Name/Title
C&NW Employee Railway TimetableEntry/Object ID
2026.35.1Secondary Title
C&NW Railway TimetableDescription
1970 employee railway timetable from the Chicago and North Western Railway, specifically Timetable No. 1 dated February 1, 1970, detailing subdivisions like Waseca.
The document is an official employee timetable, a specialized operational document issued by a railroad—in this case, the Chicago and North Western Railway (C&NW)—strictly for the use of its crews and field personnel.Unlike public timetables designed for passengers, employee timetables served as an authoritative rulebook for scheduling, train movements, and safety.
Main Purposes of an Employee Timetable:
*Safety and Collision Prevention: Before the widespread adoption of modern tracking systems, train safety relied heavily on the "Time Table and Train Order" system. The schedule established exactly where every regular train was supposed to be at any given minute. This allowed crews to calculate meeting points and ensure they did not collide with other trains on single-track lines.
*Establishing Train Superiority: The tables categorize trains by class (such as "Second Class") and direction (Westward or Eastward). If a train was running late, the timetable rules dictated exactly which train had the right-of-way and which train had to pull onto a siding to wait.
*Detailed Station Data: Beyond times, the small symbols and letters next to the station names communicate vital infrastructure details to the crew, such as the location of train order offices, interlocking towers, water or fueling stations, and the capacity of passing tracks (sidings).
*Speed Restrictions and Physical Rules: "Special Instructions." Examples being detailed speed limits for specific curves or bridges, weight limits for locomotives, and localized operating rules unique to that subdivision.Condition
Overall Condition
GoodDate Examined
Sep 15, 2026Create Date
September 15, 2026Update Date
September 15, 2026