Northern Pacific Railway

Northern Pacific Railway
source
Name	Northern Pacific Railway
Locale	Midwest to Pacific Northwest
Start	Ashland, Wisconsin / Minneapolis
End	Seattle / Tacoma
Open	1864
Close	Merged into Burlington Northern Railroad (1970)
Owner	Northern Pacific Railway Company
Operator	Northern Pacific Railway Company
Track gauge	ussg
Hq city	Saint Paul, Minnesota

Northern Pacific Railway. Chartered by the United States Congress in 1864, it was the first of the northern transcontinental railroads, connecting the Great Lakes with the Puget Sound region. Its completion in 1883, marked by the driving of the "last spike" at Gold Creek, Montana, was a monumental event in the settlement of the American West. The railroad played a pivotal role in developing the economies of Minnesota, the Dakota Territory, Montana, Idaho, and Washington, while also becoming embroiled in significant financial scandals and corporate battles.

History

The railroad's origins trace to the Pacific Railroad Acts and the ambitious vision of financier Jay Cooke, who initially secured its funding before his firm's collapse triggered the Panic of 1873. After a period of bankruptcy and reorganization under receivership, the project was revitalized under the leadership of Frederick Billings and later, the notorious Henry Villard, who orchestrated its completion. The late 19th and early 20th centuries were defined by fierce competition and conflict, including a protracted rate war with the Great Northern Railway led by James J. Hill, which culminated in the failed Northern Securities Company antitrust case. Following decades of independence, financial pressures and the rise of interstate trucking led to its merger with the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, the Great Northern Railway, and the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway to form the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1970.

Route and operations

The main line extended from Minneapolis and Saint Paul through the fertile Red River Valley, across the vast plains of North Dakota at cities like Fargo and Bismarck. It traversed the rugged terrain of the Rocky Mountains via Marias Pass in Montana, a critical route discovered by explorer John Frank Stevens, and crossed the Bitterroot Range into Idaho. The western terminus was the bustling ports of Tacoma and Seattle, with a significant branch line serving Portland via the Columbia River gorge. Beyond freight, the railroad was famous for its premier passenger service, the North Coast Limited, which competed directly with the Great Northern's Empire Builder for travel to the Pacific Northwest.

Locomotives and rolling stock

The Northern Pacific operated a diverse fleet of steam locomotives, including iconic classes like the Northern type, which was named for the railroad itself, and powerful Yellowstone articulated locomotives for handling heavy freight over the Rocky Mountains. In the diesel era, it was an early adopter, purchasing units from EMD and Alco, and its distinctive "Tiger Stripe" paint scheme became widely recognized. The railroad's passenger cars, built by firms like Pullman and Budd, included luxury sleepers and dome cars for the scenic routes through Glacier National Park, which the railroad heavily promoted.

Legacy and preservation

The Northern Pacific's legacy is evident in the many towns it founded across the Northern Tier and its role in establishing Glacier National Park. Its corporate archives and historical collections are held by the Minnesota Historical Society. Numerous preserved locomotives and cars exist, such as 4-8-4 No. 2626 at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay and a former North Coast Limited sleeper displayed in Tacoma. Key portions of its right-of-way remain active under BNSF Railway, while other segments have been converted to rail-trails like the Route of the Hiawatha in Idaho.

Category:Railway companies established in 1864 Category:Railway companies disestablished in 1970 Category:Burlington Northern Railroad