The Southern Pacific Railroad (AAR reporting marks SP) was founded as a land holding company in 1865, forming part of the
Central Pacific Railroad empire. Southern Pacific's total route mileage has varied significantly over the years. In 1929,
the system showed 13,848 miles (22,286 km) of track (in contrast to 8,991 miles (14,470 km) of track in 1994). By 1900, the
Southern Pacific Company had grown into a major railroad system which incorporated many smaller companies, such as the
Texas and New Orleans Railroad and Morgan's Louisiana and Texas Railroad, and which extended from New Orleans through
Texas to El Paso, across New Mexico and through Tucson, to Los Angeles, throughout most of California including
San Francisco and Sacramento; it absorbed the Central Pacific Railroad extending eastward across Nevada to Ogden, Utah
and had lines reaching north throughout and across Oregon to Portland.
On August 9, 1988, the Interstate Commerce Commission approved the purchase of the Southern Pacific by Rio Grande
Industries, the company that controlled the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad. The Rio Grande officially took control
of the Southern Pacific on October 13, 1988. After the purchase, the combined railroad kept the Southern Pacific name due to
its brand recognition in the railroad industry and with customers of both constituent railroads. The Southern Pacific
subsequently was taken over by the Union Pacific Railroad in 1996 following years of financial problems. The railroad is also
noteworthy for being the defendant in the landmark 1886 United States Supreme Court case Santa Clara County v. Southern
Pacific Railroad which is often interpreted as having established certain corporate rights under the
Constitution of the United States.
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