The Rail Network is a comprehensive database of the nation's railway system at 1:24,000 to 1:100,000 scale. The data set covers all 50 States plus the District of Columbia

© Acknowledgment of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) This layer is sourced from maps.bts.dot.gov.

The Railroad Network is a comprehensive database of the nation's railway system at 1:24,000 to 1:100,000 scale. The data set covers all 50 States plus the District of Columbia.

© The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)

The North American Rail Network (NARN) Rail Lines dataset was created in 2016 and was updated on April 09, 2025 from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)/Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD). The NARN Rail Lines dataset is a database that provides ownership, trackage rights, type, passenger, STRACNET, and geographic reference for North America's railway system at 1:24,000 or better within the United States. The data set covers all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Mexico, and Canada. A data dictionary, or other source of attribute information, is accessible at https://doi.org/10.21949/1528950

The North American Rail Network (NARN) Rail Lines: CSX View dataset is from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)/Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD). This dataset is a subset of the NARN Rail Lines dataset that show the ownership and trackage rights for the Class I railroad “CSX Transportation.†It is derived from the North American Rail Network (NARN) Lines dataset, and for more information please consult, https://doi.org/10.21949/1519415. The NARN Rail Lines dataset is a database that provides ownership, trackage rights, type, passenger, STRACNET, and geographic reference for North America's railway system at 1:24,000 or better within the United States. The data set covers all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Mexico, and Canada. A data dictionary, or other source of attribute information, is accessible at https://doi.org/10.21949/1528950

This map contains all the USA railroad tracks data. It is zoomed in on the City of Rochester and the nearby area. Data showing on the map includes: FRA IDFRA RegionStateSubdivisionRailroad OwnerNumber of TracksNetwork DescriptionPassenger LineMiles

Network of Texas Railroads pulled from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) North American Rail Network (NARN) Rail Lines publicly available data. The data was clipped to the Texas State Boundary and queried to a records subset based on "current status or condition of rail line" as populated in the "NET" attribute. Additional fields were added and populated to adhere to TxDOT requirements and purposes.Update Frequency: 1 MonthsSource: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)Security Level: PublicOwned by TxDOT: FalseRelated LinksFRA NARN Source DataTexas Railroads (Deprecated)Data Dictionary PDF [Generated 2025/04/29]

In the 1800s, the spread of railroads enabled the growth and spread of the United States. Although slow by today’s standards, trains traveled more quickly than other forms of transportation available at the time. By train, it took roughly four days to reach San Francisco from Omaha, Nebraska. By contrast, it had taken covered wagons four to six months, and stagecoaches around a month. In addition to travel, railroads facilitated trade and economic growth. Prior to railroads, people relied on a system of roads and canals for transportation of goods and crops. But this system could be unreliable depending on road conditions, the weather, and many other factors. Trains brought products made in the factories of the East and Midwest to the rest of the country and carried farm produce and livestock to urban markets. The first railroad charter was granted to John Stevens in 1815, and several railroads were in service by 1830. Early rail development was haphazard, financed by individual investors and built without government oversight. Rail gauges, or the distance between rails, could be different depending on the company. This caused a lot of problems for connecting railroads, because only trains designed for that gauge could use those sections of track. Despite miles of track being built, people were generally still skeptical about the usefulness of railroads. In 1843, the Western Railroad of Massachusetts proved to Americans that trains could transport crops and other goods long distances at low costs. By 1861, there were 35,400 kilometers (22,000 miles) of track in the North and only 15,300 kilometers (9,500 miles) in the South. Troops and supplies could be transported quickly using trains. Many battles, like the Battle of Bull Run, were fought over control of Southern railway depots, and tracks were used to move both Confederate and Union soldiers to battles. After the Civil War, railway construction increased significantly. In 1862, Congress passed the Pacific Railway Act with the goal of building a transcontinental railroad. The first, built by the Central Pacific Railroad Company in the West and the Union Pacific in the Midwest, was completed in 1869. Following roughly the route previously taken by the Pony Express and the California Trail, the route was called the Overland Route. Construction was dangerous, as rail crews had to cross mountains, rivers, and other difficult terrain. For this work, the Central Pacific and Union Pacific relied mainly on immigrant labor, recruiting Chinese immigrants in the West and Irish immigrants in the Midwest. Formerly enslaved people and Mormons were also part of these crews. Between 10,000 and 15,000 Chinese workers completed an estimated 90 percent of work on the Central Pacific’s portion of track, facing racism, violence, and discrimination. Chinese workers were often paid less than white workers and were given the most undesirable and dangerous jobs. The Overland Route was one of the first land-grant railroads. To fund construction of such a long and expensive project, the U.S. government gave railroad companies millions of acres of land that they could sell for profit. Following this model, many more railroads were built, including four additional transcontinental railroads. These new railroads took southern and northern routes across the country. In addition to connecting existing cities on the West Coast to the rest of the country, the railroads also influenced where people settled. Trains made multiple stops to refuel, make repairs, and take on more food and water. In return, towns grew around these stops. More than 7,000 cities and towns west of the Missouri River started as Union Pacific depots and water stops. In 1890, the U.S. Bureau of the Census announced that the “Frontier was closed.” The railroads had played a large role in that milestone. This dataset was researched and built by Dr. Jeremy Atack, Professor Emeritus and Research Professor of Economics at Vanderbilt University. His procedure and sources, as well as downloadable files, are documented here.

