Americon Icon Series: North Platte Rail Yard

Owned and operated by Union Pacific
The scale is vast and the numbers prolific
In central Nebraska, a town called North Platte
Hills to the north, but generally flat
A massive enterprise of which few have heard
The largest rail yard in the world

An unhurried squeal of steel on steel
A diesel turbo’s high pitched whine
Miles and miles of rhythmic wheels
Support jostling cars in obedient  line

The tracks fan out, in the railyard junction
Cars de-coupled over the hump
Gravity provides the acceleration
New trains assembled with a calculated bump

An unceasing round the clock operation
Unpretentious automation
Diesel and computers in combination
Each car chipped with its destination
Coal, automobiles, all types of grains
Corn for ethanol, traverse the plains

Locos  and cars are united  together
The knuckle coupler providing  the tether
1 Hp per ton will turn the wheel
The awesome economy of steel on steel

Diesel combustion powers  electric motors
Two on each axle , for drive train efficiency
Locomotives made by General Motors
Trains at the  vanguard of  the hybrid EV
Stained  yellow locos seen across the nation
Unsung heroes of conservation

Take a trip to the golden spike tower
In North Platte, when the Goldenrod’s in flower
America’s might as a power is no mystery
Manifest here in steel rails and its  history
The train yard sings its song of endeavour
Auspicious, uplifting, for ever and ever