The Great Northern Railway: Home To Rocky, The Mountain Goat

Of all the railroads James J. Hill owned or controlled in some way, the Great Northern Railway is by far his greatest masterpiece earning him the legendary nickname of Empire Builder. Under his tenor the railroad would stretch from the Midwest to Pacific Coast and of all the Northwestern roads the GN was by far the strongest and most respected. Even after 30+ years of being gone the railroad still holds strong influences and memories from its Empire Builder passenger train and prominent dark green, orange, and yellow livery to its beloved mascot and emblem, Rocky the mountain goat (a common animal to the Rocky Mountains).

Now that these railroads were all under one-control Hill quickly set about building to the Pacific Coast and Seattle which was accomplished just four years later in 1893. Throughout the rest of the early 20th century Hill worked to modernize his main line, especially through the Rockies by eliminating grades and curves. Before his death in 1916 he was able to achieve this with the most famous project along the line being the Cascade Tunnel through Washington’s Cascade Range (a new tunnel was later bored and opened in the 1920s, which is still used today by the BNSF Railway, and is some 8 miles in length!). The western main line through the Cascade Mountain range was also electrified for years (although it proved to be a troublesome and unreliable operation) until better ventilation and improved diesel locomotives allowed for its discontinuance in the late 1950s.

It was also during this time, the late 1920s, that the legendary Empire Builder passenger train was inaugurated between Seattle and Chicago via the CB&Q, who also partially owned the train. The train became tremendously successful and the premier way to travel through the Northwest. Because of the train’s success and high respect under GN's tenor, it’s not surprising that it became a part of Amtrak and continues so to this day as the carrier’s best known long distance passenger train.

The railroad, however, was destined to be merged with its allying railroads the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway; Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad; and Northern Pacific Railway, it was simply a matter of time, as many had speculated for years (it was also something Hill had always wished to accomplish but could never accomplish before his death). While trying for years this did not come to fruition until 1970 when the ICC finally granted permission to do so thus forming the then Burlington Northern Railroad. The BN, however, would last only 25 years before merging with the Santa Fe to become the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, today known as simply the BNSF Railway.

While the Great Northern is no longer with us it certainly continues to live on in many ways aside from being an important Northwestern gateway for successor BNSF Railway (the BNSF also continues to employ a version of the GN’s famous dark green, orange, and yellow paint scheme), a testament to the mark the railroad left on the industry. The Great Northern can still be seen in the Empire Builder operated by Amtrak and its famous Cascade Tunnel in Washington, just to name a few.

For an excellent pictorial history of the Great Northern Railway please click here to view the collection of Ron Nixon housed at the Museum of the Rockies, Montana State University. (Please note that the photos featured on this page, courtesy of the museum, include their corresponding image number so that you may quickly and easily find more information about it from their website.)

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For an all-time diesel locomotive roster of the Great Northern Railway please click here. Also, for an excellent listing of EMD-built diesel locomotives, including those owned by the GN please click here. Lastly, please click here to locate preserved GN diesel locomotives.

The American Locomotive Company

The Baldwin Locomotive Works

The Electro-Motive Corporation/Electro-Motive Division

General Electric

For a more complete roster of Great Northern Railway steam locomotives please click here. Also, for information regarding surviving GN steam locomotives please click here.

Notable Great Northern Passenger Trains

Empire Builder

Western Star

Badger: (Twin Cities - Superior/Duluth)

Cascadian: (Seattle - Spokane)

Dakotan: (Twin Cities - Williston, North Dakota)

Gopher: (Twin Cities - Superior/Duluth)

International: (Seattle - Vancouver, B.C.)

Oriental Limited: Served Chicago and Seattle/Portland via allying roads CB&Q and SP&S.

Red River: (Twin Cities - Grand Forks)

Winnipeg Limited: (Twin Cities - Winnipeg)

(A deep thanks to the Museum of the Rockies at Montana State University for allowing Ron Nixon's historic collection of the Great Northern Railway to be featured here.)

Also, for more reading on the Great Northern Railway consider purchasing a copy of Great Northern Empire Builder from author Bill Yenne. The hardcover book, filled with photos, covers the legendary train from its beginnings to end when Amtrak took over. Any GN fan or historian will very much enjoy it. If you're interested in perhaps purchasing either (or both) of these books please visit the links below which will take you to ordering information through Amazon.com, the trusted online shopping network.

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