North American Rail Network LinesThis Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) feature layer, utilizing National Geospatial Data Asset (NGDA) data, displays the North American Rail Network (NARN). Per BTS, "NARN Rail Lines dataset was created...from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and is part of the...National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD). It is a database that provides ownership, trackage rights, type, passenger, STRACNET, and geographic reference for North America's railway system...within the United States. The data set covers all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Mexico, and Canada.It can be used within the public, the federal government, rail industry, state DOTs, and academia for routing, mapping and analysis."Main sub network (ID #383590)Data currency: Current Federal service (NTAD North American Rail Network Lines)NGDAID: 145 (North American Rail Network Lines)For more information: North American Rail Network Lines; Rail Network DevelopmentSupport documentation: North American Rail Network LinesFor feedback please contact: Esri_US_Federal_Data@esri.comNGDA Data SetThis data set is part of the NGDA Transportation Theme Community. Per the Federal Geospatial Data Committee (FGDC), Transportation is defined as the "means and aids for conveying persons and/or goods. The transportation system includes both physical and non-physical components related to all modes of travel that allow the movement of goods and people between locations".For other NGDA Content: Esri Federal Datasets

USA Railroads is a comprehensive database of the nation's railway system at 1:24,000 to 1:100,000 scale. The data set covers all 50 States plus the District of Columbia.This hosted feature service displays at scales up to 1:1,500,000.

Connecticut Railroads is a 1:24,000-scale, feature-based layer that includes railroad features on the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle maps for the State of Connecticut. This layer only includes features located in Connecticut. The layer is based on information from USGS topographic quadrangle maps published between 1969 and 1984 and does not represent the railroad system in Connecticut at any one particular point in time. The layer does not depict current conditions and excludes many railroads that have been built, modified, or removed since the time these topographic quadrangle maps were published. The layer includes railroad tracks, bridges, drawbridges, roundhouses, sidings, tracks, tunnels, underpasses, and stations. It does not include train schedule or track related information. Features are linear and represent railroad track centerlines. Attribute information is comprised of codes to cartographically represent (symbolize) rail features on a map. This layer was originally published in 1994. The 2005 edition includes the same rail features published in 1994, but the attribute information has been slightly modified and made easier to use.

The North American Rail Network (NARN) Rail Lines: Class I Freight Railroads View dataset is from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)/Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD). This dataset is a subset of the NARN Rail Lines dataset that show the ownership and trackage rights for all the Class I freight railroads: “Burlington Northern and Santa Fe (BNSF),” "Canadian National (CN) Railway," "Canadian Pacific (CP) Railway," "CSX Transportation," "Norfolk Southern (NS) Railway," "Kansas City Southern (KCS) Railway," and "Union Pacific (UP)". It is derived from the North American Rail Network (NARN) Lines dataset, and for more information please consult, https://doi.org/10.21949/1519415. The NARN Rail Lines dataset is a database that provides ownership, trackage rights, type, passenger, STRACNET, and geographic reference for North America's railway system at 1:24,000 or better within the United States. The data set covers all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Mexico, and Canada. A data dictionary, or other source of attribute information, is accessible at https://doi.org/10.21949/1528950

The North American Rail Network (NARN) Rail Lines: BNSF View dataset is from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)/Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD). This dataset is a subset of the NARN Rail Lines dataset that show the ownership and trackage rights for the Class I railroad “Burlington Northern and Santa Fe (BNSF).†It is derived from the North American Rail Network (NARN) Lines dataset, and for more information please consult, https://doi.org/10.21949/1519415. The NARN Rail Lines dataset is a database that provides ownership, trackage rights, type, passenger, STRACNET, and geographic reference for North America's railway system at 1:24,000 or better within the United States. The data set covers all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Mexico, and Canada. A data dictionary, or other source of attribute information, is accessible at https://doi.org/10.21949/1528950

