The Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway (CK&N) was formed in 1885 and Marcus Low, a former attorney for the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, was its president.
[1] The CRI&P advanced the CK&N about twenty-five million dollars to begin construction in exchange for nearly all of the CK&N's stock.
The CK&N put down about 1388 miles of track, mostly in Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado and Indian Territory.
The company entered Oklahoma Territory in 1888, building tracks south along the Chisholm Trail and reaching the Red River by 1892.
[2] In 1889, the CK&N was failing to make payments on its interest, so the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad took over.