| Chicago and North Western Railway | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Map of the Chicago and North Western Railway. Black lines are trackage now owned by Union Pacific; green lines are trackage now owned by Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad; blue lines are now owned by other railroads; dotted lines are abandoned. Dakota Minnesota and Eastern Railroad ( DM&E) is a Class II railroad operating across South Dakota and southern Minnesota in the northern plains | |
| Reporting marks | CNW, CNWS, CNWZ |
| Locale | Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming |
| Dates of operation | 1865–1995 |
| Successor line | Union Pacific Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge) |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois |
The Chicago and North Western Railway (AAR reporting marks: CNW, CNWS, CNWZ; unofficial abbreviation: C&NW) was a Class I railroad in the Midwest United States. A reporting mark is an identification assigned by the Association of American Railroads (AAR to rail carriers and other companies operating in North America. The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. The State of Iowa ( is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. Kansas ( is a Midwestern state in the central region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the American " Michigan ( is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. Minnesota ( Native Americans demonstrated the name to early settlers Missouri ( or) is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee Nebraska ( is a state located on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States and North Dakota ( is a state located in the Midwestern and Western regions of the United States of America. South Dakota ( is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. Wisconsin ( or wɪˈskɑnsɨn (French Ouisconsin) is one of the fifty United States of America, located in the north central part of the United States The State of Wyoming ( is a sparsely populated state in the western region of the United States. Dakota Minnesota and Eastern Railroad ( DM&E) is a Class II railroad operating across South Dakota and southern Minnesota in the northern plains Rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the two parallel rails that make up a railway track. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. The Millimetre ( American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to The standard gauge (also named the Stephenson gauge after George Stephenson, or Normal gauge) is a widely-used Rail gauge. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. The Association of American Railroads is an industry trade group representing primarily the major freight railroads of A reporting mark is an identification assigned by the Association of American Railroads (AAR to rail carriers and other companies operating in North America. A Class I railroad in the United States and Mexico, or a Class I rail carrier in Canada, is a large freight Railroad, as classified The United States of America —commonly referred to as the It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than 5,000 miles (8,000 km) of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over 12,000 miles (19,000 km) of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s. The C&NW became one of the longest railroads in the USA as a result of mergers with other railroads, such as the Chicago Great Western Railway, Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway and others. The Chicago Great Western Railway was a Class I railroad that linked Chicago, Minneapolis, Omaha, and Kansas City. The Minneapolis and St Louis Railway (M&StL now defunct was an American Railroad that built and operated lines radiating south and west from Minneapolis By the time the Union Pacific Railroad purchased and merged the C&NW track, sales and abandonment had reduced the total mileage back to about 5,000. The majority of the abandoned and sold lines were lightly trafficked branches in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. The State of Iowa ( is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. Minnesota ( Native Americans demonstrated the name to early settlers South Dakota ( is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. Wisconsin ( or wɪˈskɑnsɨn (French Ouisconsin) is one of the fifty United States of America, located in the north central part of the United States Large line sales, such as those that resulted in the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad further helped reduce the railroad to a mainline core with several regional feeders and branches. Dakota Minnesota and Eastern Railroad ( DM&E) is a Class II railroad operating across South Dakota and southern Minnesota in the northern plains [1] The company was purchased by Union Pacific Railroad in April 1995 and ceased to exist.
Contents |
History
The Chicago and North Western Railway was chartered on June 7, 1848. Events 1099 - The First Crusade: The Siege of Jerusalem begins Year 1848 ( MDCCCXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap It had purchased the assets of the bankrupt Chicago, St. Paul and Fond du Lac Railroad five days earlier. On February 15, 1865, it officially merged with the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad, which had been chartered on January 16, 1836. Events 590 - Khosrau II is crowned as king of Persia 1637 - Ferdinand III becomes Holy Roman Emperor Year 1865 ( MDCCCLXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The Galena and Chicago Union Railroad ( G&CU) was a Railroad running west from Chicago to Clinton Iowa and Freeport Illinois, never Events 27 BC - The title Augustus is bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate. Year 1836 ( MDCCCXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap Since the Galena & Chicago Union started operating in December 1848, and the Fond du Lac railroad started in March, 1855, the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad is considered to be the origin of the North Western railroad system.
The North Western had owned a majority of the stock of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway (Omaha Road) since 1882. On January 1, 1957, it officially leased the company, and merged it into the North Western in 1972. New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) The Omaha Road's main line ran from an interchange with the North Western at Elroy, Wisconsin, to the Twin Cities, down to Sioux City, Iowa, and then finally to Omaha, Nebraska. Elroy is a city in Juneau County, Wisconsin, United States, along the Baraboo River and at the east end of the Elroy-Sparta Bike Trail Sioux City (ˌsuːˈsɪti is a city located in northwest Iowa in the United States.
