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98-422: Facilities include rail-serviced sites with Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway , municipal water and sewer, natural gas service, and five power plants on site producing more than 900 megawatts (1,200,000 hp). In 1995, Storey County saw an opportunity in the open area close to rail and highway, but isolated from residential areas to avoid disturbance. Mars/PetSmart became the first tenant. In 2020, TRIC

196-571: A grain elevator in Fremont, NE , while several other GP7's, GP9's, and a few other CNW locomotives are owned by regional railroads, short lines, or industries. As of 2020, 9771 and 6706 have yet to be repainted. Union Pacific continues to follow its new tradition of releasing "Heritage" EMD SD70ACe units to represent the paint schemes of companies absorbed by UP. After painting at the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad 's Horicon, WI shop, UP 1995 , painted in

294-654: A public–private partnership , where the owners provide $ 5 million for the county to support TRIC. The owners also built infrastructure such as roads, rail, gas, power, water, and sewer, and are reimbursed with 35% of the tax paid by the tenant companies to the county. The owners built the six-mile, four-lane USA Parkway between TRIC and I-80 for $ 60 million in 2007 as the second access, along with rail spur . In 2009 TRIC had 4,500 employees on 11 million sq ft of buildings, growing to 14 million sq ft in 2014, and 5,000 employees in 2015, increasing to over 18,000 employees by 2018. The additions have contributed to economic activity in

392-737: A "Heritage" C&NW paint scheme, was unveiled on July 15, 2006, at North Western Station in Chicago, IL. The North Western Station was rechristened to the Ogilvie Transportation Center in 1997 to honor Richard B. Ogilvie , a former governor of Illinois and well as the creator of the Regional Transportation Authority . The station serves as UP's Metra terminus for its three lines ( Union Pacific West Line , Union Pacific Northwest Line , and Union Pacific North Line ). However, many longtime Chicago residents still refer to

490-610: A complete set of passenger and freight car shops. These shops served the eastern section of the CNW system. Meanwhile, the western section was served by back shops in Clinton, Iowa and the northern section was served by facilities in Winona, Minnesota . In 1911 a new freight yard and shops were built 13 miles west of Chicago in Proviso Township, which featured a mammoth, 58-stall roundhouse (a twin of

588-681: A dozen of C&NW's bilevel railcars and painted them with the Phase III paint used with Amtrak's EMD F40PH locomotives. They are no longer in use. 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 . These services lasted from 1889 to 1955, after which

686-467: A few of them. The railroad operated what was once the largest "potato yard" or potato market, at its Chicago Wood Street yards. Potatoes came to the yard from every point in the United States to be bought or traded by produce dealers and brokers. While the facility came to be known as the "potato yard", it was also a site where other vegetables could be bought, sold or traded. In 1891, the CNW adopted

784-617: A hump. Union Pacific also closed facilities in Kansas City ("Neff yard"), Hinkle, Oregon , and Pine Bluff, Arkansas in 2019. Union Pacific has owned some of the most powerful locomotives. These include members of the Challenger-type (including the 3985 ), and the Northern-type (including the 844 ), as well as the Big Boy steam locomotives (including the 4014 ). Union Pacific ordered

882-674: A limited operation, instead of a full-blown program. The steam tour took place in May 1982, dubbed the "Prosperity Special" , to promote the C&;NW's locomotive and rolling stock upgrades. As a result of the Prosperity Special’ s success, additional steam tours took place in the ensuing years throughout Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois. Some of the trains used C&NW track rights to travel over Milwaukee Road and Burlington Northern trackage. The final steam tour took place in 1987, during

980-593: A majority of the stock of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway (Omaha Road) since 1882. On January 1, 1957, it leased the company, and merged it into the North Western in 1972. The Omaha Road's main line extended from an interchange with the North Western at Elroy, Wisconsin , to the Twin Cities, south to Sioux City, Iowa , and then finally to Omaha, Nebraska . The CNW acquired several important short railroads during its later years. It completed acquisition of

1078-451: A new Union Pacific "Railroad". In the early 20th century, Union Pacific's focus shifted from expansion to internal improvement. Recognizing that farmers in the Central and Salinas Valleys of California grew produce far in excess of local markets, Union Pacific worked with its rival Southern Pacific to develop a spoilage-resistant rail-based transport system. These efforts came culminated in

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1176-428: A number of units were repainted with a large, billowing American flag with the corporate motto "Building America" on the side, where the 'UNION PACIFIC' lettering is normally positioned. Until 2017, UP operated some locomotives still in the paint scheme of their former railroads. In addition, some locomotives were renumbered by UP, varying in the degree of the previous railroads' logos being eradicated, but always with

