Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-04-14
THE LONGEST ROADS
Mileage of Some Of the Leading
American Lines.
Chicago and Northwestern First . Tho
Southern in Seventh Placo-Long Lines
arc Chiefly western No.t to tho ronnsy
Tho Other Roads.

What are the four longest railroads
in America?
If you think this an easy one just
write down the names of the four lon
gest before reading further or without
referring to guide. See how near
right you come. AS q rule, nine out
OF ten persons will miss it,
Even we'll posted railroad men occa-
sionally go astray on this subject, the
common error being to place the Santa
re system second. while as a matter of
TACT, the Burlington Route passed the
Santa Fe in the mileage race and Sc
cured second place several months ago.
In point of mileage, the first four Am
erican railroads are the Chicago and
Northwestern. the Burlington Route.
the Santa Fe, and the Canadian Pa
cific.
SOME OF THE FIGURES.
This information may be had by any
one willing to look into current issue
or the Travellers Official Guide. That
so few persons can correctly name the
four longest American railroads Is ap-
parent proof that they do not often see
a railroad guide. Exclusive of side and
double tracks. the mileage of the four
longest roads is as follows: Chicago
and Northwestern SS46 miles: Bur-
lington Route. 1850; Santa Fe f.71s:
Canadian Pacific. 1854. Most persons
guess the Pennsylvania and the South
ern Pacific as among the first four.
The Southern Pacific ranks fifth, with
1901 miles; then comes the Pennsyl-
Vania, with zoos miles. The other
railroads longer than 1000 miles follow
in the order named:
ChfCa NTiIwoulroo Owl d., .os
southern Railway. .6416
Missouri Pacific. 396
treat Northern. Observation-Disclosures 03
Northern Pacific. 4.74s
Grand Trunk.
Illinois Central. 9o6
chicago. Rock Island &, Pacific. 3.771
Louisville and Nashville. ....3.23 5
Union Pacific. 'Oso
y: Y. Central & Hudson River 2, 1924
Dig four 2345
Missouri. Kansas and Texas. 2,222
Baltimore and Ohio. .2O4
Fiant system. .2,1IO
EHeNicdn central. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 4
N. Y, New Haven and Hartford. .2,047
The Southern is really in seventh
place IL the Louisville. Evansville and
st: Louis has ben acquired by it, as is
believed.
1t may be surprising to some people
TO find so many well-known roads of
the East with comparatively small
mi mile The Boston and Albany is
only 1874 miles long. In other words.
the road that unites the Hub with the
capital of the Empire State, and is
one or the busiest and richest roads
on the Continent. is scarcely more
than one-twentieth as long as the Bur-
hnston route. The Fitchburg road.
favorably known, not only in New
England. but all over the country ia
exactly 45S miles long. and it's mileage
would have to be multiplied by seven
teen to get within hailing distance of
the mileage of the Burlington. The
Lackawana Line. which has become
widely known as a great trunk line
since western enterprise came to direct
It's management, is less than 1000 miles
long, and might be absorbed as a
branch line by any one of a half-dozen
western railroads.
THE LENGTH rs IN THE NAME.
Some roads with but little mileage
have been endowed with uncommonIy
long names. The Beaver Meadow.
Tresckow and New Boston railroad has
all OF three miles Of track built and in
actual operation. Some day the super
intendent of the department of motive
power and machinery of the Beaver
Meadow, Tresckow and New Boston
railroad may take n trip over his own
line. stretching from Beaver Meadow.
Pa, all the way to New Boston, Pa, q
total distance of twenty-five miles.
The Manitou and Pixies Peak rail
road, the famous cog-wheel road as
cending Colorado's lofty peak, is nine
miles long. but If you tried to walk the
ties of this railroad you would think
1t had mileage of 500 miles. The
Cairo railroad Is four miles long, and
there is small road In the Catskin
mountains which has mileage of two
miles.
The most popular length of the near
ly 900 American railroads appears to
he less than ten miles. There are over
GOO railroads less than this distance in
length. There are many other interest
ing features which a cursory examina-
ton of the mileage of American rail-
roads will disclose. But If you want
TO collect a few bets from your friends,
just ask them to name the four longest
railroads in America. You'll win.
Catch tho opportunity" BY taking
Hoods Sarsapar!lla finds In It's use pure
rich blood and consequently good health
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