The North Western picked up several important short railroads during its later years. It finalized acquisition of the Litchfield and Madison railroad on January 1, 1958. New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Litchfield and Madison railroad was a 44-mile (71 km) bridge road from East St. Louis to Litchfield, Illinois. East St Louis is a city located in St Clair County Illinois, USA directly across the Mississippi River from St Litchfield is a city in Montgomery County, Illinois, United States. On July 30, 1968, the North Western acquired two former interurbans – the 36-mile (58 km) Des Moines and Central Iowa Railway (DM&CI), and the 110-mile (180 km) Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern Railway (FDDM&S). Events 1419 - First Defenestration of Prague. 1502 - Christopher Columbus lands at Guanaja in the Bay Islands off Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The DM&CI gave access to the Firestone plant in Des Moines, Iowa, and the FDDM&S provided access to gypsum mills in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Fort Dodge is a City and County seat of Webster County, Iowa, United States, situated on the Des Moines River.
On November 1, 1960, the North Western acquired the rail properties of the 1,500-mile (2,400 km) Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway. Events 996 - Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk Bishop of Freising which is the oldest known document using the name Ostarrîchi Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Minneapolis and St Louis Railway (M&StL now defunct was an American Railroad that built and operated lines radiating south and west from Minneapolis In spite of its name, it ran only from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Peoria, Illinois. Peoria Illinois (named after the Peoria tribe is the largest city on the Illinois River and the County seat of Peoria County, Illinois This acquisition provided traffic and modern rolling stock, and eliminated competition.
On July 1, 1968, the 1,500 mile (2,400 km) Chicago Great Western Railway was merged into the North Western. "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Chicago Great Western Railway was a Class I railroad that linked Chicago, Minneapolis, Omaha, and Kansas City. This railroad went from Chicago to Oelwein, Iowa. Oelwein is a city in Fayette County, Iowa, United States. The population was 6692 at the 2000 census. From there, separate lines went to the Twin Cities, Omaha, Nebraska, and Kansas City, Missouri. Kansas City Missouri only Items for the metro area Kansas City Kansas or North Kansas City MO should go on their respective pages A connection from Hayfield, Minnesota, to Clarion, Iowa, provided a Twin Cities to Omaha main line. Hayfield is a city in Dodge County, Minnesota, United States. Clarion is a city in and the County seat of Wright County, Iowa, United States. The Chicago Great Western duplicated the North Western's routes from Chicago to the Twin Cities and Omaha, but went the long way. This merger provided access to Kansas City and further eliminated competition. After abandoning a plan to merge with the Milwaukee Road in 1970, Benjamin W. Heineman, who had headed the CNW and parent Northwest Industries since 1956, arranged the sale of the railroad to its employees in 1972. The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific Railroad ( CMSP&P RR), was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest Benjamin W Heineman (born 1914 was an attorney and American Railroad executive The words "Employee Owned" were part of the company logo in the ensuing period.
After the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (Rock Island) stopped operating on March 31, 1980, the North Western won a bidding war with the Soo Line for purchase of the roughly 600-mile (970 km) "Spine Line" from the Twin Cities to Kansas City, Missouri, via Des Moines, Iowa. Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) The Soo Line Railroad is the United States arm of the Canadian Pacific Railway, serving Chicago and the areas to the east and west The North Western's bid of $93 million was approved on June 20, 1983, by the ICC. Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun. Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) The Interstate Commerce Commission (or ICC) was a Regulatory body in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 which was signed The line was well-engineered, but because of deferred maintenance on the part of the bankrupt Rock Island, a major rehabilitation was undertaken in 1984. The North Western then began to abandon the Oelwein to Kansas City section of its former Chicago Great Western trackage, which duplicated Spine Line service.
In April, 1995, the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was merged into the Union Pacific Railroad.
Chicago and North Western locomotives continued to operate in their paint schemes for several years after the merger. A steam locomotive is a Locomotive powered by Steam. The term usually refers to its use on Railways but can also refer to a "road locomotive" As of 2007, two locomotives remain on the UP with CNW logos and reporting marks, C44-9Ws 8646 and 8701 (these locomotives, however, do have notable UP alterations, such as air conditioners in UP colors, UP horns, UP number boards, and UP plows). Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Union Pacific has decided to leave these 2 locomotives in their current condition until either of them suffers a serious mechanical problem, in which they will be overhauled and repainted at Jenks Shop in North Little Rock. North Little Rock is a city in the central part of the US state of Arkansas across the Arkansas River from Little Rock in Pulaski County In addition to this, many former C&NW units have received "patches" with a new road number and reporting mark to match their new owner's roster. Approximately 40 "patched" units remain on the Union Pacific and several others work under different owners. However, it is still possible to find untouched C&NW units in service. For instance C&NW 411 and C&NW 1518 are kept and preserved at the Illinois Railway Museum, CNW 4153 now works at a grain elevator in South Dakota, and several other GP7s, GP9s, and a few other C&NW locomotives are owned by various regionals, shortlines, or industries. The Illinois Railway Museum ( IRM) is the largest railroad museum in the United States and is located in Union Illinois, northwest of Chicago
Union Pacific continues to follow its new tradition of releasing "Heritage" units to represent the paint schemes of companies absorbed by UP. After completion of painting at the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad's Horicon, Wisconsin shop, UP 1995, an EMD SD70ACe locomotive painted in a "Heritage" C&NW paint scheme, was unveiled on July 15, 2006, at North Western Station in Chicago, IL. The Wisconsin and Southern Railroad is a Class II Railroad operating in the southern portion of Wisconsin and the northeast corner of Illinois Union Pacific 1995 is a Diesel-electric locomotive owned by Union Pacific Railroad (UP Events 1099 - First Crusade: Christian soldiers take the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after the final Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The Richard B Ogilvie Transportation Center is a Passenger terminal in downtown Chicago Illinois, currently serving the three Commuter rail lines of North Western Station now serves as UP's Metra terminus (although the station is officially designated the "Ogilvie Transportation Center", many locals still refer to the station as the "Northwestern Station", or as the "CNW Station"). Metra (officially known as the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation) is a Regional rail system that serves the city of Chicago Illinois The unit was then placed in dedicated service on former C&NW trackage, sometimes paired with the C&NW 8646 and 8701.
