Set of 3 Union Pacific Railroad Stocks - dated 1960's-80's Railway Stock Certificates of Different Colors - Three Stocks

Set of 3 different colors. Collection of 3 pieces: Peach, Green and Olive. Vignette of engineer, railroad worker and scientist engraved by American Bank Note Co.

Union Pacific Corporation, a publicly listed holding company for railroads, was established in Utah in 1969 and headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. Serving as the parent entity of the current Delaware-registered Union Pacific Railroad, the corporation has expanded its portfolio through various acquisitions. Notably, it acquired the Missouri Pacific Railroad, which encompassed the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad, the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company, the Western Pacific Railroad, the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, the St. Louis Southwestern Railway, the SPCSL Corporation, and the Southern Pacific Transportation Company. All railroads, except for the Southern Pacific Transportation Company, were integrated into the former Union Pacific Railroad. In the context of the UP-SP merger, which involved consolidating the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, the St. Louis Southwestern Railway, and the SPCSL Corporation into the earlier Union Pacific Railroad, the corporation subsequently merged this earlier version into the Southern Pacific Transportation Company, rebranding it as the current Union Pacific Railroad.

The initial Union Pacific Railroad, officially known as “Union Pacific Rail Road,” was established on July 1, 1862, following the enactment of the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862 by Congress. This legislation, endorsed by President Abraham Lincoln, played a pivotal role in developing railroads that stretched from the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean. This strategic move was instrumental in preserving the Union during the Civil War. The construction of the railroad progressed westward from Council Bluffs, Iowa, to connect with the Central Pacific Railroad, which was being built eastward from San Francisco Bay. The resulting Union Pacific-Central Pacific line became renowned as the First Transcontinental Railroad and Overland Route.

However, the original Union Pacific faced numerous challenges. One of the most significant was the Crédit Mobilier scandal, which came to light in 1872. This scandal tainted the company’s reputation and led to financial difficulties. The economic downturn of 1873 further exacerbated the company’s problems, but they managed to avoid bankruptcy. On January 24, 1880, the original company was acquired by the newly formed Union Pacific Railway, leading to its merger into the Union Pacific Railway. Despite this merger, the Union Pacific Railway itself declared bankruptcy during the economic crisis of 1893.

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