Santa Fe Pacific Railroad

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Santa Fe Pacific Railroad
Locale Arizona, New Mexico and California
Dates of operation 1897–1902
Track gauge 4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge)
Headquarters San Francisco, California

The Santa Fe Pacific Railroad was an operating subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (AAR reporting marks ATSF) that operated from July 1, 1897 until its merger into the Santa Fe Railway 5 years later on July 1, 1902. It is not related to the Santa Fe Pacific Corporation, which was created for the failed Southern Pacific Santa Fe Railroad merger.

The Santa Fe Pacific had 101 locomotives and operated on track the ATSF acquired through its subsidiary, the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad. The Santa Fe Pacific operated ATSF's mainline between Isleta (near Albuquerque, New Mexico) and Needles, California via Ash Fork, Arizona for a total of 563 miles. It also operated over an additional 243 miles of track that the SFP leased from Southern Pacific Railroad that ran from Needles - Barstow - Mojave - Bakersfield.

[edit] The Atlantic & Pacific Railroad: predecessor to the Santa Fe Pacific Railroad

The Atlantic and Pacific Railroad Company was chartered in New York state in 1852. While the formative bond adhered to the provisions of the Mississippi and Pacific Act of 1853, it was rejected and cancelled.

A company was later chartered under the identical name by an act of Congress on July 27, 1866. The railroad built the line that is today's BNSF Railway's northern Arizona/New Mexico mainline between Albuquerque and Needles. The Arizona/New Mexico route was constructed between 1880-1883.

On August 20, 1884 the Atlantic & Pacific leased 242 miles of track from Southern Pacific Railroad that ran west from Needles to Mojave via Barstow, and later all the way to Bakersfield.

The A&P was an operating subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (ATSF). On June 24, 1897 the A&P was sold to the ATSF under foreclosure and was operated from 1897-1902 under ATSF's subsidiary, the Santa Fe Pacific Railroad. In 1902 the Santa Fe Pacific was merged under the ATSF.

Although the Atlantic & Pacific was chartered by Congress in 1866 to build a transcontinental railroad, it was not the first. The first transcontintental railroad was completed on May 10, 1869 by the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad at Promontory, Utah.

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