Edward Payson Ripley
Encyclopedia
Edward Payson Ripley sometimes referred to as Edward P. Ripley or E. P. Ripley, was the fourteenth president of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
.
. Although his family had settled in the American colonies as early as 1638, his family's most prestigious quality was that there were nine blacksmith
s in his ancestry.
Ripley attended public schools, entering the workforce in 1862 at a dry goods merchant's in Boston. Six years later, Ripley started his first job for a railroad as a freight agent for the Pennsylvania Railroad
. After two years, he transferred to the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
as a clerk. He worked his way up through various positions including New England agent, general eastern agent, general freight agent, traffic manager and finally general manager. In 1890 Ripley left the Burlington for a few years to work for the Milwaukee Road.
emerged from receivership, Ripley became the Santa Fe's president. After the financial scandals that brought on the railroad's bankruptcy in the earlier part of the decade, Ripley had his work cut out for him to restore the public opinion of the railroad. He served as president until January 1, 1920.
, hull number 2690, was named Edward P. Ripley in his honor (see List of Liberty ships).
Disneyland Railroad
locomotive number 2, a 4-4-0
built in 1954 by the Disney shops, was named E. P. Ripley in his honor.
Ripley, California
, is a town named after him when the Arizona and California Railroad's Blythe Branch was originally intended to be a shortcut to San Diego until his retirement/death as the branch reaches to the town in 1920.
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
.
Youth and education
Ripley was born on October 30, 1845, in Dorchester, MassachusettsDorchester, Massachusetts
Dorchester is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is named after the town of Dorchester in the English county of Dorset, from which Puritans emigrated and is today endearingly nicknamed "Dot" by its residents. Dorchester, including a large...
. Although his family had settled in the American colonies as early as 1638, his family's most prestigious quality was that there were nine blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
s in his ancestry.
Ripley attended public schools, entering the workforce in 1862 at a dry goods merchant's in Boston. Six years later, Ripley started his first job for a railroad as a freight agent for the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
. After two years, he transferred to 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,...
as a clerk. He worked his way up through various positions including New England agent, general eastern agent, general freight agent, traffic manager and finally general manager. In 1890 Ripley left the Burlington for a few years to work for the Milwaukee Road.
Santa Fe leadership
On December 1, 1895, as the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe RailwayAtchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
emerged from receivership, Ripley became the Santa Fe's president. After the financial scandals that brought on the railroad's bankruptcy in the earlier part of the decade, Ripley had his work cut out for him to restore the public opinion of the railroad. He served as president until January 1, 1920.
Legacy
A Liberty ShipLiberty ship
Liberty ships were cargo ships built in the United States during World War II. Though British in conception, they were adapted by the U.S. as they were cheap and quick to build, and came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output. Based on vessels ordered by Britain to replace ships torpedoed by...
, hull number 2690, was named Edward P. Ripley in his honor (see List of Liberty ships).
Disneyland Railroad
Disneyland Railroad
The Disneyland Railroad , originally the Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad, is a narrow gauge railroad at Disneyland, Anaheim, California, United States, that was inaugurated on the park's live television preview on July 17, 1955. This live steam railway was constructed for $240,000; each of the...
locomotive number 2, a 4-4-0
4-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels...
built in 1954 by the Disney shops, was named E. P. Ripley in his honor.
Ripley, California
Ripley, California
Ripley is a census-designated place community in east Riverside County. It is located along State Route 78 between Palo Verde and Blythe. The area is mostly agricultural lands irrigated by Colorado River water. The elevation is...
, is a town named after him when the Arizona and California Railroad's Blythe Branch was originally intended to be a shortcut to San Diego until his retirement/death as the branch reaches to the town in 1920.