The Great Northern Railway: A History

by Ralph W. Hidy, Muriel E. Hidy, Roy V. Scott, Don L. Hofsommer

Overview

The definitive history of one of the nation’s great transcontinental railroads

In the sprawling Northwest, from the upper Mississippi River valley to Puget Sound, no railroad shaped the landscape and society like the Great Northern Railway Company. This is the complete history of that enterprise, from 1856, when the first charter was granted, through the era of James J. Hill—known as the Empire Builder—to its maturation and eventual merger in 1970, when the eight-thousand-mile Great Northern was incorporated into the massive Burlington Northern.

The Great Northern Railway highlights the changes brought on by economic, political, social, and technological advances, including world wars, increased competition from other modes of transportation, and tighter government restrictions. The first part of the book (1856-1916) examines the railway’s early strategies and philosophy, relations with employees, and vigorous campaigns to develop the service area. The second part of the history (1916-1970) offers an assessment of a dramatic period of transition for the railroad—international conflicts, the Great Depression, the rise of motor vehicles, increasing labor costs, and stronger unions.

Illustrated with more than two hundred maps, period photographs, and drawings, the volume also includes appendixes listing the original track-laying history, track removals, ruling grades on main freight routes, and main line ruling grades from Minneapolis to Seattle.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780816644292
Publisher:	University of Minnesota Press
Publication date:	03/10/2004
Series:	Fesler-Lampert Minnesota Heritage
Edition description:	First edition
Pages:	376
Product dimensions:	10.75(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Ralph W. Hidy and Muriel E. Hidy were professors of business history at Harvard Business School.

Roy V. Scott is professor of history at Mississippi State University.

Don L. Hofsommer is professor of history at St. Cloud State University.

Table of Contents

Contents

Preface by Alfred D. Chandler, Jr.

Acknowledgments

Introduction

List of Abbreviations

PART I 1856 TO 1916

1 The First Ten Miles

2 Frustrated by Finance

The Branch Line Comes First

Main Line West

Growing Pains

Settlers for the Land Freight Traffic

4 Northern Pacific Interlude

Completing the Main Line

The St. Vincent Extension

5 Legislation and Litigation

Conflict in Hard Times

Laws and Lawsuits

6 The Associates Gain Control

Negotiating a Bond Purchase

Completing Rail Links

Eliminating Potential Competition

Tag Ends of a Long-Tailed Kite

7 The Manitoba

Men and Organization

Construction and Relations with Other Railroads

Terminals in the Twin Cities

Financial Management

8 Consolidations and Adjustments

The Canadian Pacific Strengthening Credit

Boston Investors

9 From Butte to Buffalo

Systematizing Administration

The Long March to Montana

Eastward to Buffalo

10 Tensions in Finance

A New Problem

Dissension, 1887-1889

11 On to Puget Sound

New Dress

Engineering Challenges

"Head of the Rake"

Sterling Bonds of 1890

Building the Transcontinental

12 Creating an Empire

Expansion in Minnesota

Control of the Northern Pacific and the Burlington

Jockeying for Position in the Northwest

Continuing Skirmishes with the Canadian Pacific

13 Developing the Northwest

Organization and Development

Improving and Strengthening Agriculture

14 Men and Mallets

Men and Organization

First Years as a Transcontinental

Fleshing Out

Traffic Generation and the Ore Lands

Motive Power, Rolling Stock, and Rates

Contents

Preface by Alfred D. Chandler, Jr.

