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NOTABLECHICAGO & NORTH WESTERN

The Galena and Union, soon to be known as the Chicago & North Western, was the first railroad chartered in the west. It was also the first to operate out of Chicago and became known as the FIRSTSThe C&NW became the “Pioneer” Railroad. first railroad to operate by telegraph on the line from Chicago to Freeport, in 1854.

While operating1858 as the Galena in 1858, the line had the first contract with George Pullman for Pullman sleeping cars. 1854 1863 The Railroad was the first to introduce cupolas on In 1865 the C&NW built cabooses in 1863. the first railroad car in the United States and put it into service in 1867. 1865 The first service between Chicago and San Francisco was operated as part of the Overland Route in the late 1800s. The first two Pullman Hotel cars were on 1877 the C&NW in 1877.

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Thecontrol C&NW originated the Safety First Movement in 1910 — the first major railroad to institute a safety program. It was also the first Railroad to use D I V I S Automatic Control — a means to E I S O Trainfest logo I control speed through external input. America’s Largest Operating Model Railroad Show N W 1966 2016

5 WISE ( Southeastern) Division of the NMRA logo y 0 r t a h s Anniver County Historical Society logo

Chicago & North Western Historical Society logo

Chicago & North Western Grohmann Museum of Art logo Historical Society

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TF-2015-PANEL-1.indd 1 11/6/15 4:00 PM TF-2015-PANEL-2.indd 1 11/6/15 4:01 PM THE BEGINNING THE NAMING OF THE PIONEER FIRST 1836 The Galena and Chicago Union RAILROADIn 1846 William Butler Ogden, (G&CU), the first railroad constructed the first mayor of Chicago, to run out of Chicago, was chartered LOCOMOTIVE became the third president of The Baldwin Locomotive Works January 16, 1836. The Railroad was the G&CU. By 1848 he and his began work on locomotive No. 37 partner J. Young Scammon intended to connect Chicago with the in 1836, and delivered it to the Utica raised $350,000 in capital lead mines at Galena, a much larger and Schenectady Railroad in New York in 1837. After being renamed through subscriptions, to allow Illinois town than Chicago at the time. 37 the Railroad to start laying track. the No. 7, the locomotive served for several years between Utica and 1846

Schenectady before the Railroad o decided it needed locomotives with greater pulling power.

The Pioneer, the first N locomotive of the Road, arrived at Chicago from New Buffalo, on October o The No. 7 was then sold to the Central 10, 1848, nearly thirteen N 7 years after the charter was Railroad of Michigan (soon to be taken over by Michigan Central Railroad) and granted. On October 25, served as its first locomotive. 1848 the Pioneer pulled the The Michigan first westbound train out Central renamed the locomotive Alert , when the railroad of Chicago to the end of the and it ran until 1848 line in the present Chicago finally reached New Buffalo, Michigan. suburban town of Oak Park. The Alert was then sold to the Galena and Chicago Union where it became the Railroad’s first locomotive. 1848

AlertThe Alert was renamed the Pioneer and arrived in Chicago by ship on October 22, 1848. It took its first trip on October 24, 1848 to what is now Oak Park, Illinois. In 1850 the Pioneer was loaned to the Aurora Branch Railroad (later the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad) where it yet again was the first locomotive for a new railroad.

Reenactment Staged for Centenniel Celebration in 1948.

1865The G&CU would begin operating under the Chicago and North 1850 Western (C&NW) banner in 1865. In 1850, the Galena and Chicago 1874 . In Turner, The Pioneer was retired in 1874 Union Railroad was completed as Illinois, a town created because it was and by 1853 it reached far as Elgin at the junction of three railroad lines, a Freeport, Illinois. However, the Illinois resident of this now West Chicago area, Central had already reached Galena appealed to the Railroad directors in 1880 so the line was redirected away from to preserve the Pioneer. It was restored Galena to take a more direct route in 1883 and went on exhibit for the first . to the Mississippi River time at the National Railway Appliance Exposition. Since then, the Pioneer has been Yesterday and Today, on exhibit at major expositions, used for tours, and featured at several museums. It is currently located at the Chicago 100 years of Progress, History Museum. 1848-1948 . Pioneer is on at the Chicago History Museum The permanent display

Chicago History Museum, ICHi-66416

TF-2015-PANEL-3.indd 1 11/6/15 4:02 PM TF-2015-PANEL-4.indd 1 11/6/15 4:03 PM CHICAGO & NORTH WESTERN EARLY

CHARTERED William Butler Ogden (1805-1877) was A telegraph line was run out to DECADESborn in Walton, New York and went to and the Freeport, Illinois G&CU Chicago in 1835 to supervise a real estate began to operate trains by deal for his brother-in-law. The profit from telegraph in 1855 — the first the sale convinced Ogden to settle in in the nation to do so. Chicago permanently in 1836. There he became a real estate developer and the The new line ran from Turner City of Chicago’s (1837-1838) first mayor Junction (West Chicago) to working on improving streets, sidewalks, Fulton, Illinois on the Mississippi and bridges. River and became the basis for the C&NW’s core route to the west.

The G&CU laid a second track Ogden became president of the out of Chicago and started left- Galena and Chicago Union railroad in handed operation in order to avoid 1846. When eastern investors showed moving the depots to the other no interest in the venture, Ogden and side of the tracks. 1855 his partner J. Young Scammon raised In 1858, the G&CU operated the $350,000 in subscriptions from local first west of Chicago farmers and small business owners. on the line to Freeport. 1846 The G&CU In 1862 the G&CU leased the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad Ogden left the Galena and Chicago expands across line in . It would eventually Union in 1851, but went on to be the first become a mainline portion of the president of the Chicago & North Western 1858 transcontinental railroad for the railroad (1859 – 1868) and thereby the first Iowa to reach the Chicago & North Western. president of the .

