Lincoln is home to the BNSF's Havelock Shops, a car repair facility for the repair and rebuilding of wrecked cars and aging cars.The BNSF's Havelock Shops do repair, refurbishing, and major rebuilding of any type of rolling stock. Car-buiding from the wheels up too was its primary service for a major part of its history. Havelock's career as a car-builder ended shortly after the GN-CB&Q-NP-SP&S merger, creating Burlington Northern (predecessor to the BNSF).

A Brief History
The Burlington & Missouri River (forerunner of the CB&Q, BN and today's BNSF) paid for it's line into Lincoln in 1870 by selling farmers land which it approriated in the state. Seeing how the town of Plattsmouth prospered with it's shop facility -- employing 500 workers, the Lancaster Land Company made an offer to the B&MR similar to that made by Plattsmouth. An area covering 200 acres east of Lincoln was offered to the railroad as a site for a new town and a maintenance and manufacturing facility.

The B&MR knew it was an offer it couldn't refuse. Work began immediatly, with the new Havelock Shop facility being constructed in 1890-93. Facilities included the Machine Shop, then the Blacksmith Shop equipped with an overhead traveling crane, and the Boiler Shop. By the time it was completed the town of Havelock was alive and the shops were fully operational. In 1910 a new brick Adminstration and Warehouse building were added. Following the BN's formation in March 1970, the company quickly built a new Wheel facility.

Many of these images also appear in their respect owner's galleries.

BN 3409 - the old and the new company names. On the west edge of the shop yards, you can almost always see at least one switcher on stand-by. There is also a small freight office located here. Fall/00

BNSF 1703 - the former BN 904, still assigned to Havelock, still in it's old paint, but wearing a new name and number. The brooms neatly tucked under the grabs came in handy with the heavy snows experienced this winter. 3/01

BNSF 462043 - Ouch! Havelock Shops first and formost job is the repair and rebuilding of rail cars. This grain hopper will leave the facility looking like new. 2/97

BN 960050 - Shipment after shipment of wheelsets arrive and depart from the Havelock Shops in Lincoln every day. They are also trucked from a facility (located off of north 27th Street and Superior) to the shop. 8/11/01

BN 12497 loaded with wheelsets at the Havelock shops. 8/11/01

CB&Q 710, displayed here at Lincoln Station, is a true native - having been built by the Havelock Shops at the turn of the century. 6/18/95

See More of Lincoln's #710 on it's own page.

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Latest update: Thursday, 13 November, 2003

All photos & text © 2000-2001 T. Greuter / Screaming Eagles , unless otherwise noted. All Rights Reserved.