Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad, Nebraska
Heritage railroad with a museumExcursion trains have not run since the early 2010s
The Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad was Nebraska's longest and largest tourist railroad, a volunteer-run line that carried riders in 1920s rail cars over 17 miles of 1869 track between Fremont and Hooper.
- Track laid out in 1869
- 17 miles, Fremont to Hooper
- Rail cars from the 1920s
- Run entirely by volunteers
- Excursions began in 1986
- Not operating today
Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad at a glance
- Hours
- Not operating; excursions have been suspended since the early 2010s
- Admission
- No tickets are sold
- Best for
- Rail history fans and people tracing the Cowboy Line
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Fremont.
Rally Takes the Train
Eight pages from the book
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See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
The Elkhorn line that volunteers kept rolling
The route began life in 1869 as part of the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad, often just called the Elkhorn. From Fremont the original line pushed on to Norfolk and then across northern Nebraska to Fort Robinson. Its trains were the first to reach into the Black Hills, and a westward extension ended near Yellowstone in Wyoming. After a 1903 merger with the Chicago and North Western Railway it came close to being a transcontinental route, and until the mid-1980s it served as the North Western's gateway to northern Nebraska, Wyoming and South Dakota. The stretch toward Wyoming was known as the Cowboy Line.
When the big railroad stepped away, rail fans stepped in. The line was acquired in 1985, and regular excursions began in 1986. The railroad was owned and operated by the Nebraska Railroad Museum, which started out as the Eastern Nebraska Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. It was a nonprofit that took no tax money, and every job, from running the diesel locomotives to taking tickets, was done by volunteers.
For years those volunteers ran public excursions, special trains, school runs and dinner trains on 17 miles of track from Fremont to Hooper. The railroad announced it would not operate excursions in the 2014 season, and service was suspended in the early 2010s. The Nebraska Railroad Museum is now relocating to the Burlington Railroad Depot in Nebraska City, where BNSF Railway donated eight acres and 2,000 feet of track.
What a ride to Hooper looked like
Passengers boarded at the depot on North Somers Avenue in Fremont and rode in rail cars dating from the 1920s, pulled by diesel locomotives. Along the 17-mile trip north to Hooper the train crossed three old routes west: the historic Indian Road, the path of Major Stephen Long's military expedition of the 1820s, and the Mormon Trail of the 1840s.
Riders who went the whole way could step off in Hooper and walk its 1890s Main Street, which is listed as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places. Hooper's Main Street is still there to visit by car, and the northern part of the old Cowboy Line is being converted to a trail.
Don’t miss
- Hooper's 1890s Main StreetThe excursion's destination is a National Register historic district, and it can still be visited by car.
- The Cowboy Line corridorThe old route toward Wyoming is being turned into a trail, a way to follow the Elkhorn's path today.
- The Nebraska Railroad Museum's new homeThe railroad's owner is relocating to Nebraska City's Burlington depot; follow its Facebook page for progress.
For young rail fans today
There are no train rides here now, so families looking for a ride should head to an operating line. Kids who love maps can still trace the old Elkhorn route from Fremont toward Norfolk and the Black Hills, and a drive to Hooper's historic Main Street makes a short outing. The railroad's own website still has a simple Learn About Trains page on how diesel locomotives work, which older kids may enjoy.
Plan your visit: tips for Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad
- Watch the Nebraska Railroad Museum's Facebook page for news about its move to Nebraska City.
- Hooper's 1890s Main Street, the old excursion destination, is a short drive north of Fremont.
- For a train ride in the area, look at operating railroads on our Nebraska page.
The volunteers of the Nebraska Railroad Museum
The railroad was run completely by volunteers of the Nebraska Railroad Museum, formerly the Eastern Nebraska Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, a nonprofit that relied on no tax support. That group is carrying the story forward as it relocates to Nebraska City, and the best way to help is to follow and support the Nebraska Railroad Museum as it rebuilds.
Where to find railroad history near Fremont
The railroad's owner has its own page: the Nebraska Railroad Museum. The Durham Museum in Omaha is about 33 miles southeast, and the Union Pacific Railroad Museum is about 36 miles away. See Nebraska's train museums and rides for lines that still operate.
- Nebraska Railroad MuseumFremont, NE · same town
- Railside Green Arboretum / historic railroad exhibitsGrand Island, NE · about 29 mi
- Durham MuseumOmaha, NE · about 33 mi
- Union Pacific Railroad MuseumCouncil Bluffs, IA · about 36 mi
- RailsWest Railroad MuseumCouncil Bluffs, IA · about 37 mi
- Burlington Northern Depot MuseumRed Oak, IA · about 73 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
I think about the volunteers who kept 1920s rail cars running here for years, and about every small rider who needed help up those tall old steps. In our book, Rally's little corgi legs cannot reach the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. Somebody always lends a hand on a train. My kids are learning to read with Rally right now, and our free coloring pages keep the train going between books.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
- Train museums in Nebraska: every museum by town, with a map
- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Nebraska
- Halloween train rides in Nebraska
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Sources
Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.
Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad: 20 questions answered
Is the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad still running?
No. The Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad announced it would not run excursion trains in the 2014 season, and service was suspended in the early 2010s. It has not offered public rides since. Its owner, the Nebraska Railroad Museum, is relocating to the Burlington Railroad Depot in Nebraska City.
What was the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad route?