Missouri River The C&NW built the first railroad mail car in the United States in 1865 and put it into service in 1867. 1851

He designed the first 1867 swing bridge over the In 1850, the Galena and Chicago Chicago River and by the Union was contracted by the donated the land for 1869 United States to Rush Medical Center. carry “pouched mail” and small Railway Mail packages. While trains had was been carrying mail in the East Service for several years, delivery in the in full swing “West” was unchartered territory. In fact the Iowa Division of the Chicago and North Western Railroad, from Chicago to Clinton, Before becoming involved with railroads, Iowa, became the first “West” Ogden was a leading promoter and railway postal route in operation investor in the Illinois and Michigan Canal.

on August 28, 1864. The earliest When Ogden consolidated the Galena &

Union and C&NW in 1864, MILES complete cars the system was at a whopping 1405 miles. were built for the C&NW in 1865, put into service in 1867, and by 1405 1869 the with virtually all Mail car awaits sorting of mail. was in full swing mail being carried by railroads. Ogden resigned the presidency and left the board of directors in 1868 to retire to his estate in Bronx, New York. He passed away there on August 3, 1877. CHICAGO’S FIRST MAYOR CHICAGO’S FIRST MAYOR

TF-2015-PANEL-5.indd 1 11/6/15 4:05 PM TF-2015-PANEL-6.indd 1 11/6/15 4:11 PM TF-2015-PANEL-7.indd 1 RUNNING LEFT-HAND right-hand operationeversince. and switcheshasprevented aconversionto . Theexpense ofreconfiguringplatforms signals track remained theoneclosesttostation were headedtoward Chicago,theinbound Since mostpassengerswaitingatthestations relocation ofthestations. from thestationssoasnottoforce it wasplacedonthesideaway Later, whenasecondtrackwasadded, headed inboundtoward Chicago). left-hand sideofthetracks(when arbitrarily placeditsstationsonthe as single-linetrackage,theC&NW and inertia.Whenoriginallybuilt left-hand wasacombinationofchance The reason fortheC&NWrunning WHY LEFT-HAND RUNNING? the railroads. countries where Britishcompaniesbuilt main” runningwasmore commonin operating practice,while“left-hand followed the“right-handmain” In theUnitedStates,mostrailroads left ratherthanthetrackonright. routed bydefaulttothetrackon mainlines. Inotherwords, trafficwas “left-hand main”ondoubletrack The C&NWwasknownforrunning

Running left-hand was a combination of chance and inertia. 11/6/15 4:12PM TF-2015-PANEL-8.indd 1 1866 FIRE CHICAGO GREAT AND THE ACQUISITIONS Peter Railroad wasadded. year, 1867,theWinonaandSt. Chicago toMilwaukee.Thenext gave theC&NWaroute from acquired byleasein1866,which The Chicago&Milwaukeewas 1871 completed in1881. Chicago Wells Street Stationwas was putinplaceuntilthenew A temporarywoodenstructure all oftherecords from theG&CU. C&NW’s records includingalmost Street Station,aswellmanyof 1871 destroyed thefirst Wells grow. TheGreat ChicagoFire in 1868 astherailroad continuedto flourished afterhis retirement in the helmatthistime.Hislegacy William ButlerOgdenwasat the U.S. the railroads in longest of the becomes one C&NW shipping businessinthearea instead. disconnected thelineandoperateda Railroad inUpperMichigan,thoughit In 1864itacquired thePeninsula as aresult ofmergers andacquisitions. longest railroads intheUnitedStates The C&NWbecameoneofthe (Omaha Road). Paul, MinneapolisandOmahaRailway stock majorityoftheChicago,St. period (1882),theC&NWacquired In thelastmajoracquisitionofthis

1864 11/6/15 4:15PM OVERLAND CHICAGO ROUTE PASSENGER

The Overland Route was a train route operated jointly by the Union Pacific Railroad and the Central TERMINALSThe Galena and Chicago Union built the Pacific Railroad / Southern Pacific first Chicago railroad depot at Canal Railroad, between Council Bluffs, and Kinzie Streets in 1848. A second Iowa / Omaha and San Francisco. story was added in 1849 to provide As today, the route went over the office space as well as a large cupola to grade of the First Transcontinental watch for incoming trains. In the early Railroad (aka the “Pacific Railroad”), 1869 1850s, the depot was moved to Water which opened on May 10, 1869. and Wells Streets where a brick and For the next ten years a temporary 1871 stone building was built for passenger shed was used until an impressive use and office space.It was enlarged in $250,000 red pressed brick and 1862-1863 but ultimately destroyed in sandstone building was erected. the 1871 Great Chicago Fire. This station served all trains on the three trunk lines in and out of the city. As traffic increased, the station proved too small and underwent a series of renovations. The C&NW controlled the line from Chicago into Omaha and was considered a major contributor to travel from Chicago to the Pacific. Passenger trains operating over the line included the Overland Flyer, later renamed the Overland Limited, which made the connection to Chicago. Although these passenger rail trains are no longer in operation, the Overland Route remains a common name for the Lamplighters lit the rail by hand. This Lamp Maintainer travels on a velocipede, c.1920. line from California to Chicago, now owned entirely by the Union Pacific.

