The long, narrow delta at the forks of the North and South Platte Rivers, populated by wild grasses and bulky bison, had been crossed before - by nomadic Plains Indians, by covered wagons and by the Pony Express.

But in 1866 a newcomer to the prairie, which advanced itself on a permanent pathway of wood and iron tied to the fertile earth by spikes, cam to stay. Those twin ribbons of iron, which would eventually tie a nation together from east to west, would also give rise to the city of North Platte and the settlement of the Valley of the Platte.

Now, one-third of the way into its second century on the prairie, the Union Pacific Railroad remains a dominant presence on the landscape and in North Platte.

Worlds largest rail classification yard since December 3, 1866.

As of November 1999, Bailey Yard is home to over 2555 employees.

Train, Engine & Yard employees operate an average of 135 trains and process 13,000 cars per day. 42% of all trains operating on the Union Pacific systems are processed through Bailey Yard.

The corridor between O'Fallons & Gibbon Nebraska is the busiest in the world.

Car Department employees inspect an average of 10,000 cars per day for FRA safety compliance.

Engineering Department employees maintain 315 miles of track and 770 switches within the 8 mile limits of Bailey Yard.

Bailey Yard is home of Union Pacific's largest running repair shop. In the heart of the yard sits the East and Westbound Run Thru locomotive servicing facilities, where 140 dedicated employees service 250 locomotives & utilize over 400,000 gallons of fuel in 24 hours.