1274-608: A rail safety organization founded in 1970. As of December 2023, the Union Pacific had 7,175 locomotives on its active roster consisting of 42 different models. Union Pacific continues to use a small number of "heritage" steam locomotives and early streamlined diesel locomotives. This equipment is used on special charters (excursions). Union Pacific maintains a fleet of low-emissions locomotives. Most are used in Los Angeles basin rail yards, to satisfy an air quality agreement with

1372-684: A roundabout with the Capital City State Trail, which is not a rail trail. The former Illinois Central line , now the Badger State Trail , runs on a bridge directly above the roundabout and has ramps connecting to the Capital City and Cannonball Paths. This area is known as the "Velo Underround". The Cowboy Trail is a rail trail that follows the abandoned CNW line between Chadron, Nebraska and Norfolk, Nebraska . When completed, it will be 321 miles in length. The Glacial River Trail

1470-464: A yellow patch applied over the locomotive's former number and a new UP number applied on the cab. That allowed UP to number locomotives into its roster without spending the time and money necessary to perform a complete repaint. In May 2015, UP rostered 212 "patches", consisting of: In 2017, Union Pacific decided to repaint all locomotives which were not in the current corporate colors. As of March 2018, only 41 locomotives remained unpainted. From

1568-462: Is a Class I freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over 32,200 miles (51,800 km) routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans . Union Pacific is the second largest railroad in the United States after BNSF , with which it shares a duopoly on transcontinental freight rail lines in the Western , Midwestern and West South Central United States. Founded in 1862,

1666-543: Is a rail trail that follows the abandoned CNW line between Milton, Wisconsin and Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin . The Military Ridge State Trail runs from Fitchburg to Dodgeville on the former "Ridgerunner" line. It connects with the Cannonball Bike Path in Fitchburg. The Peace Trail runs between Janesville, Wisconsin and Beloit, Wisconsin next to the existing ex-Milwaukee Road line.. The Sangamon Valley Trail

1764-501: Is another rail trail, currently 5.5-mile (8.9 km) in length, on the west side of Sangamon County in Illinois , which skirts Springfield, Illinois . It is a segment of a former St. Louis, Peoria and North Western Railway 38-mile (61.2 km) right-of-way (which was later folded into the CNW) that has been set aside for rail trail use. The entire right-of-way connects Girard, Illinois , on

1862-866: Is named in honor of George H. W. Bush , the US 41st President and is exhibited at the George H. W. Bush Presidential Center at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. The locomotive, custom painted in the colors of GWH Bush's Air Force One is the only UP locomotive not painted in traditional Armour yellow. The engine also pulled the president's funeral train on his final journey to College Station in 2018. The Union Pacific system includes hundreds of yards. Most are flat yards used for local switching. Other types of yards include intermodal terminals and hump yards. Most UP intermodal terminals are typically ports, but UP also has inland terminals for transfers to trucks, such as

1960-512: Is scheduled nearby. In 2017, Google purchased 1,200 acres of land for $ 26.1 million, to be used as a data center. Construction was underway in 2019. In 2018, Blockchains bought 67,000 acres for a cryptocurrency-powered libertarian city. Incomplete list, sorted by number of employees. 39°32′30″N 119°29′09″W  /  39.5416°N 119.4858°W  / 39.5416; -119.4858 Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad ( reporting marks UP , UPP , UPY )

2058-771: The 1862 Pacific Railroad Act , the Union Pacific Railroad was to be built from the Nevada–Utah border in the west to the Colorado–Kansas border in the east. However, due to intense lobbying by Dr. Thomas Clark Durant , the eastern terminal was moved to a location where the Union Pacific could link up with the Mississippi and Missouri Railroad in Iowa. Following the Act's passage, commissioners appointed by Congress began selling stock in

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2156-500: The C&;NW North Line to Kenosha, Wisconsin . At Crystal Lake Junction, some trains branched off to Williams Bay, Wisconsin . The West Line also had branches to St. Charles , Aurora , Freeport , and Crystal Lake . A fourth commuter line operated on the KD Line between Kenosha and Harvard until 1939. In 1974, responsibility for the commuter lines and equipment ownership transferred to

2254-619: The CNW Corporation was formed to take over the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company; the employee-owned stock of the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was transferred to the new CNW Corporation. In 1988, the Blackstone Capital Partners formed the Chicago and North Western Acquisition Corporation to purchase the CNW Corporation; the CNW Corporation was acquired by Blackstone Capital Partners under

2352-706: The Chicago & Northwestern trackage starting in 1936. Disputes over trackage rights and passenger revenues with the C&NW prompted the UP to switch to the Milwaukee Road for the handling of its streamliner trains between Chicago and Omaha beginning in late 1955. The last intercity passenger train operated by UP was the westbound City of Los Angeles , arriving at Los Angeles Union Station on May 2. Since then, Union Pacific has satisfied its common carrier requirements by hosting Amtrak trains. Many Amtrak and commuter rail routes use Union Pacific rails. This list excludes

