Railroads & Locomotives Fallen Flags Chicago Great Western Railway freight trains

Chicago Great Western Railway freight trains

By Brian Schmidt | December 20, 2021

| Last updated on February 1, 2022

The Chicago Great Western is Classic Trains' Railroad of the Month for December 2021

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Streamlined diesel locomotives lead freight train on high steel bridge.
 
Streamlined diesel locomotives lead freight train on high steel bridge.
Streamlined diesel locomotives lead freight train in cut.
 
Streamlined diesel locomotives lead freight train in cut.
Five men stand in front of steam locomotive while freight passes on adjacent track.
 
Five men stand in front of steam locomotive while freight passes on adjacent track.
Smoking steam locomotive leads freight train.
 
Smoking steam locomotive leads freight train.
Smoking steam locomotive leads freight train.
 
Smoking steam locomotive leads freight train.
Smoking steam locomotive leads freight train under bridge
 
Smoking steam locomotive leads freight train under bridge
Red diesel locomotives lead freight train on straight track
 
Red diesel locomotives lead freight train on straight track
Man stands in street after short train passes.
 
Man stands in street after short train passes.

Classic Trains editors are celebrating the history and heritage of the Chicago Great Western Railway all through December 2021. Please enjoy this photo gallery selected from the archives of Kalmbach Media’s David P. Morgan Library.

The Chicago Great Western was an agriculturally oriented Granger road linking Chicago, Kansas City, Omaha, and St. Paul. Those cities, plus many smaller ones on its network, gave it a diverse traffic base that also included food and industrial products. The railroad was a pioneer in trailer-on-flatcar operation, paving the way for the modern container trains that dominate the industry today.

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