This collection comprises the Board Minutes of the Southern Pacific Railroad and its subsidiaries, Mechanical Department plans and specifications of the rolling stock of the Southern Pacific and its subsidiaries, the Valuation Department records documenting financial transactions and value of the rolling stock of the company.

The Southern Pacific Railroad was founded in 1865 and was purchased in 1869 by Collis Huntington, Leland Stanford, Charles Crocker and Mark Hopkins, better known as the Big Four. It was the first railroad to connect Los Angeles to the rest of California and its lines extended as far as New Orleans. In 1901, the Union Pacific Railroad bought 38% of Southern Pacific stock and took control of the company, but the Union Pacific was ultimately forced to divest these shares in 1912 by the U.S. Supreme Court in an anti-trust case. During World War II, the Southern Pacific Co. played a major role in military transportation in the US, transporting personal, and equipment along the west coast. In 1983, Southern Pacific and Santa Fe Railroads announced their intentions to merge and organize company into the Santa Fe Southern Pacific Corporation, but the merger was rejected in 1987. In 1996, the Union Pacific acquired Southern Pacific, making Union Pacific the largest railroad in the United States.

ca. 2829 linear ft.

Publication Rights Property rights reside with the repository. Literary rights reside with the creators of the documents or their heirs. To obtain permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the Public Services Librarian of the Dept. of Special Collections.

Access A portion of the Mechanical Division drawings are stored off-site; access to these materials may require as much as two weeks. All other materials described in this finding aid are available for use without restriction.