Denver and New Orleans
Encyclopedia
The Denver and New Orleans Railroad is a historic railroad that operated in Colorado
.
The D&NO was started by Colorado Governor John Evans
, along with railroad entrepreneur David Moffat
and other associates in 1881. The company was chartered to build a railroad connection from Denver, Colorado
to the Gulf of Mexico
. The charter was later changed from building to the Gulf of Mexico to instead building a connection with the Fort Worth and Denver City Railway, which was building northwest from Fort Worth, Texas
.
The railroad was built from Denver to Pueblo, Colorado
. The Denver, Texas and Fort Worth Railroad was organized to build south from the D&NO at Pueblo, Colorado
. In 1888 it linked with the FW&DC.
The three railroads came under control of General Grenville Dodge
and the Union Pacific Railroad
. The southern lines were merged into the Colorado Central Railroad
and the Cheyenne and Northern Railway
to form the Union Pacific, Denver and Gulf Railroad.
Following the UPRR bankruptcy in 1893, the system was separated from UPRR and merged into the Denver, Leadville and Gunnison Railway by Frank Trumbull to form the Colorado and Southern Railway
in 1899. In 1908 the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
gained control of the C&S. The C&S would later merge into the Burlington Northern Railroad
in 1981.
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
.
The D&NO was started by Colorado Governor John Evans
John Evans (governor)
John Evans was a U.S. politician, physician, railroad promoter, Governor of the Territory of Colorado, and namesake of Evanston, Illinois; Evans, Colorado; and Mount Evans, Colorado...
, along with railroad entrepreneur David Moffat
David Moffat
David Halliday Moffat was an American financier and industrialist.Moffat was one of Denver's most important financiers and industrialists in late 19th and early 20th century Colorado, and he was responsible for the development of the Middle Park area. He served as president, treasurer and as a...
and other associates in 1881. The company was chartered to build a railroad connection from Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
to the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. The charter was later changed from building to the Gulf of Mexico to instead building a connection with the Fort Worth and Denver City Railway, which was building northwest from Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
.
The railroad was built from Denver to Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The population was 106,595 in 2010 census, making it the 246th most populous city in the United States....
. The Denver, Texas and Fort Worth Railroad was organized to build south from the D&NO at Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The population was 106,595 in 2010 census, making it the 246th most populous city in the United States....
. In 1888 it linked with the FW&DC.
The three railroads came under control of General Grenville Dodge
Grenville M. Dodge
Grenville Mellen Dodge was a Union army officer on the frontier and during the Civil War, a U.S. Congressman, businessman, and railroad executive who helped construct the Transcontinental Railroad....
and the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
. The southern lines were merged into the Colorado Central Railroad
Colorado Central Railroad
The Colorado Central Railroad was a U.S. railroad company that operated in Colorado and southeastern Wyoming in the late 19th century. Originally founded in the Colorado Territory in the wake of the Colorado Gold Rush to ship gold from the mountains, it eventually expanded from its initial...
and the Cheyenne and Northern Railway
Cheyenne and Northern Railway
The Cheyenne and Northern Railway was a railroad in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The railroad was incorporated in 1886 to build a line from Cheyenne, Wyoming into northern Wyoming and Montana. The line extended to Wendover on the North Platte River...
to form the Union Pacific, Denver and Gulf Railroad.
Following the UPRR bankruptcy in 1893, the system was separated from UPRR and merged into the Denver, Leadville and Gunnison Railway by Frank Trumbull to form the Colorado and Southern Railway
Colorado and Southern Railway
The Colorado and Southern Railway was a railroad company in the western United States that operated independently from 1898 to 1908, then as part of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad until it was absorbed into the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1981.The railway began as the...
in 1899. In 1908 the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
gained control of the C&S. The C&S would later merge into the Burlington Northern Railroad
Burlington Northern Railroad
The Burlington Northern Railroad was a United States-based railroad company formed from a merger of four major U.S. railroads. Burlington Northern operated between 1970 and 1996....
in 1981.