2450-548: The Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad , further helped reduce the railroad to a mainline core with several regional feeders and branches. Union Pacific (UP) purchased the company in April 1995 and integrated it with its own operation. The Chicago and North Western Railway was chartered on June 7, 1859, five days after it purchased the assets of the bankrupt Chicago, St. Paul and Fond du Lac Railroad. On February 15, 1865, it merged with

2548-675: The Galena and Chicago Union Railroad , which had been chartered on January 16, 1836. 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. Other lines acquired and added to the network included the Chicago, St. Paul and Fond du Lac Railroad in 1859,

2646-503: The Litchfield and Madison Railway on January 1, 1958. The Litchfield and Madison railroad was a 44-mile (71 km) bridge road from East St. Louis to Litchfield, Illinois . 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). The DM&CI gave access to

2744-572: The Missouri Pacific and Western Pacific railroads, and 1988, the Missouri–Kansas–Texas . By 1993, Union Pacific had doubled its system to 17,385 miles (27,978 km) routes. By then, few large (class I) railroads remained. The same year that Union Pacific merged with the Chicago and North Western (1995), Burlington Northern and ATSF announced merger plans. The impending BNSF amalgamation would leave one mega-railroad in control of

2842-578: The Missouri–Kansas–Texas with UP 1988 , the Chicago and North Western with UP 1995 , the Southern Pacific with UP 1996 , and the Denver and Rio Grande Western with UP 1989 . In October 2005, UP unveiled SD70ACe 4141 , commissioned in honor of George Bush . The locomotive has " George Bush 41" on the sides and its paint scheme resembles that of Air Force One . It was sent into storage in 2007, but returned in 2018 to power Bush's funeral train . It

2940-707: The Union Pacific Corporation acquired the former Chicago and North Western Holdings Corporation (the second Chicago and North Western Transportation Company) under subsidiary UP Rail, Union Pacific controls the former Chicago and North Western Holdings Corporation (now the second Chicago and North Western Transportation Company) and the Chicago and North Western Railway (formerly the first Chicago and North Western Transportation Company) under UP Rail subsidiary. The Chicago and North Western corporate structure under Union Pacific ownership: The Union Pacific Corporation merged UP Rail into Union Pacific and then merged

3038-551: The Union Pacific, Denver and Gulf Railway : a system combining narrow-gauge trackage into the heart of the Rockies and a standard gauge line that ran south from Denver, across New Mexico , and into Texas. The Union Pacific Railway would later declare bankruptcy during the Panic of 1893 . The resulting corporate reorganization reversed Gould's name change: Union Pacific "Railway" merged into

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3136-590: The Upper Midwest . In 1996, the company merged with Southern Pacific Transportation Company , itself a giant system that was absorbed by the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad . The Union Pacific Railroad Company is the principal operating company of Union Pacific Corporation , which are both headquartered at the Union Pacific Center , in Omaha, Nebraska . The original company, the "Union Pacific Rail Road",

3234-697: The Utah Southern Railroad extending south from Salt Lake City into the Utah Valley , and the Utah Northern Railroad extending north from Ogden into Idaho . The original UP was entangled in the Crédit Mobilier scandal , exposed in 1872. As detailed by the New York Sun , Union Pacific's largest construction company, Crédit Mobilier, had overcharged Union Pacific; the railroad would then pass

3332-578: The Winona and St. Peter Railroad in 1867, the Chicago, Milwaukee and North Western Railway in 1883, the Sioux City and Pacific Railroad in 1880, the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad in 1884, and the Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western Railway in 1893. They also held extensive property in Michigan, particularly its Upper Peninsula , to the point where they were one of the largest property owners in

3430-448: The first diesel streamliner , the largest fleet of turbine-electric locomotives in the world , and the largest diesel locomotives ever built (including 6936 ). The yellow paint scheme was introduced in the spring of 1934. Engineers claimed the visibility of yellow would reduce grade crossing accidents. In 1941, UP introduced its yellow and gray color scheme with red highlights, which remains in use today. The middle two-thirds of

3528-515: The first transcontinental railroad and later the Overland Route . The line was constructed primarily by Irish labor who had learned their craft during the recent Civil War . Under the guidance of its dominant stockholder, Thomas C. Durant , the namesake of the city of Durant, Iowa , the first rails were laid in Omaha . The two lines were joined at Promontory Summit, Utah , 53 miles (85 km) west of Ogden on May 10, 1869, hence creating

