Chicago & North Western Railroad

The Chicago & North Western was a road of contrasts — serving Chicago commuters, Michigan iron mines and Illinois coal fields. It amassed a sprawling network of branch lines throughout the Midwest and established the industry’s first safety campaign by coining the phrase "Safety First."

The line also was a key link between Chicago and the West. Chicago & North Western was the first railroad to connect with Union Pacific at Council Bluffs in 1867, and in 1984, partnered with UP to open a connector line to the coal fields in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin – enabling the region to become a major U.S. energy source. The Chicago & North Western and Union Pacific merged in 1995.

Heritage Locomotive

The Chicago & North Western locomotive is the fifth unit in the heritage fleet and was unveiled at the Ogilvie Transportation Center in Chicago on July 15, 2006.