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Montana Public Service Commission, Transportation Division records, 1907-1981

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Montana. Public Service Commission
Title
Montana Public Service Commission, Transportation Division records
Dates
1907-1981 (inclusive)
Quantity
33 linear ft
Collection Number
RS 501 (Formerly RS 107)
Summary
This collection is a subgroup (Division) of the Montana Public Service Commission records, RS 501. The Transportation Division was renamed Transportation/Centralized Services Division, and eventually became just the Centralized Services Division. Please see the primary finding aid for more Montana Public Service Commission records. These records consist of annual reports (1907-1980) and accident reports (1958-1974) made by railroads and express companies to the Montana Public Service Commission and its predecessor the Montana Board of Railroad Commissioners. There are also annual reports (1975) of motor carriers.
Repository
Montana Historical Society, Library & Archives
Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 4064442681
Fax: 4064445297
mhslibrary@mt.gov
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Biographical Note

The Montana Board of Railroad Commissioners was established by the Montana legislature in 1907. The board, consisting of three members elected statewide, was given the authority to set rates and establish regulations governing freight and passenger transportation within the state. All railroads owning, operating, or having any rail line in Montana were required to file annual reports. In addition the companies were required to report any accident, including time, place, names of injured and killed persons, and the value of property destroyed.

In 1913, the Board of Railroad Commissioners was made ex officio the newly created Montana Public Service Commission. In 1919, the Board also was made ex officio the Montana Trade Commission and the Montana Irrigation Commission. In 1971, the Montana Board of Railroad Commissioners was abolished and its work was taken over directly by the Public Service Commission. In the 1970s, the PSC had three Divisions: Transportation, Utility and Legal. By the 1990s, the Transportation Division was renamed the Transportation/Centralized Services Division. Around 2014, "Transportation" was dropped, and the Division became the Centralized Services Division.

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Content Description

These records consist predominantly of annual reports (1907-1980) made by railroads and express companies to the Montana Public Service Commission and its predecessor the Montana Board of Railroad Commissioners. The reports include a vast amount of data on the history, financing, corporate ownership, track mileage, freight shipment statistics, and other nationwide information of railroads doing business in Montana. Many of the reports are copies of the reports made to the federal Interstate Commerce Commission. For most companies there are two reports for 1916 (when they switched from a July-June reporting year to a January to December reporting year) and for 1918-1919 (when there was a report by the railroad and a report of World War I federal operations).

In addition, there are railroad accident reports (1958-1974, predominantly 1969-1974). Included also are annual reports (1975) for motor carrier companies, including trucks, buses, taxies, etc. Two special reports are an engineering report (1919) of the Butte Electric Railway Company; and a report (1960) on railroad grade crossing elimination in Billings.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

The Montana Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Library & Archives and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Library & Archives before any reproduction use. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

Preferred Citation

Item description and date. Name of Collection. Collection Number. (box and folder number). Montana Historical Society Library & Archives. Helena, Montana.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The collection is arranged by series

Location of Collection

21:8-3

Processing Note

In 2024, the various collections of the Montana Public Service Commission were integrated under one collection identifier, RS 501, in order to help facilitate access, reduce redundancy in the Montana Historical Society Library & Archives catalog, and to follow best archival practices.

Collections from Montana Public Service Commission's various Divisions and Predecessor Agencies that were previously treated as separate entities are now integrated into this collection, RS 501. Rather than reprocessing over 80 linear feet of PSC materials, MTHS staff decided to keep the past arrangement of those collections/finding aids and provide access to them via links in the primary finding aid. This decision has allowed the MTHS archival staff to maintain intellectual control over the collection, while removing the need to reprocess it. It also keeps State Agency finding aids at manageable sizes. Please read the scope and content note carefully to determine if this subgroup pertains to your research needs.

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information is available upon request.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Detailed Description of the Collection

