BNSF Silver Street Bridge (Ashland)

In 1869, the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad in Nebraska (BMRN) would continue constructing westwards from Pacific Junction, reaching milepost 12.  The following year, a 17 mile extension from Oreapolis, Nebraska north to Omaha would be made, and an additional 48 miles to Lincoln would be constructed from milepost 12.  A permanent bridge across the Missouri River at Plattsmouth would be completed in 1880.  Since 1880, the BMRN had been controlled by stock by the same interests that controlled the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad (CB&Q).  The CB&Q and associated ownership came in control or constructed a large number of lines throughout Iowa and Nebraska.  This route would serve as a piece of the planned Chicago to Denver mainline, which reached Denver in 1883.  In 1885, the Omaha and South Western Railway constructed 4 miles of new railroad from Omaha, to South Omaha.  In 1886, the Omaha and North Platte Railroad (O&NP) completed an additional 30 miles of railroad, extending from Omaha to Ashland, where it met the main line.  The 4 miles constructed in 1885 were sold to the O&NP in 1887, and the O&NP sold to the BMRN in 1887.  The BMRN was formally sold to the CB&Q in 1908, and CB&Q continued to operate these routes as parallel mainline, and a second track was added from Lincoln to Waverly in 1910, and Waverly to Ashland in 1918.  CB&Q merged with Northern Pacific Railway and Great Northern Railway to form Burlington Northern Railroad (BN).  BN merged with Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway in 1996  to form BNSF Railway.  BNSF continues to operate the Oreapolis-Omaha-Ashland line as the Omaha Subdivision, and the Pacific Junction to Lincoln segment as the Creston Subdivision.