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The original company was incorporated on July 1, 1862, under an act of Congress entitled Pacific Railroad Act of 1862.The act was approved by President Abraham Lincoln, and it provided for the construction of railroads from the Missouri River to the Pacific as a war measure for the preservation of the Union. Despite the initial shoddy construction it was incredible the logistics the project overcame in seeing the route completed. In 1988 the company grew even larger when it purchased the Katy (the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad) and in 1995 did the same with the Chicago & North Western, providing it access to Wyoming's Powder River Basin coal fields. Gary Morris photo. Mac Owen photo. As mentioned during that time there are no plans to restore the UP 3985. The locomotive had participated in the New Orleans World Fair that year. The website contains everything from historic (fallen flags) to contemporary (Class I's, regionals, short lines, and even some museums/tourist lines) rosters, locomotive production information, technical data, all notable models cataloged by the five major builders (American Locomotive, Electro-Motive, General Electric, Fairbanks-Morse, and Baldwin), and much more. As time permits we may release additional information on exactly why that locomotive has not operated since 2010. If you are researching active or abandoned corridors you might want to check out the, You will be hard pressed at finding a better online resource regarding diesel locomotives than Craig Rutherford's, Andre Kristopans put together a web page highlighting virtually every unit every out-shopped by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division. In 1980 President Jimmy Carter signed the Staggers Act into law which greatly deregulated the railroad industry making it easier to set freight rates, abandon unprofitable lines, and carry out mergers. The Union Pacific Railroad is the principal operating company of the Union Pacific Corporati… But I feel most everyone understands having two steam locomotives on the roster has historically been the norm on the Union Pacific. The move from its longtime resting In addition to being one of the oldest and most expansive railroads in the United States, the Union Pacific is also known for operating a wide range of innovative and unique locomotives throughout its existence. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. In addition, its line into Southern California proved one of its most important acquisitions. However, protests from other carriers was fierce and the governing body, the Interstate Commerce Commission, took more than a decade to render its decision, announcing the union could proceed in 1974. © Copyright 2007-2020 American-Rails.com. Bob Collins photo. While UP would have liked new diesels wartime restrictions prevented this. It was reorganized in 1897 under the leadership of Edward H. Harriman, who was responsible for major improvements and standardization and who led the railroad to participate in the economic development of the West. A roster photo of 4-8-8-4 Big Boy #4014 during her years in freight service. The extra profits were then simply pocketed by Durant and his partners. It is also important to note the company's nod to its history. This event corresponded with Union Pacific's incorporation although some time passed before construction actually commenced. His was a magnificent achievement that compares well with the Central Pacific Railroad… Yellowstone Special:  (Poncatello, Idaho - West Yellowstone, Montana). They are one of the world's biggest transportation companies. Construction was slower than…, …the first transcontinental railroad, the Union Pacific east of Great Salt Lake and the Central Pacific west thereof. Durant quickly asserted himself as the leading authority although he technically was in charge only of UP's construction. Today, there are tens of thousands of miles scattered throughout the country. On August 25, 1916 it changed its name to the aforementioned LA&SL and on April 27, 1921 UP acquired full control from Clark. In 1960 UP began the initial steps to merge with the Rock Island in an effort to provide it a direct link to Chicago. At that time, traffic control and marketing for all three railroads were fully unified, and all lines operated under the Union Pacific name. James Ehernberger photo. Union Pacific operates an impressive heritage fleet of original equipment from its streamlined business train clad in its classic Armour yellow and gray to its stable of steam locomotives maintained at its roundhouse in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The big articulated was used on several outings and excursions from its completed restoration in 1981 until 2010 when the locomotive was sidelined for major overhaul. Except for a troubled period at the end of the 19th century when an overextended Union Pacific fell into receivership the company has been well-managed through the years. In any event, the new Northerns were able to save the railroad some $300,000 annually at a cost of roughly $10-$11 per mile. Just a year after doing so he purchased controlling interest in the nearby Kansas