The cover for the Chicago Railroad Fair's 1949 official program

The Chicago Railroad Fair was an event organized to celebrate and commemorate 100 years of railroad history west of Chicago, Illinois. It was held in Chicago in 1948 and 1949 along the shore of Lake Michigan, and is often referred to as "the last great railroad fair" with 39 railroad companies participating. The board of directors for the show was a veritable "Who's Who" of railroad company executives. Nickname: The Windy City Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Official website: http://egov. ... Sunset on Lake Michigan Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. ...

Board of directors

The officers and board of directors for the fair were mostly prominent railroad executives. The fair's officers were:

• President - Lenox R. Lohr, President Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago
• Vice President - R. L. Williams, President Chicago and North Western Railway
• Treasurer - Wayne A. Johnston, President Illinois Central Railroad
• Secretary - G. M. Campbell, Vice President Baltimore and Ohio Railroad

The fair's directors included (in alphabetical order by surname): The Museum of Science and Industry is housed in the only surviving building from the 1893 World Columbian Exposition and is a National Historic Landmark. ... Robert Lee Williams served from 1915 to 1919 as Oklahomas third Governor was born December 20, 1868, at Brundidge, Alabama. ... The Chicago and North Western Railway (AAR reporting marks: CNW, CNWS, CNWZ; unofficial abbreviation: C&NW) was a Class I railroad in the United States. ... The Illinois Central (AAR reporting mark IC) was a railroad carrier in the central United States, with its primary routes from Chicago to New Orleans and Sioux Falls. ... 1876 map The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) is one of the oldest railroads in the United States, with an original line from the port of Baltimore, Maryland west to the Ohio River at Wheeling, West Virginia and Parkersburg, West Virginia. ...

• Arthur K. Atkinson, President Wabash Railroad
• John W. Barriger III, President Monon Railroad
• T. D. Beven, President Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railroad
• J. J. Brinkworth, Vice President New York Central System
• John M. Budd, Vice President Great Northern Railway
• Ralph Budd, President Burlington Lines
• C. H. Buford, President Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
• G. M. Campbell, Vice President Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
• Thomas J. Deegan, Vice President Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad
• William N. Deramus III, President Chicago Great Western Railway
• S. A. Dobbs, Vice President Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad
• J. D. Farrington, President Rock Island Lines
• P. E. Feucht, Vice President Pennsylvania Railroad
• E. S. French, President Boston and Maine Railroad
• Charles J. Graham, President Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railway
• Fred Gurley, President Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
• C. R. Harding, President Pullman Company
• Wayne A. Johnston, President Illinois Central Railroad
• J. D. Dodson, President Texas-Mexican Railway
• Lenox R. Lohr, President Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago
• Wilson McCarthy, President Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
• H. E. McGee, President Green Bay and Western Railroad
• C. M. Roddewig, President Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad
• F. L. Schrader, President Chicago and Illinois Midland Railway
• C. A. Skog, Vice President and General Manager Grand Trunk Railway
• A. E. Stoddard, President Union Pacific Railroad
• A. Syverson, Vice President and General Manager Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad
• P. H. Van Hoven, President Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway
• R. L. Williams, President Chicago and North Western Railway
• L. L. White, President Nickel Plate Road
• Ward Wire, Vice President Colorado and Wyoming Railway
• R. E. Woodruff, President Erie Railroad

Categories: Rail stubs | Defunct railroad companies of the United States | Illinois railroads | Indiana railroads | Ohio railroads ... The Monon Railroad (AAR reporting marks CIL, MON), also known as the Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville Railway from 1897-1956, operated almost entirely within the state of Indiana. ... The Elgin, Joliet and Eastern (AAR reporting mark EJE) is a short line railroad operating in Chicago, Illinois, and the suburbs around Chicago. ... 1918 map The New York Central Railroad (AAR reporting mark NYC), known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the North-Eastern United States. ... A Great Northern train pauses for the photographer four miles west of Minot, North Dakota in 1914. ... Ralph Budd (1879 – 1962) was an American railroad executive. ... The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad (AAR reporting mark CBQ) was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. ... The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. ... 1876 map The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) is one of the oldest railroads in the United States, with an original line from the port of Baltimore, Maryland west to the Ohio River at Wheeling, West Virginia and Parkersburg, West Virginia. ... The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from many smaller railroads begun in the 19th century. ... The Chicago Great Western Railway (AAR reporting mark CGW) was a Class I railroad that linked Chicago, Minneapolis, Omaha, and Kansas City. ... The Gulf, Mobile and Ohio ( AAR reporting mark GMO) was a railroad carrier in the central United States, with its primary routes from Chicago to Mobile, Alabama and Kansas City, Missouri. ... The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (AAR reporting mark RI) was a Class I railroad in the United States. ... 1893 map The Pennsylvania Railroad (AAR reporting mark PRR) was an American railroad existing 1846–1968, after which it merged into Penn Central Transportation. ... 1898 map The Boston and Maine Railroad (AAR reporting mark BM), also known by the abbreviation B&M, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century. ... The P&WV formed a connection between the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway and Western Maryland Railway. ... The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (AAR reporting mark ATSF), often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the largest railroads in the United States. ... The Pullman Palace Car Company, owned by George Pullman, manufactured railroad train cars in the mid to late 1800s through the early decades of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. ... The Illinois Central (AAR reporting mark IC) was a railroad carrier in the central United States, with its primary routes from Chicago to New Orleans and Sioux Falls. ... The Museum of Science and Industry is housed in the only surviving building from the 1893 World Columbian Exposition and is a National Historic Landmark. ... 1930 map of the D&RGW and Western Pacific Railroad D&RGW logo used 1908-1921 Rio Grande Industries logo used 1970-1997 The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad (DRG or D&RG) generally referred to as the Rio Grande, became the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (DRGW or... Categories: Rail stubs | Defunct railroad companies of the United States | Defunct companies | Wisconsin railroads ... The Chicago and Eastern Illinois (AAR reporting mark CEI) was a Class I railroad that linked Chicago to southern Illinois, St. ... The Chicago and Illinois Midland Railway (AAR reporting mark CIM) was a Class I railroad in the United States, serving Peoria, Springfield and Taylorville, Illinois. ... Grand Trunk Railway logo or herald The Grand Trunk Railway (GTR) was a historic railway system headquartered in Montreal, Quebec which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the U.S. states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. ... The Union Pacific Railroad NYSE: UNP is the largest railroad in the United States. ... The Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad (LS & I), an American railroad offering service from Marquette, Michigan to nearby locations in Michigans Upper Peninsula, began operations in 1896. ... The Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway (DM&IR) (AAR reporting mark DMIR) was a railroad operating in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin to haul iron ore and later taconite to the Great Lakes port of Duluth, Minnesota and Two Harbors, Minnesota. ... Robert Lee Williams served from 1915 to 1919 as Oklahomas third Governor was born December 20, 1868, at Brundidge, Alabama. ... The Chicago and North Western Railway (AAR reporting marks: CNW, CNWS, CNWZ; unofficial abbreviation: C&NW) was a Class I railroad in the United States. ... The New York, Chicago and St. ... Originally founded in 1899, the Colorado and Wyoming Railway is a subsidiary of the Oregon Steel Mills Company. ... The Erie Railroad (AAR reporting mark ERIE) was a railroad that operated in New York State, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, connecting New York City with Lake Erie, and extending west to Cleveland, Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio and Chicago, Illinois. ...

Participating railroads

38 railroads and one railroad equipment manufacturer participated in the Chicago Railroad Fair exhibiting equipment and interpretive displays around the fair's theme of 100 years of railroad history. The majority of the participating railroads maintained a direct rail connection to Chicago. The companies that participated included:

• Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
• Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
• Boston and Maine Railroad
• Burlington Lines
• Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
• Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad
• Chicago Great Western Railway
• Chicago and Illinois Midland Railway
• Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville Railway (Monon Railroad)
• Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road)
• Chicago and North Western Railway
• Colorado and Wyoming Railway
• Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
• Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway
• Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway
• Erie Railroad
• Grand Trunk Railway
• Great Northern Railway
• Green Bay and Western Railroad
• Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad (The Alton Route)
• Illinois Central Railroad
• Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad
• Maine Central Railroad
• Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway
• Monongahela Railway
• New York Central Railroad
• Nickel Plate Road
• Norfolk Southern Railway
• Northern Pacific Railway
• Pennsylvania Railroad
• Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railway
• Pullman Company
• Rock Island Lines
• Soo Line Railroad
• Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway
• Texas-Mexican Railway
• Union Pacific Railroad
• Wabash Railroad
• Western Pacific Railroad

