Nebraska museum supporters, city leaders on opposite sides of the track over railroad controversy

NEBRASKA CITY, Neb. (WOWT) – A deliberate museum devoted to railroad historical past has a future date in courtroom. It’s the most recent in an ongoing dispute over who controls tracks for brief line trains coming to Nebraska Metropolis.

A plan to carry a 1949 railcar again to life and transfer it has museum supporters and metropolis leaders in Nebraska Metropolis on reverse sides of the tracks.

“We’re at a stalemate. They declare they’re proper, however we additionally declare that we’re proper,” stated Dave Fachman, Nebraska Railroad Museum.

“They need to are available and dictate guidelines and we hold saying that is the best way it needs to be performed,” stated Lou Leone, Nebraska Metropolis Administrator.

Nebraska Railroad Museum President Dave Fachman says the nonprofit owns the enterprise railcar that railroad executives as soon as used to journey the road.

“This was like their limousine again within the day,” stated Fachman.

Although at the moment it’s extra rusty than rustic.

“Our complete plan is to refurbish the automobile from prime to backside,” stated Fachman.

Sitting on an outdated unused observe in hooper this isn’t the top of the road for the outdated limo of the rails.

Museum board members say in lower than a month that an vintage rail enterprise automobile shall be loaded onto a semi and led to 90 miles to be positioned on these tracks in entrance of the historic Burlington Railroad Depot in Nebraska Metropolis. However the metropolis administrator isn’t onboard.

”I personally assume it’s a horrible concept primarily as a result of we haven’t even cleared up the property strains, but we’ve a courtroom listening to and tells me their willingness to really work with anyone,” stated Leone.

The BNSF railroad donated eight acres with 2,000 toes of observe to the museum for a rolling historical past lesson.

“We’ll function a push-pull tour down the observe and again,” stated Ken Bean, Museum board member.

However Nebraska Metropolis goes to courtroom claiming possession of a number of crossings alongside the road and if a choose sides with town?

“They might be crossing metropolis land with out permission. And doubtlessly may very well be cited,” stated Leone.

Leaving the railcar stationary wouldn’t work both due to a latest ordinance limiting wheeled automobiles to thirty-day parking.

“We aren’t searching for a railroad junkyard we’re searching for the lengthy haul being right here making an financial distinction within the space and telling the story,” stated Bean.

Town desires extra solutions.

“We hold listening to once more it’s going to make tons of cash tons of cash however how?” stated Leone.

“We’re prepared to open the books we’re prepared to be clear with no matter they ask,” stated Fachman.

Whereas tooting their horn over the historic and monetary advantages of bringing the railcar plus donated engine to Nebraska Metropolis. A courtroom ruling over metropolis claims of observe crossing land might derail their plans.

“The way forward for the museum may very well be as vibrant because the morning solar,” stated Bean.

“I feel the most effective strategy can be to transform it into a motorbike path,” stated Leone.

Subsequent month a listening to for a abstract judgment will determine if town will get again any crossing land because the railroad deserted the tracks. The depot is separate and managed by an financial growth council.

Nonetheless, the museum board says the land below it’s theirs.

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