Pacific Railway, providing UP with a southerly line linking Denver with Kansas City. Map of the western United States showing relief by hachures, drainage, cities and towns, and the railroad network coded by color. San Francisco Overland: Connected Chicago and Oakland, later serving only as far east as St. Louis. A sly individual set upon enriching himself, he and several associates formed Credit Mobilier in 1864, originally known as the Pennsylvania Fiscal Agency a loan and contract company created in 1859. A highly recommended database! this steamer on July 23, 2013 the railfan community was shocked and the Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. After the war UP realized passenger service was on the decline although remained strong enough into the 1950s that it continued purchasing or upgrading its fleet. In 1954 UP began retiring the first of the 4-8-4s although the locomotives continued to see service through 1962. Union Pacific Railroad, transportation company chartered (1862) by Congress to build part of the nation's first transcontinental railroad line. For those primarily interested in the history of the Union Pacific Railroad, this database makes it possible to read UPRR history as viewed by the editors of the local newspapers. This location, an important division point on the UP with a large roundhouse and turntable, became the permanent home of the locomotive. Realizing its vast potential, the government funded the Transcontinental Railroad's construction. You probably know the story of the Transcontinental Railroad, Union Pacific's role, and how it opened the West to vast economic opportunities. As a result, UP's western line rushed quickly across the plains, building up to 8.5 miles of new railroad per day. Then project engineer quit in frustration and Durant subsequently hired Greenville Dodge to replace him. Interestingly, even now sections of these never-used grades canbe seen. This historic system has been in operation since before the Civil War and much of the general public has at least a general knowledge of UP since it formed the eastern segment of the Transcontinental Railroad. Richard Kindig photo. George Cockle/Union Pacific photo. They usually spent this freedom drinking in bars and enjoying brothels, until moving on to the next settlement. Featured here is a brief history of one of America's great corporations. During 1863, UP turned the first mound of soil from Omaha, Nebraska and set out westward. The issue wasn't resolved until 1872 although little punishment was ever handed down to those involved in the corruption. You will be hard pressed at finding a better online resource regarding diesel locomotives than Craig Rutherford's TheDieselShop.us. According to financial authorities the Harriman-Schiff railway combination became the most powerful and most successful that America had ever known. The Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) came into existence in response to the widely held belief, fully formed by the 1850s, that the United States needed a rail link between its older, eastern states and the distant but rapidly growing states of the far west. The original rail line was built westward 1,006 miles (1,619 km) from Omaha, Nebraska, to meet the Central Pacific, which was being built eastward from Sacramento, California. The Challenger As the horsepower needs of the Union Pacific increased in the early 20th century, so did the size of it’s locomotives. A popular pastime for many is studying and/or exploring abandoned rights-of-way. This work was completed in May, 2019 and the 4-8-8-4 embarked on a PR campaign that exceeded even the railroad's restoration. On January 1, 1936 these systems, and others, were formally consolidated into the railroad. He spent more than a decade reacquiring most of the railroad's lost trackage (although the former lines south of Colorado and into Texas were reorganized as the Colorado & Southern, which eventually entered the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy's fold) and vigorously upgraded the property for modern-day operation into the 20th century. The Union Pacific Railroad’s Thomas Durant: Getting the Facts Right I have written a great deal about the men of the Central Pacific Railroad. Thanks to the its forward thinking, during the postwar period UP began gobbling up smaller, and larger, railroads. After the war diesels soon supplanted steam and the Northerns, despite their advanced technologies and cost savings, were bumped to freight assignments. Although the Central Pacific had a two-year head start over the Union Pacific, the rough terrain of the Sierra Nevadas limited their construction to … It is a must visit! However, in a move unique only to UP the railroad spared #844 following her final freight assignments performed in 1959. This system had been organized by Collis P. Huntington, Mark Hopkins, Leland Stanford, and Charles Crocker (the so-called "Big Four") on June 28, 1861. The Union Pacific did not immediately blossom into a wealthy system but it was rich in land and used this to its advantage. The Union Pacific system of railroad and steamship lines, 1900. Britannica Kids Holiday Bundle! After less than a decade of service, the trio was