Great Northern Railway

The Great Northern Railway was built by legendary railroad tycoon James J. Hill, who constructed a transcontinental route from St. Paul, Minnesota, to Seattle, Washington, without any government land grants. The railroad crossed the Rocky Mountains through Marias Pass in Montana.

The Great Northern was known for operational efficiency and scenic routes through Glacier National Park. The railroad's passenger flagship was the Empire Builder, which provided luxury service between Chicago and Seattle/Portland. The GN's distinctive orange and green "Big Sky Blue" scheme became iconic.

The railroad's steam fleet included the impressive S-2 4-8-4 Northerns, which were among the largest non-articulated steam locomotives. The GN also operated a fleet of EMD and GE diesels in its signature scheme.

Great Northern merged with Northern Pacific, Chicago Burlington & Quincy, and Spokane Portland & Seattle in 1970 to form Burlington Northern. The GN's routes remain important to BNSF today.