In the first decade of the twentieth century the C&NW began planning a new station to be located across The architectural the river on Madison. The Chicago 1700 MILES 1911 architectural firm of Frost & Granger, The C&NW acquired stock who had designed the massive majority of the Chicago, St. Paul, firm which Milwaukee C&NW depot in 1889, and Omaha Railway was commissioned. The new station (Omaha Road) in 1882. Up until that ultimately opened in 1911. Named the Chicago time, the CSt.PM&O was a smaller and North Western Chicago Passenger regional railroad that lived in the Terminal, it cost $23 million to build shadow of the C&NW as a semi- designed and received rave reviews for its independent line. While most of opulence and state-of-the-art features. its trackage was in Wisconsin and The three-story structure with its , there was additional 250 C&NW 202-by-117-foot main waiting room, trackage in Iowa, Nebraska and boasted a dining room, women’s rooms South Dakota for a total trackage The bulk of the station was razed in with writing desks and hairdressing of about 1700 miles. Although the stations, 1984 to be replaced with the glass- services, smoking rooms for men, a C&NW controlled the “Omaha and-steel 42-story Citicorp Center. It barber shop, hospital rooms, and a Road” for years, it was a was renamed the Ogilvie Transportation variety of other features. troublesome arrangement was owned Center in 1997 and today serves train, and in 1957 it leased the Omaha bus and commuter passengers. Road, which ended CSt.PM&O semi-independent status. In 1972, by the the C&NW removed the “Omaha Road” as a paper entity, but this was largely symbolic as the sons-in-law of CSt.PM&O had ceased to exist. 1984 C&NW President, 1882 Marvin Hughitt.

Union Station, Omaha

TF-2015-PANEL-9.indd 1 11/6/15 4:17 PM TF-2015-PANEL-10.indd 1 11/6/15 4:18 PM KATE KATE SHELLEY SHELLEY A NATIONAL PERSON, TRAIN, BRIDGE On the afternoon of July 6, 1881, heavy HEROINE thunderstorms caused a flash flood of Honey Creek in Iowa, washing out saved 200 The passengers who had been saved timbers that supported the railroad took up a collection for Shelley. The trestle. A pusher locomotive was sent people children of Dubuque, Iowa gave her a from Moingona, Iowa, to check track medal, and the state of Iowa gave her conditions. It safely crossed the Des another, crafted by Tiffany & Co., as Moines River bridge, but plunged into Seventeen-year-old Catherine Carroll well as $200. The C&NW gave her $100, Honey Creek when the bridge fell “Kate” Shelley (December 12, 1863 – a half barrel of flour, half a load of coal, away at about 11 p.m. with its crew January 21, 1912) heard the crash and and a life-time rail pass. The Order of of four: Ed Wood, A.P. Olmstead, the resulting “fierce hissing of steam” Railway Conductors gave her a gold Adam Agar, and Patrick Donahue. as the engine plunged into the swollen watch and chain. stream. Her next thought was an 1881 eastbound passenger train was due in Moingona around midnight and would very soon try to cross the same washed out bridge.

Shelley ran out into the storm and found two surviving crew members clutching tree branches. She started running for News of Shelley’s bravery spread help by crossing the damaged span of nationwide, and poems and songs were the Honey Creek bridge and heading for composed honoring her. She became a the long, high Des Moines river bridge. teacher and finally in 1903 accepted the Railroad’s multiple time offer to The lantern she had failed. With only assume the post of station agent at lightning for illumination, she began Moingona, which she held until shortly to cross the bridge which even in fair before her death. It was the same weather was never easy and always News of station to which she had carried the dangerous. In fact, the railroad had news of the bridge washout. discouraged anyone from walking on Shelley’s the bridge by removing some of its Kate braved the wind gusts and flooring – leaving large gaps between crawled the span on her hands and the ties. bravery knees. Once across the Des Moines River bridge, she ran a half-mile to the Moingona depot to sound the alarm. spread The passenger train was stopped at Ogden, Iowa, with 200 people safely The Chicago & North Western Railroad aboard. She then led a party back to nationwide built a new steel bridge over the rescue the two engine crew survivors. Des Moines River in 1901 and named Ed Wood, perched in a tree, grasped a it the Boone Viaduct. People quickly rope thrown to him, and came ashore nicknamed it the Kate Shelley Bridge. hand-over-hand. Adam Agar couldn’t be In 2009, the Union Pacific opened a reached until the flood waters began to new bridge next to the old span and recede but recovered from the ordeal. officially named it the Kate Shelley Patrick Donahue and A.P. Olmstead, the Bridge. The C&NW also named one of fireman, did not survive. their passenger trains after her – the Kate Shelley 400.

By David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA (19950722 11 UP Kate Shelley Bridge) By David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA (19950722 10 UP Kate Shelley Bridge) Bridge) Shelley USA (19950722 10 UP Kate Illinois, Oak Park, from Wilson David By washed The new Kate Shelley High Bridge opened in 2009. out bridge 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) [CC (Own The BY-SA posp By work)

