Santa Fe Railroad
Lance Buckhammer photo - I-40 overpass, Barstow, 1985
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company, byname Santa Fe Railway, former railway that was one of the largest in the United States. Chartered in Kansas as the Atchison and Topeka Railroad Company in 1859, it later exercised great influence on the settlement of the southwestern United States. It was renamed the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad in 1863 and acquired its modern name in 1895. Its founder was Cyrus K. Holliday, a Topeka lawyer and business promoter, who sought to build a railroad along the Santa Fe Trail, a 19th-century trading route that ran from Independence, Mo., to Santa Fe, N.M. The railroad’s main line to the Colorado state line was completed in 1872.
Lance Buckhammer photo - I-40 overpass, Barstow, 1985
The railroad was further expanded in the 1880s and early 1890s to reach about 9,000 miles (14,480 km), but it lost some of this mileage in a reorganization brought on by the financial crisis of 1893. Under Edward Payson Ripley, its president from 1895 until 1920, the Santa Fe flourished and grew to more than 11,000 miles (17,700 km) of track. By 1941 it had more than 13,000 miles (21,000 km) of track, but it shrank gradually thereafter. In 1968 the company became a subsidiary of Santa Fe Industries, Inc., a holding company. In 1983 this company and the Southern Pacific Transportation Company agreed to merge into the Santa Fe Southern Pacific Corporation, but the merger was rejected by the ICC in 1987. The Southern Pacific rail system was sold off in 1988, and in 1989 the Santa Fe parent company became known simply as the Santa Fe Pacific Corporation. Burlington Northern, Inc., purchased the Santa Fe Pacific Corporation in 1995, and the resulting company took the name Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation.
Cajon Pass, June 1941
Before it was acquired by the Burlington Northern railroad, the Santa Fe Railway covered 12 states, with most of its trackage in the midwestern and southwestern portions of the United States. Its freight revenues came principally from intermodal traffic, farm and food products, chemicals, motor vehicles and parts, and industrial raw materials. The days of its famed passenger trains such as the Super Chief were largely over by 1970, and it sold its passenger service to the National Railway Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) in 1971.
Cajon Pass, June 1941
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company American railway
Written By: The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
britannica.com/topic/Atchison-Topeka-and-Santa-Fe-Railway-Company
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Salt ...It was previously the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway line. Also at Cadiz, the Arizona & California Railroad runs over a former ATSF line to Phoenix ...
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Mining Operations in the Whipple Mountains
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Railroads in the Mojave
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Kramer
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Founding and Early Years
1859:
The AT&SF was chartered by the Kansas Territorial Legislature to serve a route from Atchison, Kansas, to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Initially, it was intended to serve as a trade link following the famous Santa Fe Trail.1863:
Construction began, and by the late 1860s, the railroad reached Topeka, initiating a period of rapid expansion.Expansion Period
1870s-1880s:
Under the leadership of President Thomas Nickerson, the Santa Fe extended its reach into Colorado, and later into Texas. The railway continued its expansion toward the west coast.1880:
The railroad achieved a major goal by reaching Albuquerque, New Mexico.1881:
Santa Fe connected to the Pacific Ocean for the first time via a link with the Southern Pacific at Deming, New Mexico.1887:
The railroad's tracks reached Los Angeles, California, enhancing its growth potential by connecting to the Pacific and opening up new markets.Innovations and Developments
1895:
Santa Fe introduced the famous "Harvey Houses" — a series of hotels and restaurants along the route that provided quality accommodations and meals to travelers, significantly improving the travel experience.Early 1900s:
The railroad introduced the famous "Santa Fe de Luxe" and later the "Chief" luxury passenger trains, which became symbols of high-quality rail travel.Mid-20th Century Changes
1951:
The Santa Fe merged with the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway, enhancing its network.1971:
The passenger services of Santa Fe were taken over by the newly formed Amtrak, as was the case with most American railroads, leading Santa Fe to focus on freight transportation.Later Years and Merger
1990s:
In a significant move, the Santa Fe merged with the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1995 to form the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway (BNSF), which continues to be a major freight railroad in the United States.The Santa Fe Railroad was known for its picturesque routes, innovative services, and a strong connection to the cultural and economic development of the regions it served. Its legacy continues through BNSF and through the iconic imagery and cultural references it inspired, like the famous song "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe."
