American Railroads: History, Travel & Today’s Industry
Last revised: August 12, 2026
By: Adam Burns
American-Rails.com is a free educational guide to the railroads of the United States—classic fallen flags and streamliners, steam and diesel locomotives, engineering landmarks, today’s Class I freights and short lines, scenic tourist trains, Amtrak, museums, and railroad jobs. Whether you are planning a trip, researching a railroad that no longer exists, or simply love the iron horse, start with a path below or browse more than 2,800 pages of history and travel coverage.
A handsome Rio Grande F7A, #5664, in Denver, Colorado, circa 1970. Robert Eastwood, Jr. photo. American-Rails.com collection.
Start Here
Not sure where to click? These are the main doors into the site:
| If you want to… | Go here |
|---|---|
| Ride a scenic or tourist train (state guides, fall foliage, holidays) | Tourist Trains · Fall Foliage · Christmas Trains |
| Study classic railroads that merged or disappeared | Fallen Flags · Railroad History |
| Learn locomotives — steam, diesel, electric | Steam · Diesel · Locomotive History |
| Understand today’s freight industry | Class I Railroads · Regionals · Short Lines |
| Explore streamliners, landmarks & stations | Streamliners · Landmarks · Stations |
| Research railroad jobs & crafts | Railroad Jobs · Conductor · Engineer |
Seasonal Travel (Right Now)
- Fall foliage train rides — national hub; pair with state guides such as Pennsylvania, Ohio, Colorado, and New Hampshire
- Dinner trains · All tourist / scenic trains
- Amtrak for long-distance and corridor travel (see also our Amtrak overview)
Swap this section when holidays approach: point to Christmas and Polar Express hubs.
Pillars of American-Rails.com
| Section | What you’ll find |
|---|---|
| Industry History | Origins, Golden Age, regulation & revival, timeline |
| Fallen Flags | Classic railroads absorbed by merger or bankruptcy |
| Tycoons & Barons | Builders of the Gilded Age network |
| Steam / Diesel / Electric | Locomotive types, builders, and eras |
| Passenger cars / Freight cars | Rolling stock explained |
| Interurbans & streetcars | Electric traction beyond main-line railroads |
| Narrow gauge / Logging lines | Mountain and timber railroads |
| Museums / State history | Where to visit and state-by-state context |
| Glossary | Terms and railroad language |
Santa Fe F3A #29-L just off the turntable at Redondo Junction in Los Angeles during the 1960s. Fred Worsfold photo. American-Rails.com collection.
A Brief Word on U.S. Railroad History
From early experiments in the 1820s through the steam locomotive and the Civil War boom, American railroads stitched together a continental economy. Mileage peaked near 254,000 route miles around 1916—the so-called Golden Age, when four-track mains, great passenger stations, and heavy freights defined modern transport.
Twentieth-century highways, airlines, and tight federal regulation eroded that monopoly. By the 1970s, bankruptcies (including Penn Central) forced Amtrak (1971) to take most intercity passengers and Conrail (1976) to reorganize Northeastern freights. The Staggers Rail Act of 1980 deregulated much of the rate and abandonment process; freight rail recovered into today’s Class I, regional, and short-line map.
For the full story—timeline, inventors, decades, and operating philosophy—see Railroad History (USA). For the classic corporate names that vanished into mergers, start at Fallen Flags.
Travel: America by Rail
Even under Amtrak, long-distance trains still cross New River Gorge country, Glacier, the Rockies, the Southwest, and the Pacific coast. Tourist railroads and dinner trains recreate pieces of the Silver Age experience—Strasburg steam, Durango narrow gauge, Napa Valley dining, and hundreds of state-by-state options.
- Scenic & tourist train rides
- Amtrak · Rail tours · Passenger train guide
- Dinner trains · Named streamliners (history)
Louisville & Nashville U25B #1602 leads a manifest northbound near Louisville, Kentucky, July 19, 1972. American-Rails.com collection.