TF-2015-PANEL-11.indd 1 11/6/15 4:19 PM TF-2015-PANEL-12.indd 1 11/6/15 4:20 PM THE BEST OF DIESELS AND

EVERYTHINGIn 1887, Marvin Hughitt became the WIG-WAGS sixth president of the C&NW and guided the Railroad for more than a half In the 1920s the C&NW considered century. Like James J. Hill of the Great electrifying its lines around Chicago to Northern and Collis P. Huntington of the serve commuter traffic. The high cost – Southern Pacific,Hughitt’s long tenure $60 million – and the fact that commuter allowed him to have a profound effect trains were not particularly profitable, on the Golden Age of Railroads. caused the idea to be shelved. Instead the C&NW made various improvements to commuter lines including the update of select suburban depots and introducing new aluminum-alloy commuter cars. 1887 However, as the popularity of the automobile increased, there was a drop New lines were also being built during in commuter railroad use. While some of the “Golden Age.” Between 1903 and the C&NW commuter trains were already 1904, a new line was built between using internal combustion engines, the Chicago and Milwaukee to allow first diesel engine was purchased in trains to avoid the more “congested” 1926 as a means of smoke control. In cities along Lake Michigan. In 1906 the THE WIG-WAG 1928, Automatic Train Control, a way C&NW reached Lander, Wyoming, which Between 1872 and 1910 the C&NW’s track of controlling train speed in response The Chicago & North Western was known for proved to be the extent of westward mileage increased from 1,383 to 9,761 – a seven to external input, began to be gradually its installation of Western Railroad Supply expansion for the line. Plans to reach fold increase mostly attributed to the absorption added to C&NW locomotives. Company’s Autoflag #5 Wig-Wag signals at the West Coast never materialized. of independent roads. By 1910 the C&NW was many of its crossings between 1920–1940. one of the nation’s largest railroads. One such Almost every town on their route had at least purchase contributing to the C&NW mileage the main crossing in town protected by them. growth was that of the Milwaukee Lake Shore Wig-Wag signals were originally designed by & Western in 1893. Later known as the Ashland 1920s Albert Hunt in 1909, a mechanical engineer Division, it added its many routes between at Southern California’s , and Milwaukee and Ashland. the Center Harp was the most common style used in the Upper Midwest. The C&NW was particularly known for the Center Harp shorties, which became an unofficial icon for the Railroad. The Federal Railroad 1872-1910 Administration ruled them inadequate protection in 1949, yet many were still in use until the 1970s having been grandfathered in. A few remain still today in Wisconsin on lines previously sold off to other Railroads, but most WIG-WAG have been replaced due to a lack of available Travel between Milwaukee and Chicago was brisk. parts and upgrades to roads. It was during this era, the Madison Street Station (the C&NW Chicago Passenger In addition to guiding increased Terminal) opened in 1911 making the trackage, Hughitt spearheaded Wells Street Terminal obsolete. In that important safety measures along same year, the “Adams Cutoff” was laid with improved track and train to provide a shortcut from Milwaukee to conditions. While Hughitt could be Minneapolis-St. Paul — the last major line combative with his rivals and not constructed by the C&NW in Wisconsin. adamantly anti-union, he did block Eugene V. Deb’s American Railway Union (ARU) in 1894. Nonetheless, MARVIN Hughitt treated his employees HUGHITT fairly well for the time, and labor relations were generally good. Hughitt was born on August 9, 1837 in Cayuga County, New York. His early career was in telegraphy, which brought him to Chicago in 1854. In three short years Hughitt became Trainmaster and Superintendent of Telegraph for the St. Louis, Alton & Chicago Railway (later the Chicago & Alton).

He moved to the Illinois Central Railroad in 1862 and was named Assistant General Manager of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad in 1870.

Two years later he became the General Superintendent of the Chicago & North Western and would be named its President in 1887 to guide the Railroad through its Golden Age. In 1910 Hughitt stepped down as President, but remained Chairman of the Board allowing him to still exert considerable control until 1925 when he retired. Hughitt died at his home in Lake Forest, Illinois after a stroke on January 6, 1928.

TF-2015-PANEL-13.indd 1 11/6/15 4:21 PM TF-2015-PANEL-14.indd 1 11/6/15 4:22 PM The Proviso Yard is still HUGE being used today! WORKING

The Proviso Yard opened on Carmen load blocks of ice WORKING THEinto the air conditioner of RAIL July 1, 1929 in the western Chicago suburbs and at one point a dining car at Green Bay was the largest classification on August 6, 1948. yard in the world. This major freight classification yard featured retarder devices at the top of the YARDS classification hump to help control cars as they moved around. 1929 Loading new ties into stock Eventually the yard housed a huge cars in the Upper Peninsula LCL freight house for sorting Less- of Michigan, c.1920. Than-Carload-Lots.

Today, the Proviso Yard is still in use by the Union Pacific Railroad and is located between Melrose Park and Elmhurst, Illinois.

Track gang, c.1910.

An Engine Wiper fills a sand dome on a steam engine before sending it back out on the road. Clinton, Iowa, c.1943.

Beginning in the 1950’s, track maintenance became increasingly POTATO YARD mechanized. Burro crane at Carrollville, WI, July 1990. The C&NW Wood Street Yard was once the largest “potato yard” in the U.S. Potatoes came to the yard from every point in the United States to be bought or traded by produce dealers and brokers. It was the marketplace for potatoes. 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. A uniformed conductor A January 2, 1948 news article in the Ellensburg punches a ticket in a Capital, a newspaper in Ellensburg, Washington, , c.1950. described the Wood Street Yard as... “The world’s largest potato yard is located – not in Idaho, nor in Maine – but in the largest city in the geographical center of the nation – Chicago. In the Wood Street Yards of the Chicago & North Western Railroad, an average of 20,000 car loads of potatoes are handled annually. Many thousands of tons of other This Lamptender vegetables also pass through this yard. The yard maintained kerosene is the central marketing point for potatoes, which lamps at Butler Yard come in from virtually every state in the union. in 1948. They were Dealers and brokers assemble in the yard each day employed throughout before dawn to buy, sell, or consign an average the C&NW system until of 36,000 bushels daily. The Wood Street Yard is a the 1960’s. far cry from the wooden platform that served as a terminal years ago.”

Latino track gang with an undercutting sled renew the roadbed at Upton, Illinois, June 1957. C&NW ran several Spanish-speaking track gangs.