Passenger train service
The CNW's most famous train, the Chicago-Twin Cities 400 was introduced in 1935 to compete with the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy's Zephyrs and the Milwaukee Road's Hiawathas. The Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific Railroad ( CMSP&P RR), was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest This train was named because it traveled the 400 miles (640 km) between the cities in 400 minutes. CNW was the first system to start a high-speed Chicago-Twin Cities schedule because it used refurbished instead of new equipment, but in 1939, modernized the 400 with new E3A diesel locomotive pairs and streamlined cars. The EMD E3 was a, A1A-A1A passenger train Locomotive manufactured by General Motors Electro-Motive Division of La Grange Illinois.
CNW eventually renamed the first 400 to the Twin Cities 400 as the CNW stuck almost all of its passenger trains with the 400 moniker, including the Flambeau 400, Rochester 400, and the Kate Shelley 400. The 400 (later named the Twin Cities 400) was a named passenger train operated by Chicago and North Western between Chicago and CNW ceased running the Twin Cities 400 in 1963, and all intercity passenger service on CNW ended with the formation of Amtrak in 1971. The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Doing business as Amtrak, is a Government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971
In conjunction with Union Pacific and Southern Pacific, the North Western operated some long distance passenger trains including the Overland Limited, City of Los Angeles, City of San Francisco, City of Denver, and the Challenger. A train is a connected series of vehicles that move along a track ( Permanent way) to transport freight or passengers from one place to another The Overland Flyer was a Passenger train originally operated by the Union Pacific Railroad. The City of Los Angeles was a streamlined Passenger train that ran between Chicago Illinois and Los Angeles California, via Omaha Nebraska The City of San Francisco was a streamlined Passenger train operated jointly by the Chicago and North Western Railway, the Southern Pacific Railroad The City of Denver was a Passenger train operated jointly by the Chicago and North Western (CNW and Union Pacific (UP railroads This article is about the passenger train Challenger; for other uses see the disambiguation page Challenger. These services lasted from 1889 to 1955, after which the CNW route to Chicago was changed to the Milwaukee Road's on account of poor track conditions. The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific Railroad ( CMSP&P RR), was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest
Additional notes
The CNW was known for running "left-hand main" on double track mainlines. In other words, traffic was routed by default to the track on the left rather than the track on the right. In the United States, most railroads followed the "right-hand main" operating practice, while "left-hand main" running was more common in countries where automobile traffic drove on the left as well. According to a display in the Lake Forest station, the reason for this was a combination of chance and inertia. Lake Forest is a city known for its affluence located in Lake County, Illinois, United States. When originally built as single-line trackage, the C&NW arbitrarily placed its stations on the left-hand side of the tracks (when headed inbound toward Chicago). Later, when a second track was added, it was placed on the side away from the stations so as not to force them to relocate. Since most passengers waiting at the stations were headed toward Chicago, the inbound track remained the one closest to the station platforms. The expense of reconfiguring signals and switches has prevented a conversion to right-hand operation ever since.
The railroad also purchased a great deal of its equipment second-hand. CNW shop forces economized wherever possible, earning the railroad the nickname "Cheap and Nothing Wasted. "
Finally, the CNW has a following of more than 3,000 members of the Chicago and North Western Historical Society. Founded in 1973 The Chicago and North Western Historical Society was organized by a number of Midwestern railfans led by Joseph Follmar
References
- ^ Chicago & North Western 1385. midcontinent. org. Retrieved on 2007-09-10. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul meet in the Council of Agde.
- Grant, H. Roger (1996). The North Western – A history of the Chicago & North Western Railway system. Northern Illinois University Press, DeKalb, IL. ISBN 0-87580-214-1.
- Grant, H. Roger (1984). The Corn Belt Route – A history of the Chicago Great Western Railroad Company. Northern Illinois University Press, DeKalb, IL. ISBN 0-87580-095-5.
- The Trains staff (November, 1990). Timeline. Trains, pp. 21-47.
- (1973). Handy Railroad Atlas of the United States. Rand McNally & Co. p. 53.
- Piersen, Joe (2004). Chicago and North Western- A Capsule History. Chicago and North Western Historical Society. Retrieved on 2007-09-10. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul meet in the Council of Agde.
See also
- Category:CNW locomotives
External links
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic