Spokane International Railroad
| Reporting mark | SI |
|---|---|
| Locale | Washington, Idaho, British Columbia |
| Dates of operation | 1887–1958 |
| Predecessor | Union Pacific Railroad |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
The Spokane International Railroad (reporting mark SI) was a short line railroad between Spokane, Washington and the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) at Kingsgate, British Columbia. The line became an important one for the CP with its connections to the Union Pacific Railroad and Portland, Oregon.
The line, originally named the Spokane International Railway, was built by local businessman and railroader Daniel Chase Corbin following an agreement between him and the CP, with CP agreeing to fund much of the line's construction and to secure the loan by holding the new line's bonds.
Especially significant was the fact that the CP controlled the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway (Soo Line) and its connections to Minneapolis, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota and Chicago, Illinois. Completion of the Spokane International now meant that the CP could compete with the Northern Pacific Railway and Great Northern Railway lines for transportation between the midwest and the Puget Sound area (in conjunction with the Union Pacific Railroad subsidiary Oregon-Washington Railroad and Navigation Company west of Spokane). Express passenger service was soon introduced on the line via the Soo-Spokane Train De Luxe.
The SI was reorganized October 1, 1941 following financial difficulties and receivership during the Great Depression. The line was renamed the Spokane International Railroad as part of the restructuring agreement until the 1950s.
...
Wikipedia