3626-477: The 1,500 mi (2,400 km) Chicago Great Western Railway merged with the North Western. This railroad extended between Chicago and Oelwein, Iowa . From there lines went to the Twin Cities, Omaha, Nebraska, and Kansas City, Missouri . A connection from Hayfield, Minnesota , to Clarion, Iowa , provided a Twin Cities to Omaha main line. The Chicago Great Western duplicated the North Western's routes from Chicago to

3724-477: The 1906 founding of Pacific Fruit Express , soon to be the world's largest lessee of refrigerated railcars . Meanwhile, Union Pacific worked to construct a faster, and more direct substitute for the original climb to Promontory Summit . In 1904, the Lucin cutoff opened, reducing curvature and grades. The original route would eventually be stripped of track in 1942 to provide war scrap . To attract customers during

3822-678: The 1920–1940s. Almost every town on their route had at least the main crossing in town protected by them. The most common style were the Center Harp shorties. They were almost iconic to the CNW. Many of them, which were grandfathered in after the Federal Railroad Administration ruled them inadequate protection in 1949, survived until the 1970s and a few remain on lines in Wisconsin that have been sold off to other railroads. Lack of available parts and upgrades to roads have replaced all but

3920-513: The 1980s, and the right of way converted to a trail. Service was discontinued to St. Charles in 1951. Service between Geneva and Aurora and Elgin and Crystal Lake was discontinued in the early 1930s. Service to Freeport ceased in the late 1940s. By 1981, following the start of the early 1980s recession and the bankruptcy of the Milwaukee Road, public opinion on railroads around the Milwaukee area

4018-598: The 22% recommendation rating from Glassdoor.com. When Union Pacific bought out the Chicago & North Western in 1995, it inherited the railroad's Metra commuter rail services in the Chicago metropolitan area : the Union Pacific North Line to Kenosha, Wisconsin , Northwest Line to Harvard, Illinois , and West Line to Elburn, Illinois , all of which operate from Ogilvie Transportation Center (the former North Western Station–a name still used by many Chicago residents). In order to ensure uniformity across

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4116-427: The C&NW's dry mainline through Iowa also became flooded. Upon learning about the flooding, some C&NW employees called into work during their time off, in order to help the railroad through the flood. By the time the flood ended, most of the C&NW's rail lines remained intact and were quickly reopened. In February 1994, the Chicago and North Western Acquisition Corporation and the CNW Corporation merged into

4214-486: The CNW route to Chicago was changed to the Milwaukee Road's due to poor track conditions. Chicago and North Western also operated commuter train service in the Chicago area, where they developed what was perhaps the first control car . A modified gallery car was built in 1960 with locomotive controls to allow push-pull operation. which is preserved at the Illinois Railway Museum . The C&NW also pioneered

4312-411: The Chicago and North Western Acquisition Corporation subsidiary from the employee owned stock; Blackstone Capital Partners controls the CNW Corporation and the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company under the Chicago and North Western Acquisition Corporation subsidiary. Chicago and North Western Holdings Corporation (or "CNW Holdings Corporation" and "Chicago and North Western Holdings Company")

4410-510: The Chicago and North Western Holdings Corporation, leaving only the Chicago and North Western Holdings Corporation and the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company. In May 1994, the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company reverted to its original name, Chicago and North Western Railway and the Chicago and North Western Holdings Corporation was renamed to the second Chicago and North Western Transportation Company . The Chicago and North Western corporate structure: In April 1995,

4508-631: The Chicago area commuter rail system, trains are branded as Metra services and use Metra equipment. However, Union Pacific crews continue to operate the trains under a purchase-of-service agreement. In 2023, UP announced its intentions to surrender the control and operation of commuter rail services and trains in Chicago to Metra , however the UP would retain ownership and control of the right-of-ways of former Chicago & Northwestern lines radiating from Chicago. Between 1869 and 1971, Union Pacific operated passenger service throughout its historic "Overland Route". These trains ran between Chicago and Omaha on

4606-649: The Firestone plant in Des Moines, Iowa , and the FDDM&;S provided access to gypsum mills in Fort Dodge, Iowa . On November 1, 1960, the CNW acquired the rail properties of the 1,500-mile (2,400 km) Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway . In spite of its name, it ran only from Minneapolis, Minnesota , to Peoria, Illinois . This acquisition provided traffic and modern rolling stock, and eliminated competition. On July 1, 1968,

4704-596: The Geneva line having been extended west to Elburn . However, service on the branch to Williams Bay was gradually cut back over the years, also resulting in changes to the name of the branch. In 1965, service was abandoned between Williams Bay and Lake Geneva. In 1975, service ended between Lake Geneva and Richmond. In 1981, service between McHenry and Richmond ended. Rails and ties north of the Cargill plant in Ringwood were removed during

