Southern Pacific Railroad

United State] [[Image:Gotoarrow-kelly.pn]  [[United States Migration Internal|Migratio]  [[Image:Gotoarrow-kelly.pn]  [[US Migration Railroads|Railroad]  [[Image:Gotoarrow-kelly.pn]  [[Southern_Pacific_Railroad|Southern Pacific Railroad



The Southern Pacific Railroad (combined with other railroads) was part of the second, third, and fourth railroads to offer "transcontinental" service in the United States and Canada. In 1883 Southern Pacific's own tracks connected New Orleans, [[Louisiana Genealogy|Louisian], to [[California Genealogy|Californi]. Settlers were attracted to nearby communities because the railroads provided access to markets. Railroads encouraged settlement along their routes to help increase the need for their service. For example, the Southern Pacific built significant hospitals in Tucson, San Francisco, and other towns. If an ancestor settled near a railroad, you may be able to trace their place of origin back to another place along the tracks.

Historical Background
The United State] bought the, portion forming the southern parts of ([[Arizona Genealogy|Arizona and New Mexic] south of the Gila River) from [[Mexico Genealogy|Mexic] in 1853 to have a snow-free route between [[California Genealogy|Californi] and the rest of the [[United States Genealogy|United State]. The [[Butterfield Overland Mail|Butterfield Overland Mail stage coach route), and later the Southern Pacific Railroad both made use of Gadsden land.

The Southern Pacific Company was formed in 1865 to link San Francisco and San Diego, California by rail. By 1877 they were building track east into Yuma, [[Arizona Genealogy|Arizon] and headed for [[New Mexico Genealogy|New Mexic] and [[Texas Genealogy|Texa]. In March 1881 the [[Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway|Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railwa] connected with Southern Pacific lines at Deming, [[New Mexico Genealogy|New Mexc] to form the second transcontinental line. A few months later, in December 1881 the Southern Pacific linked with the [[Texas and Pacific Railway|Texas and Pacfic Railwa] at Sierra Blanca, [[Texas Genealogy|Texa] to form the third "transcontinental" railroad. Fourteen months later in February 1883 the Southern Pacific completed an expensive low bridge over the Pecos Rive in Texas linking New Orleans, [[Louisiana Genealogy|Louisian to Los Angeles, [[California Genealogy|Californi] entirely on its own tracks (fourth transcontinental line). In 1892 Southern Pacific eliminated 11 miles of steep and curvy grades on its Sunset Route in [[Texas Genealogy|Texa] by building a new Pecos Viaduc (high bridge) 5 mile further north near Langtry, Texas, for many years the highest bridge in America. This viaduct was replaced with a new railroad bridge including all concrete piers in 1944. [[Image:Southern Pacific RR map.png|thumb|righ

Route
From east to west some of the most signficant towns on a typical route were:


 * New Orleans, [[Louisiana Genealogy|Louisian]
 * Marshall, [[Texas Genealogy|Texa]
 * Houston, Texas
 * San Antonio, Texas
 * El Paso, Texas
 * Deming, [[New Mexico Genealogy|New Mexic]
 * Tucson, Arizona
 * Yuma, Arizona
 * Los Angeles, [[California Genealogy|Californi]

Routes in Orego] and the old [[Central Pacific Railroad|Central Pacific tracks through Nevad] to Ogden, [[Utah Genealogy|Utah also were controlled at various times by the Southern Pacific Company.

Settlers and Records
Settlers who made their way west on the Southern Pacific were likely to be from the southern states, especially [[Louisiana Genealogy|Louisian] and [[Texas Genealogy|Texa]. However, via the [[Texas and Pacific Railway|Texas and Pacific Railwa] link to St. Louis, [[Missouri Genealogy|Missour], and the [[Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway|Atcheson, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railwa] link to Chicago, [[Illinois Genealogy|Illinoi] many people using the Southern Pacific Railroad to settle in [[New Mexico Genealogy|New Mexic], [[Arizona Genealogy|Arizon], and [[California Genealogy|Californi] could also have come from Midwestern states as well.

There are no known passenger lists for the Southern Pacific Railroad.

Internet Links

 * [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Pacific_Transportation_Company Wikipedia - Southern Pacific Transportation Compan - timeline, accidents, passenger service, locomotives, officers, affiliated companies
 * [http://www.sphts.org/pmcclosky/spwebresources.html Peter J. McClosky's Southern Pacific Railroad Web Resources Pag - Comprehensive list of hundreds of Internet links to historical societies, bibliographies, personal stories, equipment, ferries and boats, freight cars, locomotives, passenger cars, stations, tunnels, and museums
 * [http://www.sphts.org/ Southern Pacific Historical &amp; Technical Societ - Society, archives, and how to find resources such as official company records