scrapped. The Union Pacific (UP) is one the largest and most powerful railroads in the country. Union Pacific Railroad Company, company that extended the American railway system to the Pacific Coast; it was incorporated by an act of the U.S. Congress on July 1, 1862. One of its most notable excursions during these early years included Ross Rowland's Gold Spike Special to celebrate the centennial of the transcontinental railroad completion on May 10th, 1969. Finally, the government stepped in to form Amtrak in 1971, alleviating most carriers of the burden (today, you can still glimpse the City streamlines in Union Pacific's business train). NOW 50% OFF! Since then UP has added several classic steam and diesel models to its roster, most of which are housed in its shops and roundhouse at Cheyenne, Wyoming. The 19th century was part of the United States' great industrial revolution, of which the railroads were key. At the same time expansions continued through Utah reaching Salt Lake City in 1870 (via the Utah Central) and Butte, Montana in 1881 (Utah Northern). Union Pacific operates North America's premier railroad franchise, covering 23 states in the western two-thirds of the United States. However, it holds an important place in American history by helping establish the Transcontinental Railroad in conjunction with the Union Pacific. It was originally known as the San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad incorporated in 1901 through several subsidiaries linking its namesake cities (renamed the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad after 1916). It was a product of Pullman-Standard and the Winton Engine Company, given the moniker M-10000. An American Western television series of the same name was loosely based on the phenomenon and the Transcontinental Railroad's construction. The railroad took 7 years to complete and is a 1,907-mile contiguous line. Omissions? Since then the 4-8-4 has become the most visible public relations ambassador on the Union Pacific system, hosting numerous excursions annually, leading the business train during various outings, and/or sitting on display for special events such as the College World Series in Omaha and the annual Cheyenne Frontier Days. One of Union Pacific's fine 4-6-6-4's, #3800 (CSA-1), leads an eastbound manifest near Green River, Wyoming on October 10, 1951. In 1873 noted tycoon Jay Gould acquired a controlling interest in UP and set about upgrading its infrastructure while expanding its reach. If you are researching active or abandoned corridors you might want to check out the United States Geological Survey's (USGS) Historical Topographic Map Explorer. note; when Union Pacific officially announced its intentions to restore It was directed to "construct a railroad and telegraph line from the Pacific coast, at or near San Francisco, or the navigable waters of the Sacramento River, to the eastern boundary of California." It aired from 2011 to 2016 on AMC. Union Pacific VO-1000 #1204 and 4-8-4 #830 (FEF-2) work together at Council Bluffs, Iowa on September 28, 1958. Drew Jacksich photo. The Union Pacific Railroad (reporting marks UP, UPP, UPY), legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and simply Union Pacific, is a 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. The former included more than twenty subsidiaries which were brought together under the title of two holding companies; the Oregon Short Line Railroad and Oregon-Washington Railroad & Navigation Company. This historic system has been in operation since before the Civil War and much of the general public has at least a general knowledge of UP since it formed the eastern segment of the Transcontinental Railroad. Three competing private companies built the railroad, one starting in the East, the other two in the West, allowing the railroad to meet in the middle. The northern states supported the railroad as it connected California to its big industrial cities. Union Pacific SD40-2 #3593, when the locomotive wore a camouflage livery and christened "Desert Victory" in honor of the 66 company employees who served in Operation Desert Storm. Dodge proved far better at dealing with Durant and often ignored his boss if he felt it was in the best interest of the company. By mid-1862, the United States … When Union Pacific elected to save one its Class FEF 4-8-4s as steam operations wound down during the 1950s it planted the seeds of what is today considered one of the greatest heritage fleets across the country, and perhaps the world. Harriman used the railroad as a holding company for the securities of other transportation companies in his empire. I … In 1961 new Electro-Motive GP30s arrived, which were given the 800 numbering series and forcing the Northern to be reassigned as #8444 for a time. According to Dodge it was so well organized that at no time did crews run short on supplies. place in Ponoma, California has also been widely watched and The present-day Union Pacific system began taking shape in the 1960s. The growing and expanding country established great manufacturing centers in the Northeast while the South generated prodigious volumes of cotton and textiles. 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