4802-562: The Great Depression, Union Pacific's chairman W. Averell Harriman simultaneously sought to "spruce up" the quality of its rolling stock and to make its unique locations more desirable travel destinations. The first effort resulted in the purchase of the first streamlined train : the M-10000 . The latter resulted in the Sun Valley ski resort in central Idaho ; it opened in 1936 and finally

4900-575: The Midwest. The first routes on the C&NW to be flooded were the routes south of St. Paul, Minnesota. Ten miles of their line between North Freedom , Baraboo , and Devil's Lake were also flooded, and it isolated the C&NW's quarry supply in Rock Springs (a vintage diesel switcher from the nearby Mid-Continent Railway Museum assisted the Rock Springs quarry, until the flood cleared). During July,

4998-493: The Reno area. The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) took over USA Parkway for $ 43 million in 2015, extending it for $ 70 million to U.S. Route 50 to cope with projected increasing traffic. Switch opened a 130 MW data center in 2017, with plans for 650 MW on its 2,000-acre site. It is scheduled to occupy 7.2 million square feet and cost $ 4 billion, with the aim of being Tier 5-approved . A 91-unit Studio 6 Hotel started construction in 2017. A Courtyard by Marriott

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5096-485: The Twin Cities and Kansas City, Missouri, via Des Moines, Iowa . The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) approved North Western's bid of $ 93 million on June 20, 1983. The line was well-engineered, but because of deferred maintenance on the part of the bankrupt Rock Island, it required a major rehabilitation in 1984. The company then began to abandon the Oelwein to Kansas City section of its former Chicago Great Western trackage, which duplicated Spine Line service. In 1985,

5194-449: 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 headed the CNW and parent Northwest Industries since 1956, arranged the sale of the railroad to its employees in 1972; they formed Northwest Industries to take over the CNW in 1968. The words " Employee Owned " were part of

5292-405: The Union Pacific", which is painted in a scheme to honor the United States armed forces. On June 6, 2019, Union Pacific unveiled SD70ACe 1111, the "Powered By Our People" unit. In April 2021, Union Pacific repainted an SD70M into a commemorative paint scheme called "We Are ONE" to honor Juneteenth and Pride Month. UP also has a collection of locomotives painted for Operation Lifesaver ,

5390-455: The abandoned Chicago Great Western Railroad from Forest Park to St. Charles . The Glacial Drumlin State Trail of 52 miles follows the abandoned CNW line between Madison, Wisconsin and Milwaukee, Wisconsin . The Three Rivers Trail Trailhead is located 2 miles west of Eagle Grove, IA extending west 33 miles to Rolfe, IA. It is a crushed limestone trail that has been developed over the abandoned railroad right-of-way. The trail also features

5488-428: The acquisition (although some of them were gradually repainted into UP colors.) Many former CNW units have received "patches" with a new road number and reporting mark to match their new owner's roster. Only 2 "patched" units remain on the Union Pacific, UP AC44CW 6706, and UP C44-9W 9771. Several others work under different owners. However, it is still possible to find untouched CNW units in service. CNW 8646 and 8701 were

5586-440: The centennial of the City of Chicago. By which time, there was an insurance crisis within the railroad industry. The railroad's management had also changed, and enthusiasm on the C&NW to operate steam tours was lost. The CNW was known for running on the left-hand side when running on double track mainlines. In the United States, most railroads used the right-hand track along double-track mainlines, while left-hand running

5684-404: The cities in 400 minutes. CNW was the first system to start a high-speed Chicago-Twin Cities schedule because it used refurbished rather than new equipment, but in 1939, modernized the 400 with new E3A diesel locomotive pairs and streamlined cars. Other named trains the CNW operated included the Ashland Limited , Duluth-Superior Limited , and the North Western Limited CNW eventually renamed

5782-421: The commuter services the company directly operates in Chicago (see above). On June 28, 2004, a UP train collided with an idle BNSF train in a San Antonio suburb . In the course of the derailment, a 90-ton tank car carrying liquified chlorine was punctured. As the chlorine vaporized, a toxic "yellow cloud" formed, killing three and causing 43 hospitalizations. The costs of cleanup and property damaged during

5880-455: The company logo in the ensuing period. The railroad was renamed from Chicago and North Western Railway to Chicago and North Western Transportation Company . The railroad's reporting marks (CNW) remained the same. After the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (Rock Island) ceased operating on March 31, 1980, the North Western won a bidding war with the Soo Line Railroad to purchase the roughly 400-mile (640 km) " Spine Line " between

5978-411: The concept of Head End Power (HEP), generating 480 volt electricity from the locomotive to power the air conditioning, lighting, and heating on the new bi-level cars. This eventually became the standard for all railroads in the United States. Three commuter lines radiated from North Western Station ; the C&NW West Line to Geneva, Illinois ; the C&NW Northwest Line to Harvard , Illinois; and

