Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway
| Company type | Railroad |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | Chicago, St. Paul and Minneapolis Railway; North Wisconsin Railway |
| Founded | 1880 |
| Defunct | 1972 |
| Fate | Merged into Chicago and North Western Railway |
| Successor | Chicago and North Western Railway |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota |
Key people | William Truesdale (traffic manager, later VP) |
| Products | Rail transport services |
| Owner | Chicago and North Western Railway (from 1883) |
| Parent | Chicago and North Western Railway (from 1883) |
The Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway, commonly referred to as the Omaha Road, operated rail services across Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and South Dakota. Established in 1880 by merging the Chicago, St. Paul and Minneapolis Railway with the North Wisconsin Railway, it emerged as a significant regional railroad. Control of the Omaha Road was assumed by the Chicago and North Western Railway (C&NW) in 1882; the C&NW leased the line in 1957 and fully integrated it through merger in 1972.
Presently, portions of the former Omaha Road form part of the Union Pacific Railroad system, including primary routes between Wyeville, Wisconsin and St. Paul, Minnesota, as well as from St. Paul to Sioux City, Iowa.
Eastern Division: St. Paul to Elroy
Chartered in 1876, the West Wisconsin Railway was tasked with constructing a rail line linking St. Paul to the Chicago and North Western Railway at Elroy, Wisconsin. Following its bankruptcy in 1878, ownership transferred to the Chicago, St. Paul and Minneapolis Railway. The resulting main line connecting St. Paul to Elroy—where it intersected with the Great Northern Railway—became known as the Omaha Road’s Eastern Division, serving as a vital component of its network.
Western Division: St. Paul to Sioux City
The Southern Minnesota Railroad Company received rights under the Land Grant Act dated March 3, 1857, to build a railway extending from St. Paul through Mankato toward the southern border near the Big Sioux River. This grant was inherited by the Minnesota Valley Railroad Company, established in 1864. By 1869, this company along with the Minnesota Central Railroad completed a bridge over the Mississippi River between Mendota and St. Paul—the forerunner of today’s Omaha Road Bridge Number 15. That same year, the company was renamed the St. Paul and Sioux City Railroad. The line reached Mankato and extended further to Lake Crystal; by September 1872, tracks linked to Le Mars, Iowa, connecting with the Iowa Falls and Sioux City Railroad (which later became part of Illinois Central Railroad). Scheduled services between St. Paul and Sioux City commenced on October 1, 1872. This route formed what became known as the Western Division.
Formation
The year 1880 saw the consolidation of the North Wisconsin Railway with the Chicago, St. Paul and Minneapolis Railway to establish the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway (C. St. P. M. & O.). In 1881, this new entity acquired the St. Paul and Sioux City Railroad, creating a bow-shaped corridor stretching from Le Mars through the Twin Cities to Elroy, Wisconsin. The Eastern and Western divisions were linked through leased trackage agreements with several railroads: Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway at Merriam Junction; Great Northern between Minneapolis and St. Paul; and Milwaukee Road between Mendota and St. Paul.
On January 1, 1881, William Truesdale took on the role of traffic manager for C. St. P. M. & O.; he subsequently advanced to vice-president before becoming president of Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, earning recognition as an influential figure within the railroad industry.
The Omaha Road grew its network by acquiring numerous lines such as Menomonie Railway, Sault Ste Marie and Southwestern Railway, Superior Short Line Railway, Watonwan Valley Railway, Des Moines Valley Railway, Chippewa Valley and Northwestern Railway, along with Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls and Northeastern Railway.
Chicago and North Western
In November 1883, ownership was transferred to the Chicago and North Western Railway Company. By the close of 1956, the C. St. P. M. & O. managed 1,616 miles of mainline track and a total of 2,396 miles of rail, reporting freight revenue of 2,115 million ton-miles alongside 65 million passenger-miles for that year.
Union Pacific
Although the line was absorbed by C&NW prior to Union Pacific's acquisition, the UP still employs the CMO reporting mark on its rolling stock.
Derailment
The Pikes Creek Tragedy occurred on October 2, 1884, involving a derailment on the Bayfield branch between Bayfield and Washburn, Wisconsin, which caused 10 deaths and multiple injuries.
Disposition of lines
The primary main lines of the Omaha Road comprised:
| Division | Current Status |
|---|---|
| Eastern Division: from Elroy, Wisconsin (connecting with C&NW towards Chicago) to Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota | Largely incorporated into Union Pacific Railroad's Wyeville Subdivision and Altoona Subdivision |
| Northern Division: from Northline, Wisconsin (junction with Eastern Division) to Bayfield, Wisconsin | Line has been abandoned |
| From Eau Claire, Wisconsin (Eastern Division) to Spooner, Wisconsin (Northern Division main line) | Abandoned between Spooner and Rice Lake, Wisconsin; Progressive Rail holds ownership from Cameron to Chippewa Falls; Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad operates Spooner to Trego; Canadian National controls Rice Lake to Cameron segment |
| From Trego, Wisconsin to Gordon, Douglas County, Wisconsin | Abandoned; currently serves as the Wild Rivers Trail |
| From Gordon, Douglas County, Wisconsin to Superior, Wisconsin | Part of Canadian National’s Chicago route; CN connects at Itasca yard and follows former Omaha Road right-of-way to Gordon before merging with former Soo Line tracks |
| St. Paul and Sioux City Division: Minneapolis-St. Paul to Sioux City, Iowa | Now operated as Union Pacific Railroad’s Mankato Subdivision and Worthington Subdivision |
| From Org, Minnesota to Mitchell, South Dakota | East of Manley became Minnesota Southern Railway; currently owned by Ellis and Eastern Company with federal funds allocated for restoration between Org and Sioux Falls |
| Nebraska Division: from Sioux City to Omaha, Nebraska | Line has been abandoned |