Acknowledgments

Introduction

List of Abbreviations

PART I 1856 TO 1916

1 The First Ten Miles

2 Frustrated by Finance

The Branch Line Comes First

Main Line West

Growing Pains

Settlers for the Land Freight Traffic

4 Northern Pacific Interlude

Completing the Main Line

The St. Vincent Extension

5 Legislation and Litigation

Conflict in Hard Times

Laws and Lawsuits

6 The Associates Gain Control

Negotiating a Bond Purchase

Completing Rail Links

Eliminating Potential Competition

Tag Ends of a Long-Tailed Kite

7 The Manitoba

Men and Organization

Construction and Relations with Other Railroads

Terminals in the Twin Cities

Financial Management

8 Consolidations and Adjustments

The Canadian Pacific Strengthening Credit

Boston Investors

9 From Butte to Buffalo

Systematizing Administration

The Long March to Montana

Eastward to Buffalo

10 Tensions in Finance

A New Problem

Dissension, 1887-1889

11 On to Puget Sound

New Dress

Engineering Challenges

"Head of the Rake"

Sterling Bonds of 1890

Building the Transcontinental

12 Creating an Empire

Expansion in Minnesota

Control of the Northern Pacific and the Burlington

Jockeying for Position in the Northwest

Continuing Skirmishes with the Canadian Pacific

13 Developing the Northwest

Organization and Development

Improving and Strengthening Agriculture

14 Men and Mallets

Men and Organization

First Years as a Transcontinental

Fleshing Out

Traffic Generation and the Ore Lands

Motive Power, Rolling Stock, and Rates

15 Locals, Limiteds, and Liners

Expansion and Improvements

Of Things Nautical

Advertising, Glacier Park, and Rocky

Express, Mail, and Silk

Pricing the Service

16 Corporate Structure and Finance

Early Experience

Consolidating Properties

Finances of a Maturing Railroad

17 "Leading the Band"

Basic Principles

Union-Management Relations, 1883-1893

The ARU Strike and Its Aftermath

Toward Parity with Competitors, 1900-1916

PART II 1916 TO 1970 23 An Attempted Merger

Introduction

18 World War I and the USRA

The Heritage

The GN under Federal Control

Return to Private Operation

19 Of Good News and Bad

Preparing for Control

Frustrations and Realities

Fighting Recession

Resuming Course—with a Difference

20 Polishing the Operation

Upgrading Plant and Equipment

Reducing Costs

Conquering the Cascades

Building Freight Traffic

21 Passenger Business and Change

The St. Paul Union Depot

Highway Competition

Upgrading Transcontinental Travel

Advertising and Promotion

24 Corporate Health

Growth in Funded Debt Performance

25 The Tangled Ways ofFinance

Setting the Course

Financial Management

Over the Hurdle

Controlling Expense

22 Expansion and Development More Branch Lines

Lure of California

Frustrations in Colonizing

Agricultural Diversification and Irrigation

Northern Montana: Special Problems

26 Traffic and Profits in Adversity

The Passenger Department

Truck Competition

Developmental Programs and Federal Stimulants

Survival

27 The Pressures of War— Again

Gavin's Preparations

Mobilization

Cooperation under Regulation

Performance and Financial Policy

28 Labor-Management Relations in Depression and War

182 Cooperation in Hard Times

War and Prosperity

29 Prosperity Under Stress

Expectations and Realities

Maximizing Efficiency

The Operating and Financial Record

30 John Budd and a Changing Environment

The New Team

Railroads and Public Policy

Gradual Changes

31 Labor Tensions and Personnel

Policies

Maneuvers and Crisis

Work Rules and Compensation

Personnel Policies

32 Economic Development

Programs

Promoting Agribusiness

Stimulating Industrial Growth

Encouraging the Mining Industry

33 SD45s and Univac III

Motive Power and Rolling Stock

Road and Yard Facilities

Centralized Traffic Control, Communications, and Computers

34 "No Sacred Cows — or Goats"

The Passenger Dilemma

New Departures in Freight

Traffic

A New Marketing Structure

Performance: A Mixed Record

Notes

Appendix A Original Track-laying Record

Appendix B Track Removals

Appendix C Great Northern Railway: Ruling Grades on Main Freight Routes

Appendix D Northern Pacific: Main Line Ruling Grades Minneapolis — Seattle

Bibliography and Notes on Sources

Index

35 The Last Spike is Never

Driven

The Northern Lines—Again

Continuing the Campaign

Victory