Burlington and Missouri River Railroad

Burlington and Missouri River Railroad

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Railroad
Founded	1852
Fate	Purchased by Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
Headquarters	Omaha , United States
Parent	Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad

The Burlington and Missouri River Railroad (B&MR), founded in Iowa in 1852 with its main office located in Omaha, Nebraska, was created to construct a rail line across Iowa, beginning its service in 1856. In 1872, it was purchased by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CB&Q) and continued to operate as a subsidiary.

History

The B&MR was officially incorporated in Burlington, Iowa in 1852 and started running trains on January 1, 1856. By 1857, the line had extended to Ottumwa, Iowa, reached Murray, Iowa by 1868, and ultimately arrived at the Missouri River in November 1869. The railroad utilized locomotives powered by wood and employed wooden passenger coaches.

After CB&Q completed a bridge over the Mississippi River at Burlington, it established a connection with the B&MR. By 1868, the B&MR's fleet included 13 locomotives and 429 cars, mostly dedicated to freight services. In 1867, it reported net earnings of $299,850 and a net income of $6,749 after accounting for loan interest.

In 1869, the railroad expanded into Nebraska, reaching Plattsmouth in 1870 and extending to Lincoln, the state capital, during the summer of that year. The track continued westward until it linked with the Union Pacific Railroad at Kearney on September 3, 1872, thereby connecting southern Nebraska to the broader national rail system. That same year, B&MR actively marketed "millions of acres of cheap land" to encourage settlement in Iowa and Nebraska.

Following its acquisition by CB&Q in 1872, B&MR had initiated track construction toward Denver, Colorado, which CB&Q completed a decade later. As a subsidiary entity, B&MR operated multiple routes within the Black Hills, including those gained through CB&Q's takeover of the Black Hills and Fort Pierre Railroad in 1901.

See also

• Railroads in Omaha