TF-2015-PANEL-15.indd 1 11/6/15 4:23 PM TF-2015-PANEL-16.indd 1 11/6/15 4:26 PM WINTER EMERGINGFROM THE DEPRESSION CHALLENGES AND BANKRUPTCY

Trackmen shoveled out switches, platforms, and ZEPPELINS OF THE RAILS tracks in winter. There was little protection from the weather on a Fairmont M2 motorcar in 1940. Thirty-five Class H locomotives were delivered to the C&NW in 1929. These heavy steam locomotives were the most powerful the Railroad had at the time, but they could only be used on the main line from Chicago to Council Bluffs. However Engine 1619 fights its way into as the Depression took hold of America’s The Class H Locomotive was a Milwaukee with a crew of snow economy, the C&NW suffered and entered 4-8-4 Locomotive that could be shovelers from Chicago during 1929 a nine-year bankruptcy beginning in the used in either freight or passenger . All stockholders were wiped out the blizzard of 1947. mid-1930s service. These massive engines in the bankruptcy, resulting in them loosing A sudden snowstorm were capable of pulling twenty- the entire value of their investment. Despite

could turn the mainline 1939 six passenger cars at 85 miles the economic challenges, there were some onto a winter wonderland. per hour or 150 freight cars at 50 bright points for the railroad as the Twin Snowstorms slowed down, miles per hour. Built by Baldwin, Cities 400 was introduced in 1935. This high- the first of the series, #3001, was Steam and smoke blast skyward but seldom stopped speed steam locomotive could make the 409 introduced in 1929. The C&NW’s on a bitter cold day in January the trains. Glen Ellyn, IL mile trip between Chicago and St. Paul in #3020 was the heaviest 4-8-4 built 1951, as a Chicago-bound train February 1981. about 400 minutes and offered coaches with (weight of locomotive alone) at accelerates out of Racine, WI. reclining seats and a luxurious . the time of its use. The 103-foot- long Class H had 76 inch diameter In the mid-1930s, several lines introduced driving wheels and a total tractive streamlined diesel locomotives. Unfortunately power of 84,200 pounds. These the C&NW was not able to introduce its first locomotives were called the diesel locomotive until 1939 after the approval “Zeppelins of the Rails,” and of the bankruptcy court. The new streamlined featured automatic train control,

Twin Cities 400 was an immediate success which would stop the train when and held its own against many rival railroads it approached another train or like the . During World War II, slowed it to 20 miles per hour many passenger lines were seen as luxurious in restricted areas. The C&NW and service was suspended to allow the continued to use the Class H well C&NW to run many long troop trains into the 1950s, when they were then instead. Once the war ended, the C&NW replaced by diesel locomotives. celebrated its centennial in 1948 – using the G&CU’s inauguration as the starting date.

While the snow falls, trackmen adjust the gas heaters to keep the double slip switches in the throat of the Chicago Passenger Terminal free of snow and ice. December 1955.

Winter railroading on the prairies was severe. Snowdrifts the height of boxcars near Tracy, The Northwestern Minnesota were dug out with Limited arrived in plows and by hand during the Chicago 13 hours late Great Blizzard of March 1881. after the blizzard of January 31, 1947. Presidential hopefuls traversed the country by rail and the U.S. citizens came out in droves to hear the candidates.

TF-2015-PANEL-17.indd 1 11/6/15 4:27 PM TF-2015-PANEL-18.indd 1 11/6/15 4:33 PM TF-2015-PANEL-19.indd 1 PACE FORTHEWORLD” “THE TRAINTHAT SETTHE THE 400, andtheKateShelley. Flambeau 400,thePeninsula such astheMinnesota400, number of400sbearingnames several otherroutes witha Paul route, theC&NWoperated In additiontotheChicagoSt. Milwaukee Road’s Hiawathas. Quincy’s Twin Zephyrs,andthe the Chicago,Burlington,and to beworthycompetitionfor in theirearlydaysandproved trains were immenselypopular September 24,1939.These streamlined 400sbeganon Regular serviceforthe in thecoachlavatories. updated interiors,andhotwater cars thathadairconditioning, The traingenerallyranwithsix with standard heavyweightcars. 400 wasaconventionaltrain had emerged in1934,thefirst the lightweightstreamliners that in aslittle390minutes.Unlike Chicago toSt.Paul,Minnesota make the409miletripfrom a steamlocomotiveandcould The first400trainwaspulledby

smooth ride. to provide anexceptionally the carswere alsoredesigned and conveniences.Thetrucksof modern decorations,lighting, were appointedwiththemost and aclub-observationcar.All car, three 27-seat parlorcars, seat coaches,a56-seatdining lounge followedbyfour56- cars wasabaggage-taproom- 1939. Thestandard order of Milwaukee onSeptember18, roundtrip from Chicagoto train madeitsinaugural The firstfullC&NWstreamlined until 1963. 1939run withnon-recliner coaches Twin Cities400,continuedto the original400s,renamed the were introduced in1939,but units forthe400.Thediesels cars andfourdiesel-electric to purchase 20streamlined in 1938theC&NWmadeplans Despite thesuccessof400, “ 1934 400 ” 11/6/15 4:34PM TF-2015-PANEL-20.indd 1

1942 Breakfast Card

11/6/15 4:34PM THE 400 WOMEN A CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION GOON THE HOMETO FRONT WAR 1948 During WWII, the men went to war. Women were encouraged to take on jobs which traditionally had been held by men.

The C&NW celebrated its centennial in 1948 – using the G&CU’s inauguration as the starting date – coinciding with the Railroad Fair held in Chicago.

The women of Clinton, Iowa answered the call to maintain and clean C&NW locomotives.

The official job classification was “Wipers.” It was a very dirty but essential job, and was not normally thought of as “women’s work.”

