Atlantic and Pacific Railroad
The
Atlantic and Pacific Railroad Company was chartered in
New York state in 1852. While the formative bond adhered to the provisions of the
Mississippi and Pacific Act of 1853, the bond was rejected and cancelled.
A company was later
chartered under the identical name by an act of
Congress on
July 27,
1866. The railroad built the line that is today's
BNSF Railway's northern Arizona/New Mexico mainline between
Albuquerque, New Mexico and
Needles, California. The Arizona/New Mexico route was constructed between 1880-1883.
On August 20,
1884, the Atlantic & Pacific leased 242 miles of track from
Southern Pacific Railroad that ran west from Needles, California to
Mojave via
Barstow, and later all the way to
Bakersfield.
The A&P was an
operating subsidiary of the
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (ATSF). On
June 24,
1897, the A&P was sold to the ATSF under
foreclosure and was operated from 1897-1902 under ATSF's subsidiary, the
Santa Fe Pacific Railroad. In 1902 the Santa Fe Pacific was merged under the ATSF.
Although the Atlantic and Pacific was chartered by Congress in 1866 to build a transcontinental railroad, it was not the first. The
first transcontintental railroad was completed on
May 10 1869 by the
Central Pacific Railroad and the
Union Pacific Railroad at
Promontory, Utah.
*
California Southern Railroad*
The Splinters vol 14