  • Annual Reports

    • Description: Adams Express Company (operated on Chicago, Burlington and Quincy lines)
      Dates: 1909-1918
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 1-10
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: American Express Company (operated on Butte, Anaconda and Pacific lines)
      Dates: 1910-1918
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 11-20
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: American Railway Express Company (successor to American Express Company)
      Dates: 1918-1920
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 21-23
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: American Railway Express Company
      Dates: 1921-1929
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 1-9
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Anaconda Copper Mining Company Street Railway Dept., Butte (formerly Butte Electric Railway Company)
      Dates: 1936-1937
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 10
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Anaconda Copper Mining Company Street Railway Dept., Anaconda (formerly Butte)
      Dates: 1937-1951
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 11-13
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Big Blackfoot Railway Company (Bonner to Potomac)
      Dates: 1914-1916
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 14-16
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Burlington Northern Inc. (merger of Great Northern Railway, Northern Pacific Railway, and Chicago, Burlington and Quincy and Pacific Coast Railroad)
      Dates: 1970-1977
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 17-24
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Burlington Northern Inc.
      Dates: 1978-1980
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 1-3
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Butte, Anaconda and Pacific Railway Company
      Dates: 1907-1935
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 4-32
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Butte, Anaconda and Pacific Railway Company
      Dates: 1936-1971
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 1-19
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Butte Electric Railway Company (succeeded by Anaconda Copper Mining Company, Street Railway Dept.)
      Dates: 1931-1936
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 20
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railway Company (only track in Montana from
      Dates: 1907-1910
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 21-24
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railway Company
      Dates: 1911-1933
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 1-23
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railway Company
      Dates: 1934-1952
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 1-19
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railway Company
      Dates: 1953-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 7 / 1-17
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railway Company of Montana
      Dates: 1907-1908
      Container: Box/Folder 7 / 18-19
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Chicago, Milwaukee, and Puget Sound Railway Company
      Dates: 1909-1911
      Container: Box/Folder 7 / 20-22
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Chicago, Milwaukee, and Puget Sound Railway Company
      Dates: 1912
      Container: Box/Folder 8 / 1
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railway Company
      Dates: 1913-1928
      Container: Box/Folder 8 / 2-17
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Company
      Dates: 1928-1930
      Container: Box/Folder 8 / 18-20
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Company
      Dates: 1931-1949
      Container: Box/Folder 9 / 1-19
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Company
      Dates: 1950-1966
      Container: Box/Folder 10 / 1-17
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Company (under bankruptcy, 1980; succeeded by Burlington Northern Inc.)
      Dates: 1967-1980
      Container: Box/Folder 11 / 1-14
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Gallatin Valley Railway Company (Three Forks to Bozeman, with branches to Salesville, Bozeman Hot Springs, and Belgrade)
      Dates: 1911-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 11 / 15-24
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Gilmore and Pittsburgh Railroad Company (Armstead, Montana, to mines at Gilmore, Idaho)
      Dates: 1913-1916
      Container: Box/Folder 11 / 25-28
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Gilmore and Pittsburgh Railroad Company
      Dates: 1918-1938
      Container: Box/Folder 12 / 1-21
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Great Northern Express Company (subsidiary of Lake Superior Company, 1919-1910; subsidiary of Great Northern Railway beginning in 1911)
      Dates: 1909-1913
      Container: Box/Folder 12 / 22-23
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Great Northern Express Company
      Dates: 1914-1918
      Container: Box/Folder 13 / 1-5
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Great Northern Railway Company
      Dates: 1907-1924
      Container: Box/Folder 13 / 6-23
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Great Northern Railway Company
      Dates: 1925-1945
      Container: Box/Folder 14 / 1-20
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Great Northern Railway Company
      Dates: 1946-1963
      Container: Box/Folder 15 / 1-18
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Great Northern Railway Company (merged into Burlington Northern Inc.)
      Dates: 1964-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 16 / 1-6
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Milwaukee, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway Company (only line in Montana was branch line from Whitetail to North Dakota state line)
      Dates: 1914-1931
      Container: Box/Folder 16 / 7-24
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Milwaukee, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway Company
      Dates: 1932-1950
      Container: Box/Folder 17 / 1-19
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Milwaukee, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway Company (name changed to Soo Line Railroad Company, January 1, 1961)
      Dates: 1951-1960
      Container: Box/Folder 18 / 1-10
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Missoula Street Railway Dept. of Montana Power Company
      Dates: 1931
      Container: Box/Folder 18 / 11
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Montana Western Railway Company (Conrad to Valier)
      Dates: 1907-1934
      Container: Box/Folder 18 / 12-22
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Montana Western Railway Company
      Dates: 1935-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 19 / 1-7
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Montana, Wyoming and Southern Railroad Company (Bridger to Washoe; previously Yellowstone Park Railroad Company)
      Dates: 1910-1927
      Container: Box/Folder 19 / 8-24
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Montana, Wyoming and Southern Railroad Company
      Dates: 1928-1948
      Container: Box/Folder 20 / 1-21
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Montana, Wyoming and Southern Railroad Company
      Dates: 1949-1952
      Container: Box/Folder 21 / 1-3
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Northern Express Company
      Dates: 1909-1918
      Container: Box/Folder 21 / 4-8
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Northern Pacific Railway Company
      Dates: 1907-1918
      Container: Box/Folder 21 / 9-20
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Northern Pacific Railway Company
      Dates: 1919-1939
      Container: Box/Folder 22 / 1-21
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Northern Pacific Railway Company
      Dates: 1940-1957
      Container: Box/Folder 23 / 1-18
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Northern Pacific Railway Company (merged into Burlington Northern Inc.)
      Dates: 1958-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 24 / 1-12
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Oregon Short Line Railroad Company (owned by Union Pacific Railroad Company)
      Dates: 1907-1915
      Container: Box/Folder 24 / 13-21
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Oregon Short Line Railroad Company
      Dates: 1916-1935
      Container: Box/Folder 25 / 1-20
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Pacific Express Company
      Dates: 1909
      Container: Box/Folder 25 / 21
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Pullman Company
      Dates: 1951-1968
      Container: Box/Folder 26 / 1-6
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Railway Express Agency (successor to American Railway Express Company; includes complete list of railroads on which they operated)
      Dates: 1929-1941
      Container: Box/Folder 26 / 7-18
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Railway Express Agency
      Dates: 1941-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 27 / 1-25
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: REA Express (formerly Railway Express Agency)
      Dates: 1970-1971
      Container: Box/Folder 27 / 26
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: REA Express (in bankruptcy)
      Dates: 1980-1981
      Container: Box/Folder 27 / 27
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Manitoba Railway Company (leased to Great Northern Railway Company)
      Dates: 1907
      Container: Box/Folder 27 / 28
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Soo Line Railroad Company (formerly Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad Company)
      Dates: 1961-1963
      Container: Box/Folder 27 / 29-31
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Soo Line Railroad Company
      Dates: 1964-1980
      Container: Box/Folder 28 / 1-17
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Union Pacific Railroad Company (includes line from Garrison to Meaderville leased to Northern Pacific Railway Company)
      Dates: 1936-1942
      Container: Box/Folder 28 / 18-24
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Union Pacific Railroad Company
      Dates: 1943-1959
      Container: Box/Folder 29 / 1-17
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Union Pacific Railroad Company
      Dates: 1960-1980
      Container: Box/Folder 30 / 1-20
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Wells Fargo and Company
      Dates: 1910-1914
      Container: Box/Folder 30 / 21-25
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Wells Fargo and Company
      Dates: 1915-1918
      Container: Box/Folder 31 / 1-4
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Western Express Company
      Dates: 1915-1918
      Container: Box/Folder 31 / 5-8
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: White Sulphur Springs and Yellowstone Park Railway Company
      Dates: 1916-1978
      Container: Box/Folder 31 / 9-21
      Location: Annual Reports
    • Description: Yellowstone Park Railroad Company (Bridger to Washoe; succeeded by Montana, Wyoming and Southern Railroad Company)
      Dates: 1908-1909
      Container: Box/Folder 32 / 1-3
      Location: Annual Reports

