Having made a three car set out to the Co-Op in Hordville, Nebraska Central job STLC is eastbound through Polk with only four cars for Stromsberg, where this job will terminate for the day.
Central Valley Ag now operates the former United Co-Op elevator and co-loads unit grain trains with other elevators on the High Line.

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Nebraska Central train STLC is eastbound at Hordville, population 144, after having exchanged cars at Central City with job PVTN from Grand Island. The High Line is a nickname used by the Union Pacific crews that operated between Cental City and Valparaiso, NE, located on the Omaha-Lincoln line.
This branch line dates to 1903 and as of September 1937, saw two mixed trains each way per day and a long-distance motor car run from Omaha to Grand Island. Passenger service continued until sometime after 1958, when the branch became freight only. Nebraska Central has operated the line since 1993. Smoke and haze from recent wildfires further west filter the light.

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In my opinion the qualifiers of a true branch line are grain elevators, small towns and wood pile trestles. The former Union Pacific Ord branch has them all. After finishing their work at North Loup, the Nebraska Central crew is headed for Grand Island with a paltry two cars. Nonetheless, I require myself to give chase. It is a branch line after all.

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No, not that St. Paul. This one is much less well known and doesn't have near the hustle and bustle as the other. The twice weekly Ord turn is southbound with two cars for Grand Island.

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Along the Ord branch are several small towns with their livelihoods based around...yep, you guessed it, agriculture. North Loup is part of "popcorn country" and both elevators seen are active shippers. After working here for 90 minutes, the train for Grand Island is on the move again.

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