Kenefick Park

Kenefick is one of the less well known attractions in Omaha. Most people notice is as they drive West in Omaha from Council Bluffs. On the drive you will notice the two large trains on the top of the bluff. The entrance is in the parking lot of Lauritzrn Gardens. Work your way up the stairs and voila! Along the way, you'll learn about the history of Union Pacific. The trains are in great shape and while you can't go inside, you can see them up close. The views are also great. Kids and train lovers alike will appreciate it.

Really cool! The kids loved it but not as much as my husband! Really nice to see the railroad history and the trains were awesome!

Midwesterners love their monster trucks. The 4-8-8-4 "Big Boy" #4023 steam locomotive and double-trucked "Centennial" EMD DD-40X diesel UP #6900 are 7000 horsepower monster trains built for Union Pacific. The Big Boy is so large, I'm amazed it can move its own weight and not splinter railroad ties.

Even though the railroad name is Union Pacific, none of UP's original lines reached the Pacific. Conversely, Central Pacific completed the other end of the first North American transcontinental railway, but CP's line never reached the central United States. Union Pacific should really be called Union Central and Central Pacific should really be called Union Pacific.

Visible from I-80 at the Iowa and Nebraska border, follow the signs to Lauritzen Gardens on the Nebraska side and also park in the Lauritzen lot. Allow 20 minutes to see this free "add-on" after visiting the gardens.

Amazing place to visit. The hike is very short maybe 4 minutes uphill. The trains are beautiful and you don't realize how big they are until you get in front of them. The trains are kept very clean. When you visit the trains also visit the Lauritzen Gardens because it is right next to it.

If you like trains, you'll like Kenefick Park.

Here is what you get - First, The Big Boy - one of the last of the biggest, baddest, highest horsepower steam engines ever made. It's a 4-8-8-4 folks - I've never seen one bigger.

Right next to it, you have this absolutely huge diesel locomotive from EMD - 6600 horsepower, 2 sets of 8 drive wheels.

Gad, I had train overload!

You can walk up the stairs, or buy a ticket in the Lauritzen Gardens, and ride the "tram" up (really, a golf cart).

When you reach the top of the steps, there is a nice image of the entire Union Pacific train route, including where the golden spike was driven, and then you can walk up to the trains.

On the steam engine, you can walk up and look inside, but it's hard to see since the Plexiglas they had to install because some people are idiots and break glass is kind of fogged over.

The diesel - you get to walk around - no looking inside.

It was worth a good 40 minutes. Try it out if you like trains, or even if you don't.

Has a nice "welcome to omaha" sign, with 2 beatiful locomotives, however, there is no spot for a picture in the sign... tourists (like me) like to take pics in places like this...

This is a park located across the parking lot from Lauritzen Gardens.

It's quite beautiful and has two preserved Union Pacific locomotives.

Seeing the engines is free, as is parking.

We were driving into Omaha on 80 and saw them randomly placed up on the hill next to the freeway. I'm a big train fan, so I was determined to find out how to get up there. It's pretty easy. From West-bound 80, get off on 13th street, turn right on Bancroft, where it dead-ends at the parking lot.

The exhibit is really classy, well done, and clean. They feature a UP Big Boy, which I had never seen in person before. What a magnificent steam engine!

The Big Boy is also accompanied by a UP EMD DDA40X, which was kind of like the diesel version of the Big Boy, as it is a monstrous 8 axle diesel.

There are also lot of plaques with information on the history of Union Pacific, the Continental Railroad's history, and the locomotives themselves.

The view is also quite striking, you get a nice view back towards Iowa from up here.

Check it out, and if you find out how the heck they got those trains up that hill, let me know! It was probably a great feat than the construction of Continental Railroad!

Our family loves to go up the hill to Kenefick Park. We live within biking distance and since you cannot bring your bikes into the garden, we often bike up to Kenefick park. There are two large trains there to see and a fun view. There's a train yard you can look down at and the freeway where you can try and get trucks to honk! There's some great information displayed on the path up to the park, which I've enjoyed reading. I've also used the stairs as my personal trainer several times. You get a great work-out running up and down those!

Oh, and did I mention it is free to go? You do not have to pay any admission. I don't suggest seeing the gardens and Kenefick park unless your super fit or take the tram.

Great view of the Highway from up here. All the story of the trains is explained. The two trains are very well maintained. It is a quick visit but definitely worthwhile.

Take the tram for $3 if you visit Lauritzen Gardens while you're there. Otherwise be prepared to climb some stairs. Once you're there you can view two huge train engines...you know you've seem them from the interstate and always wondered how to get there:) You can't go inside the trains but there will be plenty of photo ops. There are also some pretty nice views. When you want to leave I'd recommend walking down the steps as there are some neat features to see. Even my 76 year father, who is not incredibly fit, was able to handle the walk down since there were plenty of opportunities to go slow and check things out. This is free on it's own if you choose not to visit Lauritzen Gardens, parking is in the same lot though.