As a proud old Nebraskan, I've often been disconcerted by the remarks
typically made by non-Huskers describing their trips across the state. Usual
comments are "couldn't wait to get across" or "dullsville! Who wants to live
there?" or "I think I saw a hill there someplace." It's real nice to hear
from someone who has good words for the place. As a transplanted Cornhusker,
I feel hemmed in by the landscape of the east, which, though beautiful and
exciting, gives me claustophobia. I love the open spaces, and long for those
rolling hills and prairies.
I recently got back there, and took a trip around to all of the places where
I grew up on the Burlington. (I lived on the railroad -- lived in several
depots). It was delightful on the one hand, and depressing on the other. At
the main-line places, the RR is still there, but very few depots remain. The
ones that still stand are used for shops or storage (or nothing). Typically,
the RR just runs thru, doesn't relate to the community, except to irritate
the people by stopping local traffic.
Most distressing were the places where I lived on the branch lines. Not only
were the depots gone (and you couldn't find a trace), but the railroads were
gone, and you coundn't tell where they had been. Not a sign! I asked a man
(not too young) where the tracks used to be. He said he didn't know. On one
branch line, I travelled for several miles on a road parallel to the old
tracks before I found a single reminder -- a small portion of an old RR
abutment standing against a small amount of old embankment.
These places weren't the same. Without the railroad, the towns are
altogether different, and many people who live there don't even know what
they're missing!
As for the scenery, I was impressed by the beauty of the countryside. I
lived in some of these places during the drouth of the 30's. The land was
desolate in those days. The corn used to get about 18 inches high and keel
over dead. The tops of the sand hills blew away. Dust storms changed the
day to night in the middle of the afternoon. These were among my memories.
Today the country is lush and green compared to those days. (People have
said this year's drouth is as bad or worse than in the 30's. Don't you
believe it!)
Yes the line through McCook is the line made famous by the Pioneer Zephyr.
If you stop for awhile somewhere out on that open plain and look carefully,
you may see its ghost moving smoothly along those rails!
Kudos!
DRale
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