The North American Rail Network (NARN) Rail Lines: UP View dataset is from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)/Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD). This dataset is a subset of the NARN Rail Lines dataset that show the ownership and trackage rights for the Class I railroad “Union Pacific (UP).†It is derived from the North American Rail Network (NARN) Lines dataset, and for more information please consult, https://doi.org/10.21949/1519415. The NARN Rail Lines dataset is a database that provides ownership, trackage rights, type, passenger, STRACNET, and geographic reference for North America's railway system at 1:24,000 or better within the United States. The data set covers all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Mexico, and Canada. A data dictionary, or other source of attribute information, is accessible at https://doi.org/10.21949/1528950

An updated version of this product can be found at North American Rail LinesNorth American Rail LinesThis Federal Railroad Administration map layer displays North America's railway system. The rail network is a comprehensive layer of North America's railway system. The data set covers Canada, Mexico, and all 50 states including the District of Columbia in the U.S.Data currency: Current Federal Service (See Service Directory > "Service Description" for currency date)Data modifications: NoneFor more information: North American Rail Lines (National) - National Geospatial Data Asset (NGDA) North American Rail LinesFor feedback please contact: ArcGIScomNationalMaps@esri.com.Thumbnail source image courtesy of Alger Cugun

Analysis of ‘Connecticut Railroads’ provided by Analyst-2 (analyst-2.ai), based on source dataset retrieved from https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/0f9f883e-31c1-4eec-b4fe-55ed78f90b18 on 27 January 2022.

--- Dataset description provided by original source is as follows ---

Connecticut Railroads is a 1:24,000-scale, feature-based layer that includes railroad features on the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle maps for the State of Connecticut. This layer only includes features located in Connecticut. The layer is based on information from USGS topographic quadrangle maps published between 1969 and 1984 and does not represent the railroad system in Connecticut at any one particular point in time. The layer does not depict current conditions and excludes many railroads that have been built, modified, or removed since the time these topographic quadrangle maps were published. The layer includes railroad tracks, bridges, drawbridges, roundhouses, sidings, tracks, tunnels, underpasses, and stations. It does not include train schedule or track related information. Features are linear and represent railroad track centerlines. Attribute information is comprised of codes to cartographically represent (symbolize) rail features on a map. This layer was originally published in 1994. The 2005 edition includes the same rail features published in 1994, but the attribute information has been slightly modified and made easier to use.

--- Original source retains full ownership of the source dataset ---

Contained within the 3rd Edition (1957) of the Atlas of Canada is a map that shows the pattern of the Canadian railway network. Lines of the principal railway companies are shown in colour, while those for smaller companies have the name of the operator written beside their lines. The map gives substantial US coverage as well: it shows links to US rail companies, and also the location of American lines owned by Canadian railway companies. The map also has a table listing railway distances between 14 major centres.

These files are an extract of selected geographic and cartographic information from the 1995 TIGER/Line files detailing railroads. This dataset includes railroad tracks, railroad main lines, railroad spurs, railroad yards, railroad ferry crossings, car lines, and cog railroads.

Contained within the 1st Edition (1906) of the Atlas of Canada is a map that shows the Canada's transcontinental rail network, including the ownership of these lines. The portions of the main lines of the Grand Trunk, Grand Trunk Pacific, Canadian Pacific and Mackenzie and Mann (Canadian Northern) railway companies are shown as being in operation, under construction and projected systems. This is represented as either red, green, or blue, solid or dashed lines. Major rail lines in the U.S controlled by Canadian operators are also shown.

This shapefile is an extract of selected geographic and cartographic information from the 1995 TIGER/Line files detailing railroads. This dataset includes railroad tracks, railroad main lines, railroad spurs, railroad yards, railroad ferry crossings, car lines, and cog railroads.

The North American Rail Network (NARN) Rail Yards dataset was created in 2024 and was updated on January 29, 2025 from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)/Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD). This Rail Yards layer represents and is derived from where the North American Rail Network (NARN) Lines layer as aggregated by type of track designated as yards. A rail yard is an area consisting of a network of tracks where trains are stored and/or maintained.The NARN Rail Lines dataset is a database that provides ownership, trackage rights, type, passenger, STRACNET, and geographic reference for North America's railway system at 1:24,000 or better within the United States. The data set covers all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Mexico, and Canada. A data dictionary, or other source of attribute information, is accessible at https://doi.org/10.21949/1528005

The GIS Web Mapping Application is design to have the look and feel as Google Earth. The primary functionality is to provide the user information about FRA's rail lines, rail crossings, freight stations, and mileposting.