Bismarck, Washburn and Great Falls Railway

The Bismarck, Washburn and Great Falls Railway (BW&GF) was a railroad that was organized in North Dakota on May 12, 1899. Its offices were located in Bismarck, North Dakota.

Bismarck, Washburn and Great Falls Railway
Overview
HeadquartersBismarck, North Dakota
LocaleNorth Dakota
Dates of operation1899–1904
SuccessorMinneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Length58 miles (93 kilometres)

History

The BW&GF started as the Bismarck, Washburn & Fort Buford Railroad in 1889 by General William D. Washburn, a U.S. Senator and Surveyor-General from Minnesota. He was the main owner of the Washburn-Crosby Flour Mills. By 1903, the railroad ran from Bismarck to Washburn, a distance of 44.81 miles.[1] In 1904, the road was extended to Underwood.[2]

The railroad primarily carried passengers, mail, coal, and grain.[3] It also included a steamboat operation.[4]

In 1903, the railroad owned 3 steam engines, 2 passenger cars, 34 freight cars, and 1 caboose.[5] In 1901, the BW&GF was one of the first US railroads to roster the Mikado 2-8-2 steam engine design.[6]

The railroad was purchased by the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway in 1904.[7]

References
  1. "Fourteenth Annual Report (1903)". North Dakota Public Service Commission. 1904.
  2. Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/ICC valuations/Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway
  3. "Fourteenth Annual Report (1903)". North Dakota Public Service Commission. 1904.
  4. "Steamers Washburn and Expansion at boat landing". State Historical Society of North Dakota. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  5. "Fourteenth Annual Report (1903)". North Dakota Public Service Commission. 1904.
  6. "First Mikado type locomotive built in the United States". State Historical Society of North Dakota. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  7. "A 100-year Timeline History of The Soo Line Railroad and it's [sic] Predecessors". www.kohlin.com. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
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