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6076-471: The extent that the FRA, in a letter to UP's CEO, said "safety of railroad operations is paramount ... decisions that comprise that fundamental ... are unacceptable. You must ensure that highly trained and experienced personnel perform critical inspections and repairs .... Your railroad (layoffs) are far outpacing any of your Class 1 peers." In 2024 the railway celebrated 150 years of having its headquarters in Omaha. The railway's Big Boy #4014,

6174-416: The famous "ball and bar" logo, which survived a few modifications throughout its 104-year existence. This included the changing of text: 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." Sometimes employees referred to the condition of equipment as "Cardboard and No Wheels." One of

6272-449: The federally chartered Union Pacific Railroad Company. By 1863, Durant had organized the purchase of 2,000 shares, the prerequisite amount of stock sold in order to begin the railroad's construction. The resulting track ran westward from Council Bluffs, Iowa , to meet in Utah the Central Pacific Railroad line, which had been constructed eastward from Sacramento, California . The combined Union Pacific–Central Pacific line became known as

6370-421: The first 400 to the Twin Cities 400 as the CNW labeled almost all of its passenger trains with variations of the 400 moniker, including the Flambeau 400 , Minnesota 400 , Valley "400" , Shoreland "400" , Dakota 400 and the Kate Shelley 400 . CNW ceased running the Twin Cities 400 in 1963, and all intercity passenger service on CNW ended with the formation of Amtrak in 1971. Amtrak bought

6468-418: The first rail trails created in the United States was the 32.5-mile (52.3 km) Elroy-Sparta State Trail in Wisconsin, which used a segment abandoned in 1965. The 400 State Trail runs from Reedsburg to Elroy on the former main line. The Cannonball Bike Path runs on a 5-mile stretch in Madison, Wisconsin on the old "Ridgerunner line". It connects with the Military Ridge State Trail in Fitchburg at

6566-409: The first transcontinental railroad in North America. Leland Stanford, founder of the Central Pacific Railroad which itself eventually was merged with Union Pacific, himself drove the golden spike , inscribed with the words "to span the continent and wed the oceans." Subsequently, the UP purchased three Mormon -built roads: the Utah Central Railroad extending south from Ogden to Salt Lake City ,

6664-540: The incident exceeded $ 7 million. Investigations of the Macdona incident revealed several serious safety lapses on the part of the Union Pacific and its employees, including employees not following the company's own safety rules. While the immediate cause of the derailment was the UP crew's "fatigue", chlorine tank cars had been improperly placed near the front of the train, a danger in the case of derailment. Chicago and North Western Transportation Company The Chicago and North Western ( reporting mark CNW )

6762-468: The inflated costs on to the United States government. To convince the federal government to accept the increased costs, Crédit Mobilier had bribed multiple congressmen. Several prominent UP board members (including Durant) had been involved in the scheme. The ensuing financial crisis of 1873 led to a credit crunch, but not bankruptcy. As boom followed bust, the Union Pacific continued to expand. A new company, with dominant stockholder Jay Gould , purchased

6860-559: The last unpatched CNW locomotives on the UP roster which railfans referred to them as the "CNW twins". In 2017 after years of surviving untouched they were repainted and renumbered to 9750 (ex 8646) and 9805 (ex 8701) respectively. 9750 is in storage as of 2020 while 9805 is active and was rebuilt by GE/Wabtec into a C44ACM. CNW 6847 and CNW 7009 are preserved at the Illinois Railway Museum in their original factory paint. CNW 1518, CNW 411, and CNW 414 (METX 308) are also at IRM, with 1518 and 411 having been restored in CNW paint. CNW 4153 works at

6958-431: The local authorities. According to UP's 2007 Annual Report to Investors, at the end of 2007 it had more than 50,000 employees, 8,721 locomotives, and 94,284 freight cars. Broken down by specific type of car, owned and leased: In addition, it owns 6,950 different pieces of maintenance of way work equipment. At the end of 2007, the average age of UP's locomotive fleet was 14.8 years, the freight car fleet 28 years. UP

7056-541: The locomotive body is painted Armour Yellow , a color used by Armour and Company on the packaging of its meat products. A thin band of Signal Red divides this from the Harbor Mist Gray (a light gray) used for the body and roof above that point. There is also a thin band of Signal Red along the bottom of the locomotive body, but this color has gradually become yellow as new Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regulations for reflectorized tape came into effect in 2005;

7154-575: The longest railroads in the United States as a result of mergers with other railroads, such as the Chicago Great Western Railway , Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway and others. By 1995, track sales and abandonment had reduced the total mileage to about 5,000. The majority of the abandoned and sold lines were lightly trafficked branches in Iowa , Illinois , Minnesota , South Dakota and Wisconsin . Large line sales, such as those that resulted in

