The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-08-07
RAILROAD NEWS.
Information About Length of
Long Railroads.
Some Interesting Figures Com
piled by Seattle Times.
SANTA FE 1913 MILES.
Southern Pacific the Longest
Single System.
About Is, 800 Miles in the Van
derbiIt's Control.
SANTA FE 7,51s MILES.

A patron of the Seattle Times sub
rnfts the following Interrogation;
please give me the number of miles
Of railroad controlled and operated by
the Pennsylvania railway company
the Santa F'e system. the Union Pacific
and the Chicago & Northwestern, and
also state what railroad has the great
est mileage IN the world"
Responding to the inquiries in their
order. the Times says:
The Pennsylvania railway system OPP
crates and controls the Pennsylvania
railroad, 1850 miles in length; the
United railroad of New Jersey, Az
10 lies in length. the Philadelphia <
railroad, 389 miles; the Philadelphia,
Wilmington & Baltimore 669 miles
West Jersey & Seashore line. 32e miles ;
the Cum erland valley railroad 1b5
miles. the Allegheny Valley road, zt5
miles: Baltimore. Chesapeake & At
Iantic road. 81: Western New York &
Pennsylvania road. 545 miles, and the
Pennsylvania lines west Of Pittsburg,
aggregating 3s374 miles, making a total
mileage OF 1892
The Santa Fe system. so-calIed, and
known as the "Atchison, Topeka q
Santa F'e railway" consists of Its own
line. measuring 4.s16 miles: the Gulf
& Colorado branch. 1,0S7 miles; South
ern. California road. ASS miles: the
Santa Fe Pacific, SO miles: San Fran
cisco & San Joaquin Valley, 3O6 miles
making a total Of 1913 miles.
The Union Pacific company consists
of the Nebraska division, 1.04S miles;
the Kansas division, 992 miles; the Col
oradO division, AGO miles; the Wyoming
division, $50 miles. Total mileage. 3,o5l
Properly speaking, the Union Pacific
controls the Central Pacific, extending
from Ogden to San Francisco. and
numbering 1889 miles 1t also controls
the Oregon Short Line from Ogden to
Portland. with 1.4S1 miles Of read
Adding the Central Pacific and the
Oregon Short Line to the Union Pacific
proper, We have a total Of 5.S71 miles
The Chicago & Northwestern railway
comprehends a half dozen divisions in
kota, with a total mileage of 5.563-and
when one is talking about railroad
combinations" We n light as well add
the Northwestern and Union Pacific,
making a grand total Of II. 434 miles,
for these roads all belong to the Van
derbilt Hartman and Rockefeller
syndicate.
Indeed, while one is about it. the
Michigan Central and Michigan South
ern. the Nickel Plate. the New York
Central and the Hudson river roads
all belong to the same syndicate. and
add 5, 200 miles. thus making an aggre-
gate Of 1850 miles in the Vanderbilt
system, independent of their New Eng
land lines.
It weuld be difficult proposition to
undertake to name the longest road in
the world." for the simple reason that
50 many combinations have been made
within the last year that 1t is very diff
hcult to determine what roads have
been absorbed by others. thereby de-
stroying one and charging the other.
However. we may mention the fact
that the Burlington system is SO63
miles long, the Great Northern road
contains 5.1s2 miles. the Missouri Pa
cific railroad 5.326 miles; the Northern
Pacific, 5.033 miles; the Southern rail-
road. extending from the national cap
ital through the southern states. is g.
444 miles long; the Southern Pacific
S.206 miles. and the Canadian Pacific
$3.50 miles long.
The Russian railroad from St Peters
burg to Vladivostox. with all its rani-
hcations, when completed IS likely to
be the longest railroad in the world
but how long it will take to complete
those ''ranihcations'' nc man living can
tell