Business Industry | Business

Chicago & North Western Railroad

Credit: Library of Congress
The Chicago & North Western Railroad operated a freight yard with a capacity of 20,000 cars during the 1940s.
Employees of the Chicago & North Western Railroad faced the challenge of working in a declining industry during the mid-20th century.

From the 1930s to the 1970s, American railroads were in decline as use of automobiles increased and passenger air travel became the norm. The Chicago & North Western Railroad was at first a victim of this transportation revolution but emerged later as a survivor of the long-term industry transition. The company declared bankruptcy in 1935 during the Great Depression and didn't emerge from that financial status until 1944. Meanwhile, the industry thrived during World War II when railroads provided the nation with a vital web to distribute raw materials and finished products for the war effort. The workers at Chicago & North Western likely lived near the railyard and most had joined labor unions as downsizing and mechanization decreased the number of railroad jobs. Despite the challenges faced by the industry and the company, workers at Chicago & North Western continued to labor in the largest freight yard in the world during the late 1940s.

Credit: Library of Congress
Between December 1942 and April 1943, photographer Jack Delano captured images of Chicago's railyard workers for the federal government.

 

Credit: Library of Congress
The "hump master" controlled the movements of locomotives in the railyard with a signal switch system.

 

Credit: Library of Congress
The Chicago & North Western railyard received information about traffic on its railroad system from a Teletype machine.

 

Credit: Library of Congress
The Chicago & North Western survived through the industry's tumultuous times and was purchased by the Union Pacific Railroad in 1995.