The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (AAR reporting mark ATSF), often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the largest railroads in the United States. ... 1876 map The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) is one of the oldest railroads in the United States, with an original line from the port of Baltimore, Maryland west to the Ohio River at Wheeling, West Virginia and Parkersburg, West Virginia. ... 1898 map The Boston and Maine Railroad (AAR reporting mark BM), also known by the abbreviation B&M, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century. ... The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad (AAR reporting mark CBQ) was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. ... The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from many smaller railroads begun in the 19th century. ... The Chicago and Eastern Illinois (AAR reporting mark CEI) was a Class I railroad that linked Chicago to southern Illinois, St. ... The Chicago Great Western Railway (AAR reporting mark CGW) was a Class I railroad that linked Chicago, Minneapolis, Omaha, and Kansas City. ... The Chicago and Illinois Midland Railway (AAR reporting mark CIM) was a Class I railroad in the United States, serving Peoria, Springfield and Taylorville, Illinois. ... The Monon Railroad (AAR reporting marks CIL, MON), also known as the Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville Railway from 1897-1956, operated almost entirely within the state of Indiana. ... The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. ... The Chicago and North Western Railway (AAR reporting marks: CNW, CNWS, CNWZ; unofficial abbreviation: C&NW) was a Class I railroad in the United States. ... Originally founded in 1899, the Colorado and Wyoming Railway is a subsidiary of the Oregon Steel Mills Company. ... 1930 map of the D&RGW and Western Pacific Railroad D&RGW logo used 1908-1921 Rio Grande Industries logo used 1970-1997 The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad (DRG or D&RG) generally referred to as the Rio Grande, became the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (DRGW or... The Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway (DM&IR) (AAR reporting mark DMIR) was a railroad operating in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin to haul iron ore and later taconite to the Great Lakes port of Duluth, Minnesota and Two Harbors, Minnesota. ... Categories: Rail stubs | Illinois railroads | Indiana railroads ... The Erie Railroad (AAR reporting mark ERIE) was a railroad that operated in New York State, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, connecting New York City with Lake Erie, and extending west to Cleveland, Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio and Chicago, Illinois. ... Grand Trunk Railway logo or herald The Grand Trunk Railway (GTR) was a historic railway system headquartered in Montreal, Quebec which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the U.S. states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. ... A Great Northern train pauses for the photographer four miles west of Minot, North Dakota in 1914. ... Categories: Rail stubs | Defunct railroad companies of the United States | Defunct companies | Wisconsin railroads ... The Gulf, Mobile and Ohio ( AAR reporting mark GMO) was a railroad carrier in the central United States, with its primary routes from Chicago to Mobile, Alabama and Kansas City, Missouri. ... The Illinois Central (AAR reporting mark IC) was a railroad carrier in the central United States, with its primary routes from Chicago to New Orleans and Sioux Falls. ... The Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad (LS & I), an American railroad offering service from Marquette, Michigan to nearby locations in Michigans Upper Peninsula, began operations in 1896. ... 1923 map The Maine Central Railroad was a railroad in central Maine. ... The Minneapolis and St. ... The Monongahela Railway (AAR reporting mark MGA) was a coal-hauling short line railroad in Pennsylvania and West Virginia in the United States. ... 1918 map The New York Central Railroad (AAR reporting mark NYC), known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the North-Eastern United States. ... The New York, Chicago and St. ... The Norfolk Southern Railway (AAR reporting mark NS), usually called Norfolk Southern, is a major Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. ... A Northern Pacific train travels over Bozeman Pass, June 1939. ... 1893 map The Pennsylvania Railroad (AAR reporting mark PRR) was an American railroad existing 1846–1968, after which it merged into Penn Central Transportation. ... The P&WV formed a connection between the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway and Western Maryland Railway. ... The Pullman Palace Car Company, owned by George Pullman, manufactured railroad train cars in the mid to late 1800s through the early decades of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. ... The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (AAR reporting mark RI) was a Class I railroad in the United States. ... Categories: Rail stubs | Defunct railroad companies of the United States | Illinois railroads | Michigan railroads | Minnesota railroads | North Dakota railroads | South Dakota railroads | Wisconsin railroads ... Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway coach at Snoqualmie, Washington (Northwest Railway Museum collection) The Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway was a United States-based railroad incorporated in 1905. ... The Union Pacific Railroad NYSE: UNP is the largest railroad in the United States. ... Categories: Rail stubs | Defunct railroad companies of the United States | Illinois railroads | Indiana railroads | Ohio railroads ... The Western Pacific Railroad (AAR reporting mark WP) was a Class I railroad in the United States. ...

