COMPANY·HISTORIES
SIC 4011

Railroads--Line-Haul Operating

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

24companies1831–1994founding years24still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedAmoskeag CompanyFoundedAmoskeag Company
1831
FoundedIllinois Central Corporation
1851
FoundedMaine Central Railroad CompanyFoundedMaine Central Railroad Company
1862
FoundedKansas City Southern Industries, Inc.
1887
FoundedGenesee & Wyoming Inc.FoundedGenesee & Wyoming Inc.
1899
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedHankyu Corporation
1907
1908
TechnologyThe Ford Model T brings the automobile to the middle class.
1913
EconomyThe Federal Reserve is created.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
FoundedBohemia, Inc.FoundedBohemia, Inc.
1942
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedItel Corporation
1967
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
FoundedCSX CorporationFoundedCSX Corporation
1978
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedWisconsin Central Transportation Corporation
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
FoundedRailTex, Inc.FoundedRailTex, Inc.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
FoundedBurlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation
1994
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2001
EconomyThe September 11 attacks; a recession follows.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 begin to take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Amoskeag Company →
Active · founded 1831
Amoskeag Company is a holding and operating company, whose main revenue (98 percent) is derived from its control of…
Amoskeag Company →
Active · founded 1831
Amoskeag Company is a holding and operating company, whose main revenue (98 percent) is derived from its control of…
Illinois Central Corporation →
Active · founded 1851
Illinois Central Corporation owns and operates the oldest land-grant railroad in the United States, the Illinois…
Illinois Central Corporation →
Active · founded 1851
Illinois Central Corporation owns and operates the oldest land-grant railroad in the United States, the Illinois…
Maine Central Railroad Company →
Active · founded 1862
Maine Central Railroad Company is a private subsidiary of Guilford Transportation Industries, Inc., one of the largest…
Maine Central Railroad Company →
Active · founded 1862
Maine Central Railroad Company is a private subsidiary of Guilford Transportation Industries, Inc., one of the largest…
Kansas City Southern Industries, Inc. →
Active · founded 1887
Kansas City Southern Industries, Inc.
Kansas City Southern Industries, Inc. →
Active · founded 1887
Kansas City Southern Industries, Inc.
Genesee & Wyoming Inc. →
Active · founded 1899
Through its subsidiaries, Genesee & Wyoming Inc.
Genesee & Wyoming Inc. →
Active · founded 1899
Through its subsidiaries, Genesee & Wyoming Inc.
Hankyu Corporation →
Active · founded 1907 · Japan
Hankyu Corporation is one of Japan's largest private railway operators.
Hankyu Corporation →
Active · founded 1907 · Japan
Hankyu Corporation is one of Japan's largest private railway operators.
Bohemia, Inc. →
Active · founded 1942
Until its assets were acquired by Willamette Industries Inc., Bohemia, Inc.
Bohemia, Inc. →
Active · founded 1942
Until its assets were acquired by Willamette Industries Inc., Bohemia, Inc.
Itel Corporation →
Active · founded 1967
Itel Corporation is a diversified transportation and logistics company.
Itel Corporation →
Active · founded 1967
Itel Corporation is a diversified transportation and logistics company.
CSX Corporation →
Active · founded 1978
CSX Corporation is a leading transportation-based holding company that operates one of the United States's leading rail…
CSX Corporation →
Active · founded 1978
CSX Corporation is a leading transportation-based holding company that operates one of the United States's leading rail…
Wisconsin Central Transportation Corporation →
Active · founded 1987
Wisconsin Central Ltd., the core railroad of the holding company Wisconsin Central Transportation Corporation, was the…
Wisconsin Central Transportation Corporation →
Active · founded 1987
Wisconsin Central Ltd., the core railroad of the holding company Wisconsin Central Transportation Corporation, was the…
RailTex, Inc. →
Active · founded 1993
RailTex, Inc.
RailTex, Inc. →
Active · founded 1993
RailTex, Inc.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation →
Active · founded 1994
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation is one of the great success stories in the history of American railroad.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation →
Active · founded 1994
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation is one of the great success stories in the history of American railroad.
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