TF-2015-PANEL-21.indd 1 11/6/15 4:35 PM TF-2015-PANEL-22.indd 1 11/6/15 4:36 PM C&NW NOTABLE THE END OF C&NW PASSENGER SERVICE

By the 1960s, bi-level cars and BI-LEVEL services on the 400s began to be reduced. It was an era where many routes or scheduled services were PASSENGER eliminated. By 1968 the 400 name began to disappear. As of 1969, the trains began to be designated as “Bi-Level ” or if

CARS 1971 In 1950, the Burlington Route was Chicago’s they did not have bi-level cars, first commuter railroad to use bi-level “Streamliners.” In 1969 and 1970, TRAINSTWIN CITIES “400” commuter cars. Five years later, the C&NW services were further reduced as introduced bi-level cars, the first sixteen of passenger train mileage lagged. CHICAGO – ST. PAUL – MINNEAPOLIS which were made by St. Louis Car Company. April 30, 1971 marked the date Pullman-Standard built the rest of the C&NW private long distance passenger fleet of 292 bi-level cars; 280 of those cars service operated by the C&NW were for Chicago commuter service. The cars 1950 ceased to exist. CHICAGO – – SAN FRANCISCO (C&NW, UP) remained in use until they were sold to the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) on December 31, 1977. In addition to the bi- level commuter cars, C&NW ordered 14 new and four remanufactured bi-level cars from (C&NW, UP) Pullman-Standard for long-distance service in 1958. These cars were used on C&NW’s CITY OF LOS ANGELES 400 trains to Green Bay, Wisconsin, and northern Michigan. (C&NW, UP)

CITY OF PORTLAND (C&NW, UP)

CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO (C&NW, UP, SP)

ASHLAND LIMITED CHICAGO - GREEN BAY - ASHLAND, WISCONSIN

DAKOTA “400” CHICAGO - MADISON - HURON, WISCONSIN

DULUTH-SUPERIOR LIMITED CHICAGO - MADISON - DULUTH, MINNESOTA

KATE SHELLEY “400” CHICAGO - BOONE, IOWA The first 48 cars of the C&NW commuter fleet had Waukesha Enginators to provide NORTH WESTERN LIMITED electricity for lighting and to power two CHICAGO - TWIN CITIES underframe-mounted air conditioning units. Steam for heating was supplied by the locomotives. In the late 1950s, the C&NW SHORELAND “400” began to modernize its commuter service. CHICAGO - MILWAUKEE - GREEN BAY FLAMBEAU “400” It was the first commuter line to use head- end power for cars with electric heating, CHICAGO - GREEN BAY - ASHLAND, WISCONSIN and to adopt push-pull operation — meaning PENINSULA “400” the cars did not need to be turned around at the end of the line. These innovations led the CHICAGO - GREEN BAY - ISHPEMING MICHIGAN VALLEY “400” way for all other commuter railroads as they CHICAGO - GREEN BAY - MENOMINEE, MICHIGAN attempted to modernize as well.

FALCON SERVICE INTERMODAL TRAINS In addition to giving time freights numbers, the C&NW would uniquely name them. The first “Falcon” went into service in 1973 and was a C&NW success story of double digit growth at the onset. Piggyback revenues during this same mid 70s era were a fraction of the Falcon’s but experienced steady growth.

TF-2015-PANEL-23.indd 1 11/6/15 4:36 PM TF-2015-PANEL-24.indd 1 11/6/15 4:37 PM ADVERTISING RETOOLING THE C&NW

In 1955, the C&NW railroad came perilously close to bankruptcy again as poor management and the cost of an obsolete plant took their toll. That same year, the passenger agreement with the Union Pacific/Southern Pacific was ended by the C&NW, a major departure from decades of cooperation. Ben Heineman became Chairman of the Board of the C&NW in 1956 and worked hard to resolve the Railroad’s financial problems. The Heineman era included catching up on deferred maintenance, modernizing ticketing and collection The C&NW picked up several important methods, revising schedules, and short line railroads during its later years. adjusting fares. On May 11, 1956 the In 1957 Heineman leased the Omaha Railroad retired the last steam engines Road, which ended its semi-independent in the Chicago commuter district by status. The C&NW finalized acquisition more efficiently assigning diesels. The of the Litchfield and Madison Railway old commuter cars were later replaced on January 1, 1958 and on November with bi-level cars. 1, 1960, acquired the rail properties of the 1,500-mile Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway. In spite of its name, the M&SL Except for commuter only ran from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Peoria, Illinois. This acquisition provided trains, steam engines traffic, modern , and eliminated competition. On July 1, 1968 the 1,500 were replaced on mile Chicago Great Western Railway was The C&NW was an aggressive marketer merged into the North Western. The CGW and took advantage of putting its logo most mainline trains duplicated the North Western’s routes from Chicago to the Twin Cities and Omaha, but on virtually everything they owned. . Ads flourished through the decades by 1952 went the long way. However, the merger encouraging usage of every feature the provided access to Kansas City and further C&NW offered. eliminated competition. In addition to rail lines, Heineman and the C&NW began to acquire other businesses and companies, eventually creating a conglomerate called Northwest Industries (NWI) in 1968.

ROLLING FREIGHT

Domestic and international container traffic contributed to the success of C&NW in the 1980-1990 era.