Rolling stock displays

The highlight of the Chicago Railroad Fair was the "Wheels A-Rolling" pageant. This was a dramatic and musical presentation intended to showcase the development of transportation and the railroads across the country beginning with trails and waterways. The pageant included a recreation of the Golden Spike ceremony at Promontory, Utah, and various historic rolling stock and replicas of equipment in operation. The golden spike is a gold railroad spike which was hammered in by Leland Stanford to commemorate the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the world, when the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads met on May 10, 1869 at Promontory Summit in Box Elder County in the Utah... Promontory is a location in Box Elder County, Utah, centered approximately at 41°3707N, 112°3251W, with an elevation of 1494 meters (4902 feet) above sea level. ... Rolling Stock. ...

Railroad equipment used in the pageant included:

Pioneer was used in the pageant. It is now preserved at the Chicago Historical Society.

IC number 201, built in 1880 by Rogers, was used in the pageant. This locomotive is now preserved at the Illinois Railway Museum, where this photo was taken.

• Original equipment
  • The General (1948 only)^[1]
  • DeWitt Clinton and three coaches
  • John Hancock and coach
  • Pioneer and coach
  • Cumberland Valley Pioneer and coach
  • Reuben Wells and coach
  • William Mason and baggage car number 10
  • Jupiter and combine car
  • No. 119
  • Little Butter Cup and two coaches
  • Minnetonka and two logging trucks
  • William Crooks and two coaches
  • No. 637, Zulu and combine car
  • No. 201 and coach
  • No. 999 and coach
  • No. 222 and coach
  • No. 10250
  • Pioneer Zephyr
• Replicas
  • Atlantic and two replica coaches
  • Tom Thumb locomotive and director's car
  • Pioneer horse car
  • Best Friend of Charleston
  • John Bull and coach
  • Lafayette and two barrel cars
  • Pullman coach number 9
  • State Street cable car
  • Chicago horse car

Chicago & Northwestern Railway Pioneer 4-2-0 steam locomotive. ... Chicago & Northwestern Railway Pioneer 4-2-0 steam locomotive. ... Pioneer circa 1898. ... Chicago Historical Society was founded in 1856. ... The Illinois Central (AAR reporting mark IC) was a railroad carrier in the central United States, with its primary routes from Chicago to New Orleans and Sioux Falls. ... In the 19th century, Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works, based in Paterson, New Jersey, built more than 6,000 railroad steam locomotives for railroads around the world including nearly every railroad in the United States between 1837 and 1905. ... The only surviving EMD E5 is used regularly on the museums excursion trains, usually pulling the Nebraska Zephyr. ... Built in 1855 in Paterson, New Jersey, the General provided frieght and passenger service between Atlanta, Georgia and Chattanooga, Tennessee before the Civil War. ... Categories: Stub | Famous locomotives ... Pioneer circa 1898. ... A restored CN baggage car in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. ... Categories: Stub | Passenger equipment ... The locomotive William Crooks was the first train engine to operate in the U.S. state of Minnesota. ... The Pioneer Zephyr as it appeared in 1934. ... The Best Friend of Charleston was a steam-powered railroad locomotive. ... The John Bull, c. ...

Legacy

In addition to being the last great assembly of railroad equipment and technology by participating railroad companies, the 1948 Chicago Railroad Fair holds a lesser known honor and connection to Disneyland. In 1948 Walt Disney and animator Ward Kimball attended the fair. To their enjoyment they not only got to see all of the equipment, but they were also allowed to operate some of the steam locomotives that were at the fair. Upon their return to Los Angeles, Disney used the fair and Greenfield Village, which the two had also visited on the trip, as inspiration for a "Mickey Mouse Park" that eventually became Disneyland.^[2] Both men also went on to build their own backyard railroads, Disney building the Carolwood Pacific Railroad, and Kimball the Grizzly Flats Railroad. Disneyland Park is a theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, USA. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company. ... Walter Elias Disney (December 5, 1901 – December 15, 1966), was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, and animator. ... Firehouse Five Plus Two LP album cover. ... A Ford Model T, used for giving tourist rides, is shown above at Greenfield Village. ... Walter Elias Disney, (1901-1966), founder of Disneyland and the Walt Disney Company, seen here in the cab of the at Main Street Station. ...

References

• Chicago Railroad Fair Official Guide Book (1949).

Notes

1. ↑ The General: Custody Battles Begin. Retrieved February 9, 2006.
2. ↑ MousePlanet, Magic Kingdom Chronicles: Pre-History. Retrieved February 9, 2006.

February 9 is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... February 9 is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Photo of the Chicago Railroad Fair entrance on July 26, 1948 This site includes many more color photos from the fair; use "Chicago Railroad Fair" as the search term.
• Photos from the Chicago Railroad Fair
• Great Northern Railway's 1948 Chicago Railroad Fair flyer