Ground was broken in 1868, and the first train ran from Topeka to Wakarusa in April 1869. The road reached Carbondale June 17, 1869, Emporia in August, 1870, and Newton in 1871. In spring of 1872 trains were first operated between Topeka and Atchison, also between Newton and Wichita. Construction from Newton west began May 1, 1872,the "end of track" being, in succession, at Hutchinson, June 17; Great Bend, August 5; Larned, August 12; Dodge City, September 5; and State Line, December 28 of that year -- or 360 miles of new track in eight months. Granada, Colo., was reached by May 10, 1873, and Las Animas, September 13, 1875. Early in October, 1875, the line from Kansas City to Topeka was acquired. Pueblo was put on the Santa Fe map March 1, 1876, and Denver soon afterwards.
Following dates show progress toward New Mexico: Las Vegas, July 4, 1879; Santa Fe, February 9, 1880; Albuquerque, April 15, 1880; San Marcial, October 1, 1880; and Deming, March 8, 1881, connecting at latter point for California. El Paso, Texas, became the southern terminus, June 11, 1881.
Construction stated on Atlantic & Pacific R. R., west of Albuquerque, in summer of 1880. By the spring of 1882 track was laid to Canyon Diablo, Ariz. and in August, 1883, as far as Needles, Calif. Late the next summer, the line from Needles to Mojave was added. Meanwhile the California Southern Ry. had been built from San Bernardino to National City, and late in 1885 the gap was filled between Barstow and San Bernardino, with entrance into Los Angeles.
During May, 1886, the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Ry. was taken over. Another important undertaking was the extension from Kansas City to Chicago, through trains being put on in the spring of 1888. Then, in May, 1900, the new line of the S. F. & S. J. V. Ry. was operated from Bakersfield to San Francisco.
The latest acquisitions comprise the line south of Ash Fork, bought in July, 1901; the Belen Cut-off, opened July 1, 1908; the Parker Cut-off, completed March 1, 1914. In 1928 the Santa Fe acquired the Kansas City, Mexico & Orient Ry.
Along with these new main lines numerous branches were built, as feeders, thereby rounding out the system as it is today.
A brief comparison of the Santa Fe of 1870 with the Santa Fe of 1945 reveals these facts:
| 1870 | 1945 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross operating revenue | $182,580 | $528,703,149.27 |
| Freight tonnage | 98,920 | 61,468,201 |
| Passengers carried | 33,630 | 10,277,575 |
| Rolling Stock | 1870 | 1945 |
| Locomotives | 6 | 1,810 |
| Freight Cars | 141 | 81,743 |
| Passenger Cars | 1,523 |
Santa Fe federal, state and local taxes for the year 1945 aggregated $81,612,241.91.
Back of a big undertaking one always finds big men. Among those who helped to make the Santa Fe, eight men deserve preferred mention -- C. K. Holliday, promoter, first president and for thirty-seven years a director; A. A. Robinson, chief engineer and vice-president; Wm. B. Strong, president from 1881 to 1889; E. P. Ripley, president from 1895 to 1920; W. B. Story, president from 1920 to 1933; S. T. Bledsoe 1933 to 1939; E. J. Engel 1939 to 1944; Fred G. Gurley now president.
Today, Santa Fe operates 13,108 miles of railroad compared to the original line of 62 miles in operation in 1870.
Outstanding features of the Santa Fe Railway can be summed up as follows:
The only railroad under one management between Chicago and California;
The only railroad operating to the rim of the Grand Canyon;
The railroad with the largest number of freight and passenger Diesel locomotives.