7252-477: The newly formed Regional Transportation Authority , whose rail division was later branded in 1984 as Metra . The C&NW continued to run the lines under a "purchase of service" contract, in which the railroad maintained the right-of-way and operated trains on behalf of Metra. All three C&NW commuter lines live on in the Metra system, and are still operated by Union Pacific under a purchase of service contract, with

7350-561: The old on January 24, 1880. Gould already owned the Kansas Pacific (originally called the Union Pacific, Eastern Division, though in essence a separate railroad), and sought to merge it with UP. Through that merger, the original "Union Pacific Rail Road" transformed into "Union Pacific Railway". Extending towards the Pacific Northwest, Union Pacific built or purchased local lines to reach Portland, Oregon . Towards Colorado, it built

7448-472: The one in Fulton, Illinois ). Changing traffic patterns and competition with automobiles and trucking disrupted the railroad's profitability by mid-20th century. After nine years in bankruptcy, the CNW was reorganized in 1944. It had turned rapidly to diesel power, and established a huge diesel shop in Chicago . Its Proviso Freight Yard, located 12 miles (19 km) west of the city center in suburban Cook County,

7546-646: The original Union Pacific Rail Road was part of the first transcontinental railroad project, later known as the Overland Route . Over the next century, UP absorbed the Missouri Pacific Railroad , the Western Pacific Railroad , the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad and the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad . In 1995, the Union Pacific merged with Chicago and North Western Transportation Company , completing its reach into

7644-465: The second Chicago and North Western Transportation Company and the Chicago and North Western Railway into the Union Pacific Railroad; the Chicago and North Western system became part of the Union Pacific Railroad system. A joint UP-CNW subsidiary, Western Railroad Properties, Inc. , was also merged into the Union Pacific system in the acquisition. Chicago and North Western locomotives continued to operate in their own paint schemes for several years after

7742-561: The second half of 2005 to the summer of 2006, UP unveiled a new set of six EMD SD70ACe locomotives in "Heritage Colors", painted in schemes reminiscent of railroads acquired by the Union Pacific Corporation since the 1980s. The engine numbers match the year that the predecessor railroad became part of the Union Pacific system. The locomotives commemorate the Missouri Pacific with UP 1982 , the Western Pacific with UP 1983 ,

7840-550: The south end, to Athens, Illinois , at the north end. The right-of-way spans the western half of Sangamon County in a north–south direction, and also traverses small sections of Macoupin County and Menard County . The Three Eagles Trail runs for a couple miles south of Eagle River, Wisconsin . The Wild Rivers Trail is a 104-mile-long rail trail that follows the abandoned CNW line between Rice Lake, Wisconsin and Superior, Wisconsin . The Great Western Trail of 17 miles follows

7938-569: The state. By 1899, the company had rostered 1,380 locomotives, 1,176 passenger cars, and 49,484 freight cars. The first repair facilities for rolling stock were located along the Chicago River near the center of Chicago , but these were abandoned for a more extensive, 240-acre plot of land to the west along West Kinzie Street. The facilities were expanded in 1900 and became known as the 40th Street Shops, which at that point included three roundhouses, extensive locomotive overhauling capabilities, and

8036-477: The station as "North Western Station," and many longtime employees still call it "CPT," for "Chicago Passenger Terminal." The CNW's most famous train, the Twin Cities 400 from Chicago to Minneapolis/St. Paul, was introduced in 1935 to compete with the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy 's Zephyr s and the Milwaukee Road 's Hiawatha s. This train was so named because it traveled the 400 mi (640 km) between

8134-602: The terminal in San Antonio that opened in 2009 or the one in Santa Teresa, New Mexico , that opened in 2014. In 2006, Union Pacific had 11 major active hump yards : In the late 2010s, Union Pacific began deactivating hump yards in favor of flat switching. In this, Union Pacific followed the industry-wide trend towards Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR); railway executive Hunter Harrison explained that under PSR, few yards receive enough variegated traffic to necessitate

8232-473: The trucks (painted Aluminum from 1955 to 1982), underframe, fuel tanks and everything else beneath that line are also Harbor Mist Gray. Lettering and numbering are in Signal Red, with black outlines. Most locomotives have white-outlined blue "wings" on the nose, on either side of the renowned shield featuring white lettering on a blue background and, below it, red and white vertical stripes. Beginning in early 2002,

