International – Great Northern Railroad
The International – Great Northern Railroad (I&GN) was a railroad that operated in the U.S. state of Texas. It was created on September 30, 1873, when International Railroad, and the Houston and Great Northern Railroad merged. The railroad was officially incorporated as the International & Great Northern Railroad Company.[1]
Originally, the I&GN operated 177 miles (285 km) of track from Hearne to Longview, but at its peak it owned 1,106 miles (1,780 km) of track. As the railroad expanded, it reached Rockdale in 1874 and Austin on December 28, 1876. The line extended to San Antonio in 1880 and finally to the US-Mexican border town of Laredo on December 1, 1881.
The I&GN, like other railroads of its time, had many financial troubles and went into receivership on several occasions. Jay Gould acquired control of the I&GN in December, 1880, but was forced to sell it in the early 1920s.
The International & Great Northern Railroad was reorganized as the International & Great Northern Railway Company on September 16, 1911.[2] The International-Great Northern Railroad was incorporated by the state of Texas on August 17, 1922, and fully took over operation of the International & Great Northern Railway on December 31, 1922.[3] Finally, on March 1, 1956, the I&GN was fully consolidated with the Missouri, Pacific, Gulf Cost Lines to form the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company and became a major part of its network.[4]
In the 1960s, many of the redundant out-of-the-way lines were abandoned, including Waco to Marlin and College Station to Navasota.
References [edit]
- ^ An act for the relief of the International Railroad Company, now consolidated with the Houston & Great Northern Railroad Company, under the name of "the International & Great Northern Railroad Company.". Austin, Texas: Texas Secretary of State. 1875. OCLC 741330053.
- ^ First annual report of the International and Great Northern Railway. Houston, Texas: International & Great Northern Railroad Company. 1912. p. 5.
- ^ First annual report of the International-Great Northern Railroad Company. Houston, Texas: International-Great Northern Railroad Company. 1922. p. 3.
- ^ Annual report for the year ended December 31, 1956. St. Louis, Missouri: Missouri Pacific Railroad Company. 1957. p. 2. OCLC 15159994.
External links [edit]
- International-Great Northern Railroad from the Handbook of Texas Online