About This Site
I have been interested in trains for as long as I can remember. When I could not find a single, detailed free resource covering American railroad history online, I began building one in 2007. American-Rails.com grew from that project into a large reference covering fallen flags, locomotives, passenger and freight equipment, landmarks, interurbans, logging roads, museums, tourist railroads, and employment crafts.
I do not claim to be an industry insider—only a careful student of the subject. If you spot an error, please contact me. Corrections from readers have improved the site for years.
More: About · Creating the site · Works cited / resources
Note: This site is not a railroad and does not hire employees. Job pages explain crafts and where to look; they are not a placement service. See Railroad Jobs.
Santa Fe F7A #260-C and other F units head west over Cajon Pass near Keenbrook, California, circa 1960. Fred Worsfold photo. American-Rails.com collection.
Popular Starting Pages
- Pennsylvania scenic train rides · National tourist train guide
- Fallen flags · New York Central · Railroad tycoons
- Steam locomotives · Diesel locomotives · Class I railroads
- Famous landmarks · Railroad jobs · Glossary
Use the site search or the navigation menu for a full directory. New articles also appear in the blog / recent articles feed below.
Thank you for visiting. Enjoy exploring America’s railroads—past and present.
Recent Articles
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Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Diesel Roster (All-Time)
Oct 21, 26 02:55 PM
All-time diesel roster of the Detroit, Toledo and Ironton. 119 frames, each counted once. Serials and builder order numbers included. Last steam was December 24, 1955. -
Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Steam Roster (Post 1900)
Oct 21, 26 02:49 PM
Detroit, Toledo and Ironton steam locomotives built after 1900. Drury's class grid. The quantity column prints 141. Counted once, the frames are 137. Last steam was Mikado 805 on December 24, 1955. -
Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad: Map, Roster, History
Oct 21, 26 02:40 PM
Detroit, Toledo & Ironton, reporting mark DTI, from Detroit to Ironton, Ohio. Railway organized May 2, 1905. Railroad articles filed February 21, 1914. Henry Ford, 1920 to 1929. Steam and diesel r… -
Iowa, Chicago and Eastern Railroad: Roster, Map, History
Oct 21, 26 01:04 PM
Iowa, Chicago & Eastern Railroad Corporation, reporting mark ICE. About 1,125 miles and about 275 miles of trackage rights from the I&M Rail Link. Operations at 12:01 a.m. July 30, 2002. Canad… -
Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad: Route, Roster, Overview
Oct 21, 26 10:16 AM
Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad, reporting mark RCPE. Genesee & Wyoming Class II. Agreement of January 2, 2014, Finance Docket 35799. Freight service from June 1, 2014, on the Dakota, Mi… -
Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad: Roster, Map, History
Oct 21, 26 12:26 AM
Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad, reporting mark DME. The July 2, 1986 Chicago & North Western sale, 826 miles and 139 miles of trackage rights. Canadian Pacific control October 30, 2008… -
Detroit and Mackinac Railway: Map, Roster, History
Oct 20, 26 11:58 PM
Detroit & Mackinac Railway, the Turtle Line. Bay City to Cheboygan along Lake Huron. Incorporated December 29, 1894. Lake State Railway leased the operation in 1992 and bought the lines in 1997. E… -
Davenport, Rock Island and Northwestern Railroad
Oct 20, 26 11:22 PM
Davenport, Rock Island and North Western Railway, the DRI Line. Clinton to East Moline across the Crescent Bridge. Burlington and Milwaukee. Merged into the Soo Line on June 29, 1995. Eighteen diesels… -
