The Chicago and North Western Railway, often referred to as the "North Western" and reported with the marking "CNW," was a prominent Class I railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. The railroad boasted an extensive network, with over 5,000 miles of track at the turn of the 20th century, later expanding to over 12,000 miles across seven states before a period of downsizing in the late 1970s. Prior to 1972, it was officially known as the Chicago and North Western Railway or Chicago and North Western Railway Company.
The expansion of the C&NW was largely the result of mergers with other railroads, including the Chicago Great Western Railway, Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway, among others. By 1995, a series of track sales and abandonments reduced its mileage to around 5,000 miles. Notably, many of the abandoned or sold lines were less-used branch lines in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Large line sales, like the one that led to the creation of the Dakota, Minnesota, and Eastern Railroad, contributed to reshaping the C&NW into a mainline core with various regional feeders and branches.
In April 1995, the Union Pacific (UP) acquired the Chicago and North Western Railway, integrating it into its existing operations.
The historical timeline of the C&NW:[]
1859 to 1968:[]
The Chicago and North Western Railway was chartered in 1859 and underwent mergers with various other railroads over the years. Notable acquisitions included the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad, Winona and St. Peter Railroad, Chicago, Milwaukee and North Western Railway, Sioux City and Pacific Railroad, Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad, and Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western Railway. The company boasted a substantial fleet of locomotives, passenger cars, and freight cars by 1899.
Changing traffic patterns and competition from automobiles and trucks disrupted the railroad's profitability in the mid-20th century. The C&NW rapidly transitioned to diesel power and established a significant diesel shop in Chicago. The Proviso Freight Yard, one of the world's largest, featured 224 miles of trackage and a capacity of over 20,000 cars.
The C&NW played a vital role in transporting agricultural products, particularly potatoes from the west. It also carried sugar beets, corn, and wheat. However, the railroad was adversely affected by government agricultural credit policies, which led to excess products on farms.
The C&NW served both Chicago commuters and provided intercity transportation, offering an eastern link for Union Pacific passengers from Omaha, Nebraska, and western points to Chicago.
The C&NW held a majority of the stock of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Omaha Railway (Omaha Road) since 1882. In 1957, it leased the Omaha Road, eventually merging it in 1972.
Notable acquisitions in this period included the Litchfield and Madison Railway, the Des Moines and Central Iowa Railway, and the Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern Railway.
In 1960, the C&NW acquired the rail properties of the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway.
1968 to 1984:[]
In 1968, the Chicago Great Western Railway merged with the C&NW. This extended the railroad's reach between Chicago and Oelwein, Iowa, providing connections to the Twin Cities, Omaha, Nebraska, and Kansas City, Missouri. The railroad also acquired access to Kansas City.
Notably, the company explored mergers with the Milwaukee Road in 1970 but eventually sold the railroad to its employees in 1972. They formed Northwest Industries, and the company was renamed the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company, featuring the slogan "Employee Owned." The transition led to the integration of the C&NW into the new corporate structure.
After the cessation of operations by the Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific Railroad in 1980, the C&NW acquired the "Spine Line," a 400-mile route between the Twin Cities and Kansas City via Des Moines. In 1983, the Interstate Commerce Commission approved the C&NW's $93 million bid for this line. The acquisition required significant rehabilitation due to deferred maintenance, and it led to the abandonment of the Oelwein to Kansas City segment, which duplicated service on the Spine Line.
1985 to 1995:[]
In 1985, the CNW Corporation was formed to take over the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company. The stock of the transportation company, previously owned by employees, was transferred to the new CNW Corporation. In 1988, the Blackstone Capital Partners, L.P. formed the Chicago and North Western Acquisition Corporation to purchase the CNW Corporation. This acquisition reshaped the corporate structure.
In 1993, severe flooding affected several of the C&NW's routes. The floods began south of St. Paul, Minnesota, and spread to the C&NW's dry mainline through Iowa. The railroad's employees played a crucial role in assisting the railroad during the flood, and the lines were soon reopened.
In February 1994, the Chicago and North Western Acquisition Corporation and the CNW Corporation merged into the Chicago and North Western Holdings Corporation. Subsequently, the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company reverted to its original name in May 1994.
In April 1995, the Union Pacific Corporation acquired the former Chicago and North Western Holdings Corporation under the UP Rail subsidiary. This merger led to the integration of the Chicago and North Western system into the Union Pacific Railroad.
Post CNW:[]
UP 1995 as 3rd DPU on Grain Manifest.
After the acquisition, Union Pacific continued to operate locomotives in their original Chicago and North Western paint schemes for several years. Many former CNW units were repainted into UP colors, but some continued to operate in their original CNW livery. Union Pacific also established a tradition of releasing "Heritage" locomotives, representing the paint schemes of absorbed companies, including the C&NW, numbered 1995.