I was wrong about the NP building to Cody and turning it over to the CBQ.
As for Hardin to Custer I can't find a date on that but it does show on such
maps as the DeLorme Montana atlas. I discussed this with F. Hol Wagner, Jr.
He photocopied pertinent pages from the Corporate History of the Chicago,
Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company and Affiliated Companies (as of date
June 30, 1917). Hol also said that the CBQ in Billings had their own
tracks, roundhouse, etc. He also said that he was surprised to find that
the GN had their own facilities in Laurel. To summarize the corporate
history the north line into Billings from the South Dakota-Wyoming state
line to the Wyoming-Montana state line was built by The Grand Island and
Northern Wyoming Railroad Company (236.59 miles, including the 7 mile
Cambria branch {to a coal field}). It reached Newcastle 18 Nov 1889, the
Cambria branch was finished 1 Dec 1889, it reached Sheridan 26 Nov 1892 and
the Montana state line 1 Aug 1894. The railroad was deeded to the CBQ on 31
Dec 1897.
Huntley MT to the MT-WY state line (101.74 miles) was built by The Big
Horn Southern Railroad Company and completed 28 Oct 1894. It was deeded to
the CBQ 1 Dec 1897.
Toluca MT {east of Huntley) to Cody WY via Pryor, Warren and Frannie
(130.15 miles) was built by the CBQ and completed 11 Nov 1901. The CBQ also
built from Guernsey WY to Wendover WY (8.31 miles), completed 15 Dec 1915.
Thus they connected to the CS at Wendover. From Toluca MT to just outside
of Warren MT (74.62 miles) was abandoned May 1911 {after Warren to Fromberg
was completed 24 Apr 1911}.
The Nebraska, Wyoming and Western Railroad Company completed a line from
Alliance via Northport to Guernsey 11 Jun 1900, including the 8.85 mile
Ironton branch east of Guernsey, finished Oct 1905. They also built from
Northport to the Nebraska-Colorado border where they met the Denver &
Montana, which built two segments: Brush-Union Colorado and just east of
Sterling CO to the Colorado-Nebraska border. The NW&W totalled 190.96
miles, including the Ironton branch. It was deeded to the CBQ 15Feb1908.
The Big Horn Railroad Company built 110.91 miles from Frannie Jct to
Kirby, completed 3 Sep 1907, 11.48 miles from Kirby to Thermopolis completed
23 May 1910; 29.92 miles from Warren to Fromberg completed 24 Apr 1911 and
202.82 miles from Thermopolis to Orin Junction, completed 18 Oct 1914. They
also gained the following trackage rights: Huntley to Billings 12.90 on NP;
Billings to Fromberg 37 miles on NP and Wendover to Orin Junction 31.09
miles on CS.
On 1 Jul 1906 The Big Horn Railroad Company was leased to the CBQ. On
1 Dec 1908 Frannie Junction to Kirby was deeded to the CBQ. On 1 Jul 1916
Kirby WY to Orin Jct WY and Warren MT to Fromberg MT were deeded to the CBQ.
Norm Metcalf, Boulder CO
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