  • Accident Reports

    • Description: Burlington Northern Inc.
      Dates: 1970-1974
      Container: Box/Folder 32 / 4-17
      Location: Accident Reports
    • Description: Butte, Anaconda and Pacific Railway Company
      Dates: 1969-1974
      Container: Box/Folder 32 / 18
      Location: Accident Reports
    • Description: Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railway Company
      Dates: 1969-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 32 / 19
      Location: Accident Reports
    • Description: Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railway Company (1963-1967 are telegrams only)
      Dates: 1963-1974
      Container: Box/Folder 32 / 20-24
      Location: Accident Reports
    • Description: Great Northern Railway Company (reports, investigations etc.)
      Dates: 1958-1959
      Container: Box/Folder 32 / 25
      Location: Accident Reports
    • Description: Great Northern Railway Company (reports, telegrams, investigation etc.; includes head-on collision of two passenger trains near Chester, March 7, 1966)
      Dates: 1960-1966
      Container: Box/Folder 33 / 1-2
      Location: Accident Reports
    • Description: Great Northern Railway Company
      Dates: 1969-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 33 / 3
      Location: Accident Reports
    • Description: Montana Western Railway Company
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 33 / 4
      Location: Accident Reports
    • Description: Northern Pacific Railway Company
      Dates: 1969-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 33 / 5
      Location: Accident Reports
    • Description: Soo Line Railroad Company
      Dates: 1969-1974
      Container: Box/Folder 33 / 6
      Location: Accident Reports
    • Description: Union Pacific Railroad Company
      Dates: 1969-1974
      Container: Box/Folder 33 / 7
      Location: Accident Reports
    • Description: White Sulphur Springs and Yellowstone Park Railway Company
      Dates: 1970-1974
      Container: Box/Folder 33 / 8
      Location: Accident Reports

  • Motor Carrier Annual Reports

  • Other Reports

    • Description: Butte Electric Railway Company engineering report by John H. Bonner
      Dates: 1919
      Container: Box/Folder 33 / 30
      Location: Other Reports
    • Description: Report on railroad grade crossing elimination, Billings, Montana, by DeLeuw, Cather and Company
      Dates: 1960
      Container: Box/Folder 33 / 31
      Location: Other Reports

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Express companies--Montana
  • Railroad accidents--Montana
  • Railroads--Montana
  • Transportation--Montana

Corporate Names

  • Montana. Board of Railroad Commissioners
  • Montana. Public Service Commission

Geographical Names

  • Montana--Commerce

Finding aid prepared by Ellie Arguimbau; Updated by Lindsey Mick
2007; 2025

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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