The
Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was a
Class I railroad in the
Midwest United States. It was also known as the
North Western. The railroad operated more than of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states before
retrenchment in the late 1970s. Until 1972, when the company was sold to its employees, it was named the
Chicago and North Western Railway. The C&NW became one of the longest railroads in the US as a result of mergers with other railroads, such as the
Chicago Great Western Railway,
Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway and others. By 1995, track sales and abandonment had reduced the total mileage back to about 5,000. The majority of the abandoned and sold lines were lightly trafficked branches in
Iowa,
Illinois,
Minnesota,
South Dakota and
Wisconsin. Large line sales, such as those that resulted in the
Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad further helped reduce the railroad to a mainline core with several regional feeders and branches. The company was purchased by
Union Pacific Railroad in April 1995 and ceased to exist.