TF-2015-PANEL-25.indd 1 11/6/15 4:38 PM TF-2015-PANEL-26.indd 1 11/6/15 4:38 PM TF-2015-PANEL-27.indd 1 NOTHINGWASTED” “CHEAP AND C&NW C&NW equipment as“Cardboard andNoWheels.” sometimes employeesreferred totheconditionof the nickname“CheapandNothingWasted,” and existing equipment.Theseefforts earnedtherailroad wherever possiblebyre-building andre-purposing deal ofitsequipmentsecond-hand,economizing The C&NWwasknownforpurchasing agreat Wisconsin attheageof98. and passedawayinWaukesha, from NorthwestIndustriesin1985 group. In1972,Heinemanretired to anemployee-ledinvestment Heineman agreed toselltheline with theMilwaukeeRoadfailed, profit. Afteraneffort tomerge intoa$23.2million turned railroad’s $5.5milliondeficit were effective andby1964,the Many ofHeineman’s changes railroad tosolvency. measures thatreturned the a seriesofdifficultcost-cutting bankruptcy. Heinemanenacted was teeteringonthebrinkof officer oftheC&NW, therailroad equivalent tothechiefexecutive the Board ofDirectors in1956, of When hebecamechairman Minneapolis andSt.LouisRailway. proxy battleforcontrol ofthe he orchestrated asuccessful BEN HEINEMAN in 1954when railroad industry attention inthe lawyer, firstgained University trained and Northwestern a Wisconsinnative – August5,2012), (February 10,1914 Ben Walter Heineman C&NW relied heavilyonsecond-handlocomotivesthatwere rebuilt attheOelwein,Iowashops.

1914-2012 actually purchased stock. 1,000 outof14,000eligibleemployees logo duringthatperiod,butonlyabout Owned” becamepartofthecompany railroad in1995.Thewords “Employee remained incontrol untiltheendof Company, tookoveronJune1,1972and Chicago &NorthWestern Transportation investment group. Thisgroup,the called Provo tosellthelineanemployee-led to adealwithC&NWPresident Larry Milwaukee Roadin1970—heagreed abandoning aplantomerge withthe from NorthwestIndustriesand—after Heineman wantedtospintheC&NWoff oftheBoard(NWI). Chairman Ben its parent company, NorthwestIndustries was actuallyamoney-losingcomponentof by diversifying,and1970therailroad the C&NWsoughttodealwithlosses Like otherrailroads inthe1960sand1970s, 11/7/15 7:57AM TF-2015-PANEL-28.indd 1 “Pink Lady”quartziteballastfrom RockSprings,WIwasusedduringtrack 1970s C&NW partnered withUPtomoveWyomingcoalMidwestpowerplants. improvements, andgavetheroadbed adistinctpinkcolor. rail industry. power inthecontentiousMidwest C&NW feltitwasinapositionof Nonetheless, bytheearly1980s, soon-to-be eliminatedcabooses. 1981 anexpensiverebuilding ofthe in 1980wasacostlyerror, aswasin “Traditional Yellow” onallequipment mandated toreplace theolder worked though—“SafetyYellow” on thegrainmarket.Noteverymove made theC&NWlessdependable to theC&NW. However, themove and openedtheWyomingcoalfields Project, whichhadbegunin1973, also completedtheCoalLine trains. Ittookadecade,butWolfe no longeroperatedanypassenger for thecompanyandmeantthatit (RTA) inChicago thatmademoney the RegionalTransportation Authority He negotiatedafavorabledealwith effective, ifauthoritarian,leader. James Wolfe whoproved tobean lung cancerandwasreplaced by complications associatedwith President, passedawayfrom In 1976,LarryProvo, C&NW C&NW emerged from the1970’s withstrong intermodaltraffic. It wastheendofaneraforstreamliners andtheChicagoPassengerTerminal. commuter passengerlines. C&NW hadmore orlesseliminateditsnon- service intheUnitedStates1971, Pacific. BythetimeAmtraktookonpassenger was usedtointerchange carswiththeUnion major lines,especiallytheOmahastem,which this sameperiod,therailroad upgradedits . During upkeep thantheymadeinearnings of low-densitybranchlinesthatcostmore in 1970s largely becauseitabandonedanumber The C&NWwasprofitable throughout the

Bright yellow cabooses declared, “We’re Employee Owned!” Repairing andrebuilding theRailroad wascriticaltosurvival. photograph second-handlocomotives. Railfans flockedtoC&NW 11/6/15 4:40PM CHICAGO’S ORIGIN OF COMMUTER

LikeSERVICE the rest of the country, the Railroad was battered by the Depression in the 1930s, leading SERVICE to a nine-year bankruptcy starting in 1935. The C&NW’s introduction of The three Chicago area commuter lines that its famed “400” intercity trains that are now operated by Union Pacific spent much decade was one of the few bright of their existence as part of the C&NW. Each spots. Nonetheless in the 1930s, the began independently before becoming part C&NW provided service to about of the Railroad: 50,000 commuters from and to • THE NORTHWEST LINE, started the Chicago suburbs utilizing as the Illinois & Wisconsin 100 trains and crews. in 1854, and became part of the C&NW when the system was formed in 1859. • THE WEST LINE, which began as the Galena & Chicago Union in 1848, became part of the C&NW system in 1864. • THE NORTH LINE, began as the Chicago & Milwaukee in 1854, was leased by the C&NW starting in 1866, and finally purchased by the C&NW in 1883.