Chicago Great Western Steam Roster (Post 1900)
Oct 20, 26 11:17 PM
Chicago Great Western steam locomotives built or rebuilt since 1900. Drury's class grid. 320 frames, each once. The quantity column prints 376 because a rebuild is listed again. Last steam in the reti… -
Chicago Great Western Diesel Roster (All-Time)
Oct 20, 26 10:47 PM
All-time diesel roster of the Chicago Great Western. 157 frames, each counted once. Serials and builder order numbers included. Steam was gone by 1950. The 1963 glance figure of 141 is one year's flee… -
Chicago Great Western Railway: Map, Photos, History, Rosters
Oct 20, 26 10:43 PM
The Chicago Great Western, the Corn Belt Route, linked Chicago, the Twin Cities, Omaha, and Kansas City from September 27, 1885, until the Chicago & North Western merger at 12:01 a.m. on July 1, 1968… -
Chicago, South Shore & South Bend Railroad: "The South Shore Line"
Oct 20, 26 05:48 PM
Chicago South Shore & South Bend, the South Shore Line, from the 1901 Air Line through Samuel Insull's 1925 rebuild, the orange cars, the 800s, and the railroad NICTD and Anacostia still run. -
Northwestern Virginia Railroad: Map, History, Timetable
Oct 20, 26 04:18 PM
Northwestern Virginia Railroad, chartered February 14, 1851, Grafton to Parkersburg, 104 miles. Opened May 1, 1857. Foreclosure sale February 15, 1865, as the Parkersburg Branch. Twenty-three tunnels… -
"Exposition Flyer" (Train): Consist, Timetable, History
Oct 20, 26 03:29 PM
Exposition Flyer, Chicago to Oakland, June 10, 1939 to March 20, 1949. Burlington, Rio Grande, and Western Pacific. Heavyweight cars, then diesels and a vista-dome. Replaced by the California Zephyr. -
Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway, "The Omaha Road"
Oct 20, 26 02:13 PM
The Omaha Road, reporting mark CMO. Formed May 26, 1880. North Western management on December 16, 1882. Leased January 1, 1957. Class K-1 No. 183 and the sublettered diesels. -
Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad: Map, Rosters, History
Oct 20, 26 01:17 PM
Chicago and Western Indiana, chartered June 5, 1879. Five equal owners, Dearborn Station, and two main lines. Dolton suburban mile 16.6. Fifteen diesels. Railroad service ended in 1994. The Illinois c… -
Railroad Tell-Tales: Protecting The Brakeman
Oct 20, 26 12:58 PM
Railroad tell-tales: hanging ropes that warned a man on a freight-car roof of a low bridge or tunnel. The 1897 bridge-warning report, the 1905 Wisconsin statute, retainers, and why the roof walk outla… -
Chicago & North Western Steam Roster (Post 1900)
Oct 20, 26 12:54 PM
Chicago & North Western steam locomotives built since 1900, and the Omaha Road list beside it. Drury's parent quantity column sums to 1,445, with four rows left blank. The Omaha Road column sums to 24… -
Chicago & North Western Diesel Roster (All-Time)
Oct 20, 26 12:49 PM
All-time diesel roster of the Chicago & North Western. 2,494 frames, each counted once, including Chicago Great Western, Minneapolis & St. Louis, and Omaha Road units that received North Western numbe… -
Chicago and North Western Railroad: Map, History, Logo
Oct 20, 26 12:37 PM
The Chicago & North Western, chartered as the Galena & Chicago Union in 1836 and formed in June 1859. Granger railroad of the 400s, the Cowboy Line, and Powder River coal. Union Pacific common control… -
Chicago & Illinois Midland Steam Roster (Post 1900)
Oct 20, 26 12:30 AM
Chicago & Illinois Midland steam locomotives built since 1900. Drury's class grid, 57 engines. Twenty-six 2-10-2s, including nine from the Wabash and nine from the Atlantic Coast Line. Last road steam… -
Chicago & Illinois Midland Diesel Roster (All-Time)
Oct 20, 26 12:20 AM
