Hear the Whistle

The Story of Jack Haley, American Entrepreneur and Railroad Pioneer

In 1984, the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad sold a 100-mile branch line serving Iowa and Minnesota to retired USAF pilot and real estate entrepreneur Jack Haley, who had a longtime dream of owning a railroad. A year later on Christmas Eve 1985, Haley, as president and chief executive, took possession of the ICG’s former Iowa Division across Iowa and Illinois, renaming it the Chicago, Central & Pacific Railroad. With a $75 million cash loan from General Electric, it was the largest privately-funded American railroad company formed in the 20th century by a non-railroad entity. Overshadowed by controversy and with his tenure short, Haley became legendary as the short line and regional rail operator who helped change the U.S. railroad industry forever. This title is being made available to South Platte Press by the publisher for distribution. 

ISBN: 978-1-7358717-1-4