Most People Have No Idea This Unique Tunnel In Nebraska Exists
In a lot of states, railroad tunnels were carved into mountains and hills to allow trains to pass through when the tracks were being laid. Being a prairie state, Nebraska isn’t known for having much need for such tunnels. Exactly one tunnel has ever been built in the entire great state: the Belmont Tunnel in Dawes County. Most people have no idea it exists.
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The town actually owes its existence to the tunnel itself. Workers settled in a temporary encampment for the sole purpose of digging this tunnel through a canyon wall for the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad. The encampment eventually became Belmont.
This picture shows the decaying wall along the path to the tunnel.
At the time of its construction, the Belmont Tunnel was thought to be an incredible feat of engineering. It was considered important enough that, during World War I, guards stood by to prevent the tunnel from being vandalized or sabotaged.
Here you can just make out the number "1920" above the tunnel's entrance. This was put in place after a freight train took out a portion of the tunnel in 1917. It was repaired and renovated in 1919-1920. One worker died in a cave-in during the tunnel's renovation.
At its peak population, the town of Belmont was only home to about 80 people. That was nearly 100 years ago. Since then, the town has steadily shrunken. The post office was closed in 1956. The railroad stopped passenger service in 1969, forcing the closure of Belmont's depot. That was the final nail in the town's coffin. Freight trains continued to roll through the tunnel until 1982.
Tracks once ran through this tunnel; now it's just crushed rock and dirt. Inside the tunnel, some very tame graffiti shows that this place hasn't been forgotten by everyone. BNSF Railroad still uses the tunnel and the road on either side of it as a service road for vehicles.
The tracks have been re-routed; now, they take a slightly different path - one that's right next to the tunnel. But these trains no longer haul passengers; there is only freight riding the rails.
The tunnel is in good condition for its age, which is well over 120 years. It's still safe to walk through, though the path to the tunnel from the road can be treacherous.
The train runs adjacent to the tunnel now, which makes you wonder: if tracks that don't need a tunnel could be laid nearby, why was the tunnel necessary in the first place?
Maybe advances in railroad technology have made it easier to lay alternate tracks next to the tunnel, or perhaps the tunnel was built as a visual treat for weary travelers who were tired of seeing nothing but prairie.
This little-known tunnel is a one-of-a-kind feature of the Nebraska landscape. If you plan to go visit the Belmont Tunnel, be aware that it may be on private property. Always get permission from landowners before you visit sites like this.
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As a lifelong Nebraskan, Delana loves discovering the many hidden treasures of her state. She has worked as a writer and editor since 2007. Delana's work has been featured on more than a dozen websites and in Nebraska Life Magazine.
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