All-time diesel roster of the Chicago & Illinois Midland. 28 frames, each counted once. Six SW1200s, five SD9s, the only two RS1325s, two SD18s, six SD38-2s, and four SD20s. Serials included. -
Chicago and Illinois Midland Railroad: Map, Rosters, History
Oct 20, 26 12:17 AM
The Chicago & Illinois Midland moved Illinois coal for Commonwealth Edison, Taylorville and Springfield to Pekin, with Peoria over the Peoria & Pekin Union. The 1906 railway began operating February 1… -
Chicago & Eastern Illinois Diesel Roster (All-Time)
Oct 19, 26 04:23 PM
All-time diesel roster of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois. 143 frames, each counted once. Switchers, F3s, FP7s, E7s, the BL1, and the GP7s through GP35s. Serials included. -
Chicago & Eastern Illinois Steam Roster (Post 1900)
Oct 19, 26 04:19 PM
Chicago & Eastern Illinois steam locomotives built or rebuilt since 1900. 146 Consolidations, 60 Mikados, and 24 Pacifics. Drury's class grid. Last steam was Mikado 1944 at Vincennes on May 5, 1950. -
Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad: Map, Rosters, History
Oct 19, 26 03:57 PM
The Chicago & Eastern Illinois ran from Chicago to Evansville, St. Louis, and Thebes. First company of the name, August 28, 1877. The remainder merged into the Missouri Pacific on October 15, 1976. St… -
Rock Island Diesel Roser: All-Time
Oct 19, 26 11:05 AM
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific diesel locomotives, 1,029 frames counted once. Switchers, cab units, road-switchers, two acquired slugs, five RDCs, and bi-power 10000. Serial and order are separate c… -
Rock Island Steam Roster: Post 1900
Oct 19, 26 11:01 AM
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific steam locomotives built or rebuilt since 1900. Drury's class grid, 1,482 frames counted once, including 85 4-8-4s. Last revenue steam was July 1953. -
Rock Island Railroad: Map, Pictures, Logo, History
Oct 19, 26 10:51 AM
The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific ran from Chicago to the Twin Cities, Denver, Tucumcari, and the Gulf. First train October 10, 1852. Directed service ended March 23, 1980. Steam and diesel rosters… -
EMD "F7" Locomotives: Cab, Top Speed, Specs, Rosters
Oct 19, 26 12:27 AM
EMD F7 cab units and boosters, 1,500 horsepower, built February 1949 through December 1953. Gear ratios, specifications, and the production roster by owner, serial, and order. -
Harlem Transfer Company: An NYC Terminal System
Oct 19, 26 12:01 AM
Harlem Transfer Company, the Lackawanna's offline freight terminal on the Bronx side of the Harlem River at East 135th Street. Carfloats to Hoboken, boxcab No. 2, and GE 44-tonner 53. -
Belpre Industrial Parkersburg Railroad: Roster, History, Photos
Oct 18, 26 11:44 PM
Belpre Industrial Parkersburg Railroad, a Class III short line leasing about 46.9 miles of CSX track at Parkersburg since 2020. The Ohio River bridge, the Marietta Subdivision, and five GP38-3s. -
Chicago, Peoria & St. Louis Railroad: Map, Timetables, History
Oct 18, 26 10:57 PM
Chicago, Peoria & St. Louis Railroad, an Illinois line from Pekin and Peoria through Springfield to Madison. Chartered in 1853. Sold in parcels on November 20, 1924. The Pekin line is today the Illino… -
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Diesel Roster (All-Time)
Oct 18, 26 10:54 PM
All-time diesel roster of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy. 951 parent frames, 72 Colorado & Southern, and 36 Fort Worth & Denver, each counted once. Serials included. -
Burlington Railroad (CB&Q): Map, History, Rosters, Photos
Oct 18, 26 10:49 PM
The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, the Burlington Route, ran from Chicago to Denver, the Twin Cities, and the Gulf. Steam built since 1900 and the diesel fleets are companion rosters. Burlington Northe… -
