The Great Northern Railway was founded in September 1889. It was the vision of James Jerome Hill, who was known as the Empire Builder for his ability to create thriving businesses from scratch. Formed by merging several earlier railroads in Minnesota, the line stretched from Lake Superior at Duluth through Minneapolis/Saint Paul, across North Dakota and northern Idaho, and on to Everett and Seattle in Washington State. It operated until 1970, when it merged with the Northern Pacific Railway, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, and the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway to become the Burlington Northern Railroad. This line ran until 1996, when it joined with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway to form the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway.
The Great Northern Railway holds a special place in my family’s history. My grandfather, on my dad’s side, Allen Luther Spencer worked there, and my dad and his siblings, Laura Fredrick, William Spencer, and Ruth Wolfe had free passes to ride as dependents of an 
employee. I think that’s a big reason why my whole family loves trains and riding them so much. Grandpa Spencer was a wanderer who loved exploring new places and experiencing new things. The railroad gave him the chance to do just that, though it also kept him away from his family quite a bit. He was born 147 years ago today, which feels like an impossible number. My grandfather was 77 years older than me and passed away in 1951, five years before I was born. My dad drove 1,000 miles back to Wisconsin in just 17 hours, which was fast for the 1950s, and made it to his father’s side before he passed away on October 19, 1951. These days, that trip could be made in just under 14 hours, but either way, that is a long drive.
Since he passed away before I was born, I never really knew my grandfather. Still, I like to imagine there was always a little bit of a boy in him that never went away. His smile seemed to carry a great sense of humor, with just a hint of mischief. That boyish grin might have been exactly what caught my grandmother’s eye. I believe he was always brimming with charm and curiosity, eager to see what was waiting around the next bend 
in the road…or, for him, the next curve of the tracks. Today is the 147th anniversary of my grandfather’s birth. Happy birthday in Heaven Grandpa Spencer. We miss being able to know you here on Earth and look forward to meeting you in Heaven.
