The Burlington Northern Railroad (reporting mark BN) was a United States–based railroad company formed from a merger of four major U.S. railroads. Burlington Northern operated between 1970 and 1995.

Since BNSF Railway was formed, late in 1995, with the merger of the Burlington Northern Railroad and the Santa Fe Railway, we have been committed to expanding and improving our network to meet our customers’ growing needs. LEARN MORE

The Burlington Northern Railroad (BN) was created in 1970 through the consolidation of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, the Great Northern Railway, the Northern Pacific Railway and the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway.

When created on March 2, 1970 the Burlington Northern was America's largest railroad. With a network comprising a staggering 26,000 miles (excluding subsidiaries Colorado & Southern and Fort Worth & Denver) it even eclipsed the enormous Penn Central Transportation Company.

Feb 12, 2024 · Reigning over the Midwest for 106 years until the Burlington Northern merger, the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (CB&Q or Burlington Route) progressed rapidly following the conclusion of the Civil War with an accumulation of 204 …

Jun 2, 2006 · Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway merged into Burlington Northern Railroad on December 31, 1996, and BN renamed Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway. Name shortened to BNSF Railway Company in 2005.

Aug 18, 2002 · We exist to preserve the history and chronicle the operation of the Burlington Northern Railroad and its successors, as well as the MRL. For information on historical societies for railroads that merged to become the BN or BNSF, click here

Dec 1, 2024 · Burlington Route history begins with the Aurora Branch Railroad, chartered on Feb. 12, 1849, to build a line from Aurora, Ill., to a connection with the Galena & Chicago Union (forerunner of the Chicago & North Western) at Turner Junction (West Chicago).

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation is one of the great success stories in the history of American railroad. Merging Burlington Northern, Inc. and Santa Fe Pacific Corporation in 1995 gave rise to one of the largest railroad networks on the North American continent, with more than 34,000 route miles across 28 states and the Canadian ...

Since it was formed by the merger of the Burlington Northern and Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe railways in 1995, BNSF has continuously grown. We have steadily expanded our network, increased our fleet, offered new services, built new facilities, and more.