Blog Archives

It’s Railroad History

As Chapter Historian I really enjoy sharing railroad history information. I have discovered over the years that, while reading about railroads and railroading, many aspects of local and national history became apparent to me, so it became a learning experience for me as well as a source of entertainment. I am using this platform to highlight some aspects of railroad history each month. This presentation is featured in The Shortline, as well as on this Chapter website.
I thought it should be called; “It’s Railroad History.” Let me know if you enjoy it by using the "Comments" option on the page!
Tom Gallagher CVC-NRHS Historian

Famous railroads with unique official nicknames

11/16/2025

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Railroads with cumbersome names that can be a mouthful to say and a headache to remember often opted for nicknames. These aliases served to enhance brand identity and solidify their legacy. Commonly, railroads used city names in their nicknames, as seen with the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific, popularly known as the Milwaukee Road. However, railroads like the New York, Chicago & St. Louis took a different route, adopting unique nicknames that are still as renowned as the likes of the Santa Fe Railway and the Burlington Route. These are famous railroads with unique official nicknames.

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Tom Gallagher - Chapter Historian

The Author

Tom Gallagher is our Chapter Railroad Historian. He shares his unique perspective of events, locations and facts about railroads of the past.
Click on any month below to read and watch past posts!