8330-551: The west. To compete, UP merged with Southern Pacific , thereby incorporating D&RGW and Cotton Belt , and forming a duopoly in the West. The merged railroad took the Union Pacific name. As of 1999, the UP had 33,705 miles (54,243 km) of track, about 33,000 employees, nearly 7,000 locomotives and over 155,000 rail cars. In March 2024 Union Pacific layoffs caused concern at the Federal Railroad Administration to

8428-524: The world's largest operating steam locomotive, will visit 14 states in middle America in 2024. Twenty-five locomotives of Big Boy's size were fabricated during World War II, but only Big Boy survives. Its "Heartland of America" tour begins in August 2024 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and visits Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas through October. Another locomotive, UP No. 4141,

8526-562: Was a Class I railroad in the Midwestern United States . It was also known as the "North Western" . The railroad operated more than 5,000 miles (8,000 km) of track at 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. Until 1972, when the employees purchased the company, it was named the Chicago and North Western Railway (or Chicago and North Western Railway Company ). The C&NW became one of

8624-488: Was adversely affected by government agricultural credit policies, which sealed a lot of products on the farms where they were produced. Although it stood sixteenth in operating revenue in 1938, it was eighth in passenger revenue among American railroads. It served Chicago commuters; its 400 streamliners provided intercity transportation, and it provided an eastern link to bring the Union Pacific 's passengers from Omaha, Nebraska and points west to Chicago. The CNW had owned

8722-558: Was beginning to sour. In response, management of the C&NW explored options to generate public awareness that the C&NW was still a healthy company. Manager of the railroad's Wisconsin Division, Chris Burger, pitched the idea of the railroad hosting a steam excursion program, using steam locomotive No. 1385 from the Mid-Continent Railway Museum. Because of the recession, C&NW President James R. Wolfe only approved

8820-430: Was constructed between 1926 and 1929 and remained the largest such in the world, with 224 miles of trackage and a capacity of more than 20,000 cars. Potatoes from the west were one of the main crops carried by the CNW, and its potato sheds in Chicago were the nation's largest. It also carried western sugar beets and huge amounts of corn and wheat. This road, like other lines depending strongly on transportation of crops,

8918-537: Was donated to the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum on November 8, 2019. On March 31, 2010, UP dedicated a specially painted GE ES44AC locomotive commemorating the centennial of the Boy Scouts of America . On September 28, 2010, UP dedicated a specially painted GE ES44AC locomotive, as a tribute to Susan G. Komen for the Cure . On October 19, 2017, Union Pacific unveiled SD70AH 1943, "The Spirit of

9016-498: Was formed and took control of the Chicago and North Western Acquisition Corporation, which controlled the CNW Corporation and which the CNW Corporation controlled the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company. The Chicago and North Western corporate structure under the Blackstone ownership: In 1993, several of the C&NW's routes became flooded by that year's Great Flood , which also affected other railroads that operated in

9114-680: Was incorporated on July 1, 1862, under the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862 . President Abraham Lincoln had approved the act, which authorized railroad construction from the Missouri River to the Pacific to ensure the stability of the Union throughout the American Civil War , but construction did not complete until after the conflict's conclusion. Under the original bill that formed the basis of

9212-447: Was more common in countries where British companies built the railroads. According to a display in Metra 's Lake Forest station, the reason for this was a combination of chance and inertia. 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

9310-489: Was one of the areas depicted in the art exhibition "Countryside, The Future" by architect Rem Koolhaas at the New York Guggenheim Museum . In 1998, private developers bought 102,000 acres of the adjacent Asamera ranch (formerly McCarran ranch) from Gulf Canada for $ 20 million cash, and the area was zoned as "I-2 Heavy Industrial" in 2000, including retail . About 30,000 acres are developable. It operates as

9408-480: 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 Chicago and North Western was known for its installation of Western Railroad Supply Company wigwag signals at many of its crossing in

9506-485: Was ranked 134th on the 2019 Fortune 500 list of the largest United States corporations by revenue and had 41,967 employees. The Chief Executive Officer of Union Pacific since August 14, 2023, is Jim Vena , the President is Beth Whited, and the chairman of the board is Mike McCarthy. In 2019, Union Pacific has been rated the worst company to work for by 247wallst.com, citing Past CEO Lance Fritz's 12% approval rating and

9604-707: Was sold in 1964. Despite the fact that the M-10000 and its successors were among the first diesel locomotives, Union Pacific completed dieselization relatively late. In 1944, UP finally received delivery of its last steam locomotive: Union Pacific 844 . As the 20th century waned, Union Pacific recognized—like most railroads—that remaining a regional railroad would only lead to bankruptcy. On December 31, 1925, UP and its subsidiaries operated 9,834 miles (15,826 km) routes and 15,265 miles (24,567 km) tracks; in 1980, these numbers had remained roughly constant (9,266 route-miles and 15,647 track-miles). But in 1982, UP acquired

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