The excursion route ran 17 miles from the depot at 1835 North Somers Avenue in Fremont north to Hooper, Nebraska. Along the way the train crossed the historic Indian Road, the route of Major Stephen Long's 1820s military expedition and the 1840s Mormon Trail before reaching Hooper and its 1890s Main Street.
Is there a Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad route map?
The simplest way to picture it is a 17-mile line running north from Fremont to Hooper in Dodge County, along the corridor first laid out in 1869. Beyond Hooper, the original Elkhorn line continued to Norfolk and west across northern Nebraska toward Fort Robinson and Wyoming, a route later called the Cowboy Line.
What was the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad?
The Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad, often called the Elkhorn, was established in 1869. Its line ran from Fremont to Norfolk and across northern Nebraska to Fort Robinson, its trains were the first to reach into the Black Hills, and an extension ended near Yellowstone. It merged with the Chicago and North Western in 1903.
Where did the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad go on a map?
From Fremont, the Elkhorn ran northwest to Norfolk, then across northern Nebraska to Fort Robinson, with branches reaching into the Black Hills of South Dakota and a westward extension ending near Yellowstone in Wyoming. Until the mid-1980s the corridor was the Chicago and North Western's gateway to northern Nebraska, Wyoming and South Dakota.
What was the Cowboy Line in Nebraska?
The Cowboy Line was the name for the old Elkhorn route heading west toward Wyoming across northern Nebraska. After rail service ended on that stretch, it began to be converted into a trail. The Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad preserved a 17-mile piece of the original corridor near Fremont for excursions.
When did the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad start?
The Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad acquired its line in 1985 and began regular excursions in 1986 as a preservation project. The track itself was laid out in 1869. For roughly 25 years volunteers ran public excursions, special trains and school runs before service was suspended in the early 2010s.
Who owned the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad?
The railroad was owned and operated by the Nebraska Railroad Museum, which was formerly the Eastern Nebraska Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. It was a nonprofit organization with no tax support, and the railroad was run completely by a staff of dedicated volunteers.
What kind of trains did the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad run?
The railroad ran public excursion trains pulled by diesel locomotives, with passengers riding in rail cars dating from the 1920s. Over the years it also offered special trains, school runs and dinner trains. Its website listed an equipment page, but the roster details were never posted there.
Did the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad have dinner trains?
Yes. Along with public excursions, the railroad operated dinner trains on its 17-mile line toward Hooper, as well as special trains and school runs. None of these run today, since service was suspended in the early 2010s. Check the Nebraska Railroad Museum's Facebook page for any news about future operations.
Why is the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad called Nebraska's largest tourist railroad?
The railroad described itself as Nebraska's longest and largest tourist railroad because of its 17 miles of track between Fremont and Hooper, a long run for a volunteer heritage line. It carried passengers in vintage 1920s cars on a corridor that dated back to 1869.
What was there to see in Hooper on the train ride?
Riders who took the full trip could walk Hooper's 1890s Main Street, which is listed as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places. Hooper is still there to visit by car today, a short drive north of Fremont, even though the excursion train no longer runs.
Can I still visit the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad depot?
The depot address was 1835 North Somers Avenue in Fremont, but no tours, rides or regular hours are offered there now. The Nebraska Railroad Museum, which owned the railroad, is relocating to Nebraska City. Do not plan a trip around the depot without first checking the museum's Facebook page for current news.
How do I contact the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad?
The railroad's last posted contact for charters and reservations was (402) 727-0615 and fevr@fremontrailroad.com, with a mailing address at 1835 North Somers Avenue, Fremont. Since excursions have been suspended, the Nebraska Railroad Museum's Facebook page is the better place to reach the volunteers and follow current plans.
Where is the Nebraska Railroad Museum moving?
The Nebraska Railroad Museum, which owned the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad, is moving to the Burlington Railroad Depot in Nebraska City. BNSF Railway donated eight acres and 2,000 feet of track for the new site. Dates for opening there have not been posted, so follow the museum's Facebook page.
Are there train rides near Fremont, Nebraska now?
The Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad no longer offers rides. For a railroad day near Fremont, The Durham Museum in Omaha is about 33 miles away, and the Union Pacific Railroad Museum and RailsWest Railroad Museum in Council Bluffs, Iowa are about 36 to 37 miles away. Our Nebraska page lists other options.
What historic trails did the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad cross?
The ride from Fremont to Hooper crossed three historic routes west: the Indian Road, the path of Major Stephen Long's western military expedition in the 1820s, and the Mormon Trail used in the 1840s. Volunteers pointed these out as part of the trip's history.
Did the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad run school trips?
Yes. The railroad ran school runs, giving classes a chance to ride vintage 1920s cars over the historic line, and its website kept a Learn About Trains page covering early railroad history and how diesel locomotives work. School trips ended along with public excursions in the early 2010s.
How can I support the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad's history?
The best way is to support the Nebraska Railroad Museum, the volunteer nonprofit that owned and ran the line and is now relocating to Nebraska City. Follow its Facebook page for volunteer projects and news, and ask there about membership or donations as the new site develops.
What railroad museums are near Fremont, Nebraska?
The Durham Museum in Omaha's Union Station is about 33 miles away, and the Union Pacific Railroad Museum and RailsWest Railroad Museum in Council Bluffs, Iowa are about 36 to 37 miles away. The Burlington Northern Depot Museum in Red Oak, Iowa is about 73 miles, and the Sioux City Railroad Museum about 75 miles.
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