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Steam Roster (Post 1900)
Oct 18, 26 10:33 PM
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy steam locomotives built or rebuilt since 1900. 429 Prairies, 383 Mikados, the Hudsons, and the O-5 4-8-4s. Drury's class grid. -
Virginian Railway's 2-6-6-6 Locomotives (Class AG)
Oct 18, 26 01:38 PM
Virginian Railway class AG. Eight Lima 2-6-6-6s, Nos. 900-907, built in 1945 for the east end. Billed at 753,000 pounds. Scrapped in 1960. -
Pennsylvania (PRR) Steam Roster: Post 1906
Oct 18, 26 01:05 PM
ennsylvania steam after 1906—H8, H9, and H10 Consolidations, 574 L1s Mikados, 598 I1s Decapods, 425 K4s Pacifics, 301 M1 Mountains. Drury’s grid. Last steam November 30, 1957. -
Chicago, Aurora and Elgin Railroad: The "Roarin' Elgin"
Oct 18, 26 10:54 AM
The Chicago, Aurora & Elgin, the Roarin' Elgin, ran 600-volt third-rail trains from Chicago to Aurora, Batavia, and Elgin. Passenger service ended at noon on July 3, 1957. Freight ended June 11, 1959. -
Algoma Central Railway: Map, Logo, Rosters
Oct 17, 26 10:49 PM
Algoma Central Railway, Sault Ste. Marie to Hearst. Wisconsin Central on February 1, 1995. Fifty-nine steam locomotives and forty-two diesels. -
Akron, Canton and Youngstown Railroad: Map, History, Rosters
Oct 17, 26 05:49 PM
Akron, Canton and Youngstown Railroad, Mogadore to Delphos. The rails never reached Canton or Youngstown. Norfolk & Western control on October 16, 1964. Twenty-six diesels and the historical society's… -
Georgia Railroad: Map, History, Logo, Rosters
Oct 17, 26 12:59 PM
Georgia Railroad, the Georgia Railroad and Banking Company, Augusta to Atlanta, with the Athens branch and the Macon Road. Mark GA. The railroad properties were sold on November 4, 1982. -
West Point Route (Railroad): Map, History, Logo
Oct 16, 26 11:26 PM
The West Point Route was a trademarked name comprising the Atlanta & West Point and Western Railway of Alabama, which were controlled by the Georgia Railroad. -
Virginian Railway Diesel Roster (All-Time)
Oct 16, 26 11:11 PM
All-time diesel roster of the Virginian Railway. 40 Fairbanks-Morse H16-44s, 25 H24-66 Train Masters, and one GE 44-tonner. Serials included. -
Virginian Railway Steam Roster (Post 1900)
Oct 16, 26 10:55 PM
Virginian Railway steam locomotives built since 1900. Mikados, 2-8-8-2s, the Triplex, class AE 2-10-10-2s, and the 1945 2-6-6-6s. -
Virginian Railway: Map, Rosters, History, Electrification
Oct 16, 26 10:51 PM
Virginian Railway, Deepwater to Norfolk. Combined in 1907 and completed in 1909. Electrified from Roanoke to Elmore. Absorbed by the Norfolk & Western on December 1, 1959. -
Baldwin "Centipede" Locomotives: Specs, Roster, Photos
Oct 16, 26 03:58 PM
Baldwin DR-12-8-1500/2 Centipede—2-D+D-2, two 608SC engines, 3,000 hp. SAL 4500 from the 1943 test bed. 54 on the serial list, 52 sold. PRR BP60 then BH50. None preserved. -
Louisville & Nashville Class M-1 2-8-4s: The Big Emmas
Oct 16, 26 03:52 PM
Louisville & Nashville class M-1, 42 Big Emma 2-8-4s. Baldwin in 1942 and 1944, Lima in 1949. Coal trains from Neon to DeCoursey. No locomotive survives. -
Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia Railway: Map, History, Rosters
Oct 16, 26 03:21 PM
Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia Railway, Chattanooga to Gadsden. The May 1929 card is 91.7 miles. Southern stock control closed on a January 1, 1971 schedule. Five diesels and Prince's steam list. -
Railroad Museums In The USA (2026): State Guides & Collections
Oct 16, 26 02:29 PM
U.S. railroad museums—what they are vs tourist railroads, preservation history (R&LHS, NRHS, IRM, Steamtown), state guides, and destination collections. Confirm hours on each museum’s site.
