SUBMISSION DEADLINE EXTENDED
Submit a 200 word abstract by Wednesday, April 23 HERE
02 – The Union Pacific Railroad
ARGUS 02 seeks to explore a portion of the Union Pacific Railroad, spanning between Chicago and Seattle. On this route, it passes through eleven states: Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.
Our team has identified four lenses through which the route may be viewed. These lenses are supported by three prompts, each referencing one state traversed by the railroad. This list is not comprehensive, but serves as a trigger for further investigation. The goal is to explore the multiple dimensions through which this route has been represented, imagined, negotiated, and ultimately built. Contributions may be presented in the form of an essay, photo essay, interview, travel report, project showcase, review, or other print media.
As Junction / Disjunction
Disjunction junction what's your function? The Union Pacific railway created a line of duality, connecting people and goods across the continental United States. This connection has evolved to create a division of resources, resulting in a skewed distribution of wealth and opportunity, ultimately dictating social equity along this artery.
Welcome to the Jungle
The terminus of the Union Pacific Railroad places us within Washington’s I-5 corridor – a once teeming rainforest, now a tangled network of highways and high-rises. Urban expansion has continued to carve through the forest, transforming it into the concrete jungle we know today. With no more west to conquer, the region’s ecosystem is nearing the end of its line. What will become of the identity when it is no longer identifiable?
Monotony and Mayhem
Following the Union Pacific Railroad across the state of Iowa is a test of patience between flat fields and Grand Junction. Lying beneath the stillness, tension builds, giving birth to music groups like Slipknot, who host one of the largest heavy metal festivals in the world. Restraint opens the door to rebellion, what would the world look like if one exists without the other?
The Divide
Shortly after the completion of the Moffat Tunnel, its pilot tunnel was flooded, supplying the city of Denver with fresh water, and subverting the Continental Divide thousands of feet above. This parasitic transfer of resources begs the questions: Who is entitled to resources? Does the urban always exploit the rural? Does the urban give anything to the rural in return?
As Fact
The extensive railway network of the Union Pacific has long been a job producer and distributor of products, shaping the cities of each state it travels through. As the years have passed, interest and investment into the railroad has dwindled, leaving us to question the fate of the railway and the communities built from it.
Let’s Embark on a Journey
Oregon’s lumber is a driving force of the state’s economy, attracting many to capitalize on their forests. Historically, railroads allowed the transport of logs to mills, creating the need for a mill guide that is still used by the Union Pacific Railroad today. The completion of the national railway system in the 1900s allowed for easier distribution that created an influx of wood construction. Because of the industrial growth one could pose the question, how can the railroad aid in the expansion of mass timber architecture that goes beyond the Pacific Northwest?
The Missouri Missile Crisis
The missile silo is an architecture of certainty: reinforced concrete, blast doors, and pressure sealed corridors engineered to the max. They are the perfect blend of Cold War history and roadside novelty, part History Channel, part National Lampoon's Vacation.
What Follows Behind
As the in-progress railroad crawled across the country, a nomadic town followed. This “Hell On Wheels,” as it was coined, was a ramshackle shantytown, chocked-full of gambling dens, brothels and saloons. What legacy was left by the Hell On Wheels? Can parallels be drawn to modern-day?
As Idea
The Union Pacific Railroad is more of a catalyst than object; collapsing distance between two points, redefining the trajectory of the nation. Built at speeds once thought impossible, the line serves as both speculation and infrastructure as a means of westward expansion.
“It takes a lot of money to look this cheap!” - Dolly Parton
Cheyenne markets itself as a Western heritage city that relies on stereotypical cowboy-themed attractions. This staged authenticity leads to a romanticization of the Old West, but to what end?
How a Man from Nebraska Ruined the Land of Oz
Oz was a land of peace, established by a monarchy that ruled over the 4 quadrants of Ozland. One day, a man piloting a hot air balloon descended from the heavens. The Ozian people assumed that, because he could fly, he must be the powerful wizard that was to fulfill the prophecy. The man did not dispute these claims. To prove himself, he read from the Grimmere, and began to chant, “OH-MA-HA." But, the Ozian’s were deceived, as this man did not have a magical bone in his body. He was a circus trapezeist from Nebraska who had drifted off to sleep and got caught up in a storm. With his newfound power, he overthrew the monarchy and enslaved the people of Oz, forcing them to build a new capital city and to wear emerald glasses that made everything appear green. As Oz’s new king, he evoked fear in the people using grandeur, illusions, and sleight of hand. He started to take away and suppress the rights of the animals of Oz, then (allegedly) conceived the Wicked Witch of the West, using her as a scapegoat for his path of destruction.
The Missing Link
On May 10th, 1869, the Golden Spike, a 17.6-carat gold railway spike, was driven at Promontory Summit, completing the Transcontinental Railroad-or so how the story goes. In actuality, the spike was immediately pulled out after photographs captured the moment. Later, the tracks were torn up, leaving only a monument of fiction. A symbol of a unified country, commemorated by a spike that was never real. Can a single gesture create permanence? Can a connection be built on something designed to disappear?
As Phenomena
The Union Pacific Railroad pushed the bounds of the American Frontier, shaping its built environment without prior intent. This line did not connect places, it created them, transforming rural terrain into cultural networks.
Les bois! Les bois!
...they shouted upon seeing the area now called Boise. It may seem unexpected to name it the City of Trees in the heart of the high desert. However, this absurdity has infiltrated the architecture, as a sandstone castle, a mansion with one bedroom, and houses with tunnels under the street are just a few attractions in the city. How, does the uniqueness of its architecture transfer to its people?
Size Matters?
Along the Union Pacific Railroad line, the American obsession with size is on full display with bizarre, oversized landmarks, suggesting that in many cases, bigger isn’t just better—it’s strange and sometimes downright wacky.
“The concept of absurdity is something I’m attracted to” - David Lynch
Known for its absurd roadside attractions and architecture, Route 66 is an iconic piece of American history. Today, Route 66 is a graveyard of tourist traps, abandoned buildings, and classic American nostalgia. Does it mark the end of an era, or is it the beginning of the next?
OPEN CALL FOR ABSTRACTS (200 words max)
Argus is interested in receiving a variety of submissions that fall under the genres outlined below. Submissions may respond to one of the five prompts above in a variety of ways:
Essay - A text-heavy submission that may be opinionated or research-driven. Maximum of 3000 words, 0-4 supporting images
Photo Essay - A collection of photos taken by the author with optional text captions to support the author’s narrative. Maximum of 12 images
Interview - A transcript of a conversation held between the author and someone who has something to say about the Union Pacific. Maximum of 3000 words, 0-2 supporting images
Travel Report - An authentic, narrative-based submission meant to communicate a personal account of the Union Pacific. May include text, sketches, photos, poems, or something else. Maximum of 1000 words, 0-5 images
Project - An architectural intervention designed somewhere along the Union Pacific. Submissions should include images, diagrams, and descriptions. Maximum of 8 images
Review - A catch-all for events, media, and tools relating to the Union Pacific. Maximum of 1000 words, 0-5 images
Submit your abstract (max. 200 words) by Wednesday, April 23, 2025 HERE
Selected authors will be notified by April 25. Full submissions will be due by May 20.
Issue published in Summer 2025.
All abstract submissions must be in English (final contribution will be in English only).
Authors are responsible for the use of non-original drawings, photos, and other materials in advance.