leads me to believe we are talking about the same thing is that
the railroad that extended from Laclede to Chillicothe was the old Hannibal &
St. Joseph, which was constructed about the same time as the Burlington &
Missouri River. Both railroads were begun in 1852, the Hannibal & St. Joseph
being completed in 1859 and the Iowa portions of the Burlington & Missouri
River being completed in 1870. I do not know in what year the Burlington &
Missouri River was completed in Nebraska, but assume it was about that time.
Both, apparently having found clay abundant, probably determined it was more
economical to make ballast on-site rather than have it shipped in. We should
also be mindful that in those days railroads were not so heavy and a ballast
lighter than granite would have sufficed.
Now that my interest has been aroused I will try to get to the pits and take
pictures next week. If I do, I will send them along to the archive.
Appreciating that the person who laughs last gets to laugh loudest, I hope that
Amy will be charitable and not give those BNSF people in Lincoln too hard a
time, even if they probably deserve it.
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