Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-12
Two TRACKS TO CHICAGO
Northwestern Completes Its Second Line
East from Omaha.
PIONEER ROAD LEADS ONCE MORE
First of the Great ChicaGO-Omaha
Systems to Get Double Track
Facilities for It's Important
Through Service,

News reached Omaha Friday that the final
gap in the double track of the Chicago &
Northwestern railroad between Chicago and
Council Bluffs is now closed, as the last of
the steel was laid Thursday. This marks
another era in railroad construction in the
west, as this is the first double-tracked
road to be completed in the Ch~icago-omaha
service, one OF the most important runs
anywhere in the country, over which Ave
great trunk line railroads send squads Of
trains every day. while a sixth is bending
every energy towards completing its track
age for the same journey.
The Northwestern railroad was the first
to reach the Missouri river, being built to
Council BLUFFS in 1854. Eight years later
the Chicago, Rock Island e. Pacific fol-
lowed. Next came the Chicago, Burlington
& Quincy in 1878. The Chicago, Milwaukee
& st. Paul reached Council Bluffs in 1882.
The Illinois Central completed its line in
December. 1899, and now the Chicago Great
Western intends TO be running trains into
Omaha by the beginning Of 1908.
Not all these roads. however. have gone
In for double track. The Burlington is
the only line besides the Northwestern
which is making any real attempt tc ac-
complish such an end. The efforts of the
North western in this direction, now con-
summated, began a decade and more ago.
Yearly year the task has been carried
on, always being pushed westward from the
Chicago end. In 1901 the building Of tha
Boone bridge marked a great step in the
work. II was known then that but little
remained TO be done, and the rest has
been more a matter of weather than any
thing else. Though the track is laid. il is
probable that trains will not be running
over Il before June l, or anyway May 10
A short section between Denison and Mis-
souri, Valley requires ballasting.
Double Track to New York.
The completion of this job gives a doubl,
track and a block signal system reaching
from Gilmore. Neb., twelve miles west o
Omaha on the Union Pacific, to New Yorl
City. The Vanderbilt interests now hav,
their own double track from Omaha to New
York over the Northwestern, the LAX
Shore. the Michigan Southern and the New
York Central.
The Northwestern road is a peculiar ex
ample OF the cumulative sort. The presen
system of S.sss miles is the result Of
series Of cancellations and construction
under various corporate names and durinI
a series OF years. The nucleus is founI
back in Illinois in 1886. when the Galena
Chicago Union Railroad company was in
oorporated with power TO construct a rail
road from Chicago to Galena to buil lat
eral lines as deemed advisable and to unit
with any other railroad company chartere
or to be chartered. Galena was at tina
time Of much more importance as a bust
ness center than Chicago. and so was give
the prominent position in the title. Tn
: railroad Was not begun till 1s47. but wa
even then the first piece Of railway bull
out OF Chicago in any direction. This, wit
later lines through Illinois, was inoorpor
sted on June 6. 1889, as the Chicago
Northwestern Railway company. which
still remains.