The tracks used by FEVR trains were laid in 1869-71 by the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad (FE&MV); it is one of the oldest sections of existing railroad track in the state of Nebraska. This line was nicknamed the "Cowboy Line." In its general north-south route, the tracks cross the 1848 Mormon Trail on its way west to Salt Lake City, Utah. The FE&MV was acquired by the Chicago and North Western Railway in 1903 and became a gateway to Chadron in northwest Nebraska, where the tracks then lead north to Deadwood and Rapid City, South Dakota, then on to Colony, Wyoming. From Chadron, the tracks leading west terminate in Lander, Wyoming. This section of the cowboy line was known as the West Point Subdivision during C&NW ownership (according to a 1980 system timetable). The West Point subdivision track ran from Fremont to Norfolk. This line mainly hauled grain, agricultural goods, lumber, bentonite from South Dakota & occasional coal loads from the booming coal fields of Wyoming. By the mid 1970s, freight traffic levels began mildly declining & abandonment rumors became emminet through the early 1980s. However, along with the declining freight traffic volumes, flooding damaged many sections of the West Point subdivision in spring of 1982 & abandonment was applied for. C&NW was granted permission to abandon the track later that year. The abandonment left the future of the track very dismal. The remaining section from Fremont to West Point was acquired by FEVR in 1985 & repairs to the track commenced. After 4 years of inactivity on the track, excursion operations were inaugurated by Steam Locomotive #1702 on Memorial Day 1986.