The Burlington Northern Railroad Company was a major American railroad that operated throughout the United States between 1970 and 1996. It was formed by the merger of four railroads; the Northern Pacific Railway; the Great Northern Railway; the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad; and the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway. Burlington Northern was known for having the largest rail network in North America.¹ In 1996 the company merged with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway to become Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway (now known as BNSF Railway).²