In the 1940s and 1950s, passenger trains continued to lose riders to the automobile and airplane. Commuter trains fared better than intercity trains, but still were declining in profits and Commuter service on all three lines passengers. The C&NW sought to developed gradually, particularly in reverse that trend in the 1950s and the years following the Civil War and 1960s by catching up on deferred the Chicago Fire of 1871. The fire maintenance, modernizing ticketing and especially made living in the suburbs collection methods, revising schedules, more appealing – being away from and adjusting fares. The railroad also the congestion and noise of the city – replaced the commuter fleet with and the railroad promoted and new bi-level coaches and shuttered benefitted from the trend. about 20 close-in stations so it could concentrate on suburban service. In 1915, a committee sponsored by the Chicago Association of Commerce recommended that the C&NW In 1974, the RTA was formed and it began to electrify its tracks between Chicago subsidize the region’s commuter trains. The C&NW and Waukegan, Des Plaines, and entered into a purchase-of-service agreement with Elmhurst. The company considered it in the RTA. That agreement now continues for the the 1920s, particularly after the Illinois three lines, although the agreement is now between Central electrified its commuter service METRA, formed in 1984, and the Union Pacific which (today’s METRA Electric Line) in 1926. bought the C&NW in 1995. But the cost – at least $60 million at the time – and the fact that commuter trains were money-losers, deterred implementation.

In the same decade, the Railroad improved several suburban depots and introduced some new aluminum- Intercity travel was made easy with Chicago’s coordinated commuter service alloy commuter cars. It also leased a private car, the Deerpath, to wealthy businessmen on its North line in 1929. (The descendant of that car is still in service.) Yet it was an era witnessing growing popularity of the automobile, Ironically the C&NW was transporting the very same thing they were and unsurprisingly, the company losing business to – the automobile. began to notice a severe drop in local train passengers.

Commuter service developed gradually following the Civil War and the Chicago Fire of 1871.

In the 1940s, complimentary use of umbrellas was offered to commuters.

TF-2015-PANEL-29.indd 1 11/6/15 4:40 PM TF-2015-PANEL-30.indd 1 11/6/15 4:41 PM THE BAR AND BALL In 1891 the C&NW adopted the famous “ball and bar” logo, which survived a few modifications END OF throughout the Railroad’s 104 year existence. CHICAGO 1891-1902

& NORTH 1902-1944 Celebrate-a-Railroad was envisioned by Ken Jaglinski, Harry Grieshaber, Bob Henderson, and Mike Carlson to preserve America’s rich WESTERN railroad industry history. The annual tradition UNION PACIFIC launched at Trainfest 2015 in Milwaukee. Trainfest is America’s Largest Operating Model Railroad Show 1944-1957 ACQUIRES C&NW and the C&NW was the first Railroad to be featured. Trainfest is a public event attracting thousands After the Chicago, Rock Island and of model train hobbyists and train enthusiasts. Pacific Railroad (Rock Island) stopped Trainfest is held annually the second weekend of operating on March 31, 1980 the November. The event is organized by the Wisconsin C&NW won a bidding war with the Soo Line Railroad for purchase of Southeastern Division, Inc. of the National Model the roughly 600-mile “Spine Line” Railroad Association (NMRA). The WISE Division from the Twin Cities to Kansas City, is non-profit organization. For more information, 1957-1971 Missouri via Des Moines, Iowa. The visit www.trainfest.com. line was well-engineered, but because of deferred maintenance on the part of the bankrupt Rock Island, a major UNION PACIFIC rehabilitation was undertaken in 1984. Also in the 1980s, the C&NW tried to In 1989 the C&NW was taken by take over the bankrupt Milwaukee surprise when Japonica Partners Road but was defeated in 1985 by a L.P. attempted to acquire the combination of the Soo Line’s bid and outstanding shares of C&NW 1971-1982 a decision of the courts. Corp., after already acquiring 8.8% ownership. Management considered employee-ownership again, but decided to find a “friendly” takeover partner. The C&NW then approved a “definitive merger agreement” with Blackstone Capital Partners, L.P., 1982-1995 which quickly outbid Japonica. The Union Pacific and an insurance- based financial company backed the Blackstone Group, and kept the Omaha to Chicago line safe from Japonica’s grasp. The C&NW corporate structure was completely In 1982, employee-ownership ended changed, and the Railroad was and C&NW stock was no longer effectively saddled with heavy long- reserved for employees. In 1985, term debt and high interest payments. after the failed bid for the Milwaukee Drastic cuts had to be made all over Road, the C&NW restructured itself the system. and created a holding company called In 1993, an initial public stock C&NW Corporation to allow more offering was tendered and Union diversification.Later in that decade, Pacific investments were transferred the C&NW recognized the benefits to non-voting common stock, of container shipping and became a representing 25% ownership. In March leader in piggyback trains. 1995, UP announced its intent to Throughout the 1980s, management acquire 100% of the C&NW’s publicly made efforts to reduce its workforce traded stock at a price of $35 per share. Management had negotiated and by 1991, the number of employees Photos courtesy of the had dropped to 6,841 less than half with the UP for the best possible deal, Chicago & North Western Historical Society the number employed in 1981. since a takeover seemed inevitable. April 24, 1995 was the last day of Celebrate-a-Railroad operation for the C&NW as it was Preserving our rich history merged into the Union Pacific.Though 2015 Chicago & North Western it was a tough loss for a once proud 2016 Milwaukee Road railroad, the merger meant the C&NW 2017 Soo Line was not broken up in bankruptcy SPONSORED BY: 2018 Great Northern court like many of its competitors. A Special Thank You to: D I V I S E I S O I N Ken Jaglinski W Trainfest Chairman America’s Largest Operating Model Railroad Show 1966 2016

5 y 0 r Ben Barbera t a h s An ver w ni C&NW Display Historian Writer w rg w. .o wisedivision Historian of Milwaukee County Historical Society

Keith Kohlmann Photo Contributor, Fact Checking Chicago & North Western Chicago & North Western Historical Society Historical Society Archives Jeffery Marker Trainfest Advertising Chair

Tim Bigonia C&NW Display Designer Mercury Communication Partners

www.mercuryww.com

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