Nebraska’s only rail tunnel

About 1.5 miles east of Highway 71 is the Belmont Tunnel, Nebraska’s only rail tunnel.

Reports on the Internet said the dirt road leading to the tunnel is rough. Clearly an understatement. My Chevy Aveo fishtailed whenever the speedometer was higher than 35 mph. As I slowly drove along South Belmont Road, it curved north, followed by a right-hand turn east onto East Belmont Road.

Drive over the railroad tracks and hike along the path on the east side. Most tips on the Internet tell you to walk along the fence that protects someone’s property, but why? You only get to look down at the tunnel. I was here to walk through it.

I parked my car at the edge of the road, on the east side of the bridge. A steep trail awaits the brave driver. Standing at the top, I cannot see the bottom. I have visions of my tiny car flipping over as it tries to drive down. I decide walking is best.

The road/path to the railroad tracks in Belmont, Nebraska as seen from halfway down the hill.

Paul is cold and not feeling well. He decides to stand in the middle of the bridge and watch me. I immediately regret my poor decision to wear work shoes instead of hiking shoes. The soles are badly worn and any walk over rough surfaces push on my feet as if I were walking barefoot. This entire trail is made of rocks with sharp edges. I carry on. I’m going to see the tunnel.

The view from the bridge.

At the bottom, the path is still rough, but I see the fork on the right where the rail line used to run. I begin to wonder if I’m allowed here. “Is this private property? Does it belong to the railroad? If it does, can I still walk here?” There’s no one around to ask, so I continue.

A fork in the path. The path on the right leads to the Belmont Tunnel. The left is currently used by BNSF.

The sound of the rocks grating against each other can be heard with each step. They crunch and grind and slip as my foot pushes off them. The sound is amplified by the silence.

Walking further, I hear the motor of an engine. I look back. A truck slows down on the bridge. Is the driver talking to Paul? Does the driver see me? They’re not going to run to catch me and the police would be a long time coming if I’m not supposed to be here. My mind races about what to do, but I’ve come so far to see the tunnel. I pick up the pace and dart to the right, hugging the dirt wall and get out of sight.

A the beginning of the trail leading to the Belmont Tunnel.

It seems quieter here on the path to the tunnel. My footsteps are louder, their sounds bouncing around in the narrow carved out trackway that once led trains on their way.

Approaching the south entrance to the Belmont Tunnel.

Near the south entrance, there are still remnants of the retaining walls. Some are brick. Some are stone.

What’s left of, presumably, the retaining wall near the Belmont Tunnel.

The tunnel was was finished on August 25, 1889. It was remodeled in 1919-1920 after a freight train tore out part of the tunnel. Passenger service stopped after the overnight train from Lincoln was discontinued on August 24, 1969.

Plans were developed around 1980 to completely remove the tunnel and put in a double-track line, but the new line bypassed the tunnel immediately to the west. According to “Belmont Tunnel: The Only Railroad Tunnel in Nebraska” by Michael Nelson, the last train passed through the tunnel on May 3, 1982.

The south entrance to Belmont tunnel in Nebraska. Note the 1920 above the entrance.

I snap several photos as I edge closer to the tunnel. Graffiti is evident throughout.

Graffiti at the south entrance to the Belmont Tunnel.

It’s still quiet. There are no chirping birds. There is no movement on the ground. It’s cold. My stomach grumbles. I debate turning back. Wikipedia tells me the tunnel is 698 feet (213 m) long. It’s not that far. I decide I need a photograph of the north entrance. Glancing through the tunnel, there is no movement. Maybe I shouldn’t have come alone. It doesn’t matter now. The other side awaits.

The clicking of my camera echoes through the tunnel. It’s loud. My feet shuffle through the mostly dirt path in the tunnel. The squishing of shoes on sand, pushing it around the ground and shoving it aside is the only other noise. My heart beats faster as I again begin to wonder if I’m allowed here. The empty beer cans say guests are tolerated. One is never really sure.

Inside the Belmont Tunnel.

At the north end, there is more graffiti. It’s Christian graffiti. I guess they need their delinquents too.

Graffiti at the north entrance to Belmont Tunnel.

Stepping out of the tunnel and turning 180 degrees, this entrance doesn’t seem as fascinating as the south entrance. There are no 50-foot walls surrounding it. There was no path to amble on before seeing its opening. It’s just…there.

The north entrance to the Belmont Tunnel.

There’s a reverberation somewhere behind me. I slowly start to panic. It’s coming closer. Are they coming for me? Did that pickup driver talk to Paul? Who is coming after me? I briskly walk back into the tunnel. The sound continues to come closer. It’s a train. It appears to be coming right at me. I know this cannot be, but I take a few more steps into the tunnel. The train turns on the track and continues on its way.

A train runs along the track near the Belmont Tunnel.

My pace quickens as fast as it can without running. The December wind in the tunnel whips my face and forces itself down my throat. My lungs are on fire. It’s hard to breathe, but keep going. Should I quickly return to my car so the train does not see me? Surely, I can’t go faster than a train. I still hear engine noises behind me despite the train engine having long passed me. The whirling wind and cacophony of noise in the tunnel make it difficult to determine where any sound is coming from. Don’t look back. Just keep moving forward.

Exiting the tunnel, the ambient sound of the train can still be heard. It’s just a long train. A quick pace continues to be warranted. The wind pushes on my chest and freezes my nostrils. I have to breathe with my mouth open, forcing more frigid air into my lungs.

Looking South from the south entrance to the Belmont Tunnel. Remnants of a retaining wall can be seen on the left.

I decide to wait for the train to pass before climbing back up the hill to my car. Dozens of coal cars pass me by.

Coal cars pass by the old Belmont Tunnel track.

Three more engines bring up the rear. I begin walking alongside the current track and see the train stop. The pessimist inside me says they’ve seen me and someone is going to want a word or two. They will if they get to me before I get to my car and drive away.

Three engines bring up the rear of the train near Belmont, Nebraska.

Paul comes down the hill to meet me. A single engine disconnects from the train and returns back the way it came, ignoring us. The rest of the train moves on.

The current tracks in use near the Belmont Tunnel.

After I return home, I discover the tunnel is used as part of a service road for the railway. It’s owned by BNSF. The Belmont Tunnel is a tourist attraction, but I’m still not sure if anyone is allowed to be there.