The Golden Spike Tower was constructed over 11 years at a total cost of $6 million. It is located on N. Homestead Road about 4 miles from downtown North Platte, NE. It opened on 16th June 2008 and, although it is shorter than originally intended, it still gives great views of Union Pacific’s Bailey Yard.
This reclassification yard is the largest in the world and is named in honour of Ed H. Bailey, who was president of UP between 1965 and 1971. It covers 2,850 acres, has a total length of 8 miles and, every day, it handles an average of 135 trains/10,000 cars. Many of the cars are sorted in the east and west “hump” yards, which allow four cars a minute to roll gently into any of 114 "bowl" tracks where they join trains headed for cities as distant as the Mexican border.
One of UP’s largest locomotive repair shops is also located here. The L-
Supply Department
Diesel Shop for locomotive repairs
Maintenance of Way
Sand tower to replenish diesel braking units
East hump: sorts east bound traffic to 64 Bowl
Tracks
East Run Through
General Electric Unit Repair Facility
Bowl tracks
Coal spare yard for coal storage
Maintenance of Way
North and south pull track -
enter the west hump
80’ track panels for track repairs
39’ wood panels for panel repairs
West hump
East Route Selection Tower
West bowl tracks
Superintendent’s Building
East departure tracks
One stop rip track to repair cars
Buffalo Bill Viaduct
North Platte
Related links:
www.uprr.com/aboutup/facilities/bailey/index.shtml
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