Northern Pacific Railway

Northern Pacific Railway
source
Name	Northern Pacific Railway
Locale	United States
Start year	1864
End year	1970
Successor line	Burlington Northern Railroad
Headquarters	Brainerd, Minnesota

Northern Pacific Railway was a transcontinental railroad in the United States, established by Congress in 1864 and completed in 1883. The railway was constructed by Jay Cooke and Henry Villard, with the help of Chinese American workers, African American laborers, and European American engineers, including Theodore Judah and Arthur W. Keddie. The Northern Pacific Railway played a significant role in the development of the American West, connecting the Great Lakes to the Pacific Ocean and facilitating the growth of Seattle, Portland, and other Pacific Northwest cities, such as Tacoma, Washington, and Spokane, Washington. The railway also passed through the Rocky Mountains, including Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park, and crossed the Missouri River and the Columbia River.

● History

The Northern Pacific Railway was chartered by Congress on July 2, 1864, as part of the Pacific Railroad Acts, which also authorized the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad and the Central Pacific Railroad. The railway was initially planned to connect Lake Superior to the Puget Sound, but the route was later changed to connect Duluth, Minnesota, to Seattle, Washington. The construction of the railway was delayed due to the American Civil War and financial difficulties, but it was finally completed on September 8, 1883, with the Golden Spike ceremony, attended by Ulysses S. Grant, Chester A. Arthur, and other dignitaries, including Henry Villard and Jay Cooke. The Northern Pacific Railway was later acquired by the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1970, which merged with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway to form the BNSF Railway in 1996, with the help of Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway.

● Route

The Northern Pacific Railway route spanned over 6,800 miles, passing through the states of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. The railway connected the Great Lakes to the Pacific Ocean, passing through the Rocky Mountains, including Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park, and crossed the Missouri River and the Columbia River. The route also passed through the Columbia River Gorge and the Cascade Range, including Mount Rainier National Park and Crater Lake National Park. The railway had connections to other railroads, including the Union Pacific Railroad, the Central Pacific Railroad, and the Great Northern Railway, which was founded by James J. Hill.

● Operations

The Northern Pacific Railway operated a diverse range of trains, including passenger trains, freight trains, and commuter trains. The railway had a large fleet of steam locomotives, including the Northern Pacific Railway 2-8-8-4, and later diesel locomotives, such as the EMD F7. The railway also had a number of railway stations, including the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway station in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the King Street Station in Seattle, Washington, which was designed by Charles Reed and Allen Stem. The Northern Pacific Railway was known for its high-quality service and innovative marketing, including the introduction of the Vista-Dome car, which offered passengers a panoramic view of the surrounding landscape, and the North Coast Limited, which was a luxury train that ran from Chicago, Illinois, to Seattle, Washington.

● Legacy

The Northern Pacific Railway played a significant role in the development of the American West, connecting the Great Lakes to the Pacific Ocean and facilitating the growth of Seattle, Portland, and other Pacific Northwest cities. The railway also contributed to the growth of the United States economy, facilitating the transportation of goods and people across the country. The Northern Pacific Railway was also known for its innovative marketing and high-quality service, which set a standard for the railroad industry. Today, the Northern Pacific Railway is remembered as a pioneering railroad that helped shape the history of the United States, and its legacy continues to be celebrated by railroad enthusiasts and historians, including David McCullough and Stephen Ambrose.

● Major Stations and Yards

The Northern Pacific Railway had a number of major stations and yards, including the King Street Station in Seattle, Washington, the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway station in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the Brainerd, Minnesota, yard, which was a major railway yard and maintenance facility. The railway also had connections to other railroads, including the Union Pacific Railroad, the Central Pacific Railroad, and the Great Northern Railway, at stations such as the Portland Union Station in Portland, Oregon, and the Spokane, Washington, station, which was designed by Kirtland Cutter. The Northern Pacific Railway also had a number of railway museums, including the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth, Minnesota, and the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie, Washington, which showcase the history and legacy of the railway, and feature exhibits on Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and other notable figures. Category:Defunct railroads in the United States