Historical Railways and Sites
In the 16th century, trains were horse-drawn wagons with wooden wheels and rails, used in mining camps in England and Western Europe. In the 18th century, cast-iron wheels and rails were introduced, improving the quality of railways. Richard Trevithic, John Blenkinsop, and William Hedley invented, built, and operated several steam locomotives between the years of 1797 and 1813. This replaced horse-drawn trains. Then George Stephenson built and equipped the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1823-1825. This English railway line was 32 km (20 miles) long, and the first public railway in the world to be powered by a steam engine. The links included herein deal specifically with historical railways and sites.
Arizona: Arizona Rail Passenger Association
Browse the Arizona Rail Passenger Association for rail travel information, maps, depot listings, price quotes, and historical links.
Arizona: TheTrain.com: Grand Canyon Railway
Check TheTrain.com for information on this scenic rail ride and details on experiencing a ride on a steam locomotive.
California: Birth of California's Narrow Gauge Railroads
Check Birth of California's Narrow Gauge Railroads for an online paper discussing narrow-gauge railroads and the locomotives that used them.
California: California Zephyr Virtual Museum
Check the California Zephyr Virtual Museum for history and related information, with photos, descriptions, memorabilia, and literature.
California: Electric Railway Association of Southern California
Browse the Electric Railway Association of Southern California for historical records of electric trains from 1873, with photos and specifications.
California: Los Angeles River Railroads
Check the Los Angeles River Railroads for railroads along the Los Angeles river, with photos, descriptions, and timeline.
California: Santa Cruz Railroad Historical Railroad and Resources Guide
Browse the Santa Cruz Railroad web site for a history of the California region of Santa Cruz's railroad.
California: Trolley Barn
Check the Trolley Barn for a trolley history, photographs, and references to related information.
California: University of Virginia, Charlottesville: Sacramento Northern Online
Check University of Virginia for online information, photos, articles, and train-related resources on the Sacramento Northern Railway.
Colorado: DenverTrolley.org: Denver Rail Heritage Society
Browse DenverTrolley.org for resources geared to those interested in railroads, with photos, descriptions, links, and railroad and trolley lines.
Illinois: Arthur U. Gerber: Chicago Transit Architect
Browse Arthur U.Gerber's site for historical guides, photos, and links to related sites, including a biography of this architect.
Illinois: Chicago Interurban Railroads
Check Chicago Interurban Railroad for city-to-city trains around Chicago, with history, links, and photos.
Illinois: Chicago Tunnel Company
Check Chicago Tunnel Company for photos of this railroad and specialized trains used in freight tunnels, with a history.
Illinois: Jazz Age Railroads: Chicago Transport
Check Jazz Age Railroads for a history of this Chicago identity, with photos, and histories.
Indiana: Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society
Check Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society for photos of restored engines, facts on historic lines, and more.
Kentucky: Hardin Southern Railroad
Check Hardin Southern Railroad for nostalgia tours, schedules, history, and details of a steam engine restoration.
Michigan: Railroads in Newaygo County
Browse Railroads in Newaygo County for a history of the train industry in a Michigan county since 1870.
New York: Buffalo Central Terminal Restoration
Check Buffalo Central Terminal Restoration for history, news, information and photos of the ongoing restoration work.
New York: Buffalo Railroad: Central Terminal
Browse Buffalo Railroad for photos, history, opinions, and links dedicated to preservation of this New York railway.
New York: Railroads of Western New York
Check Railroads of Western New York for histories, photos, and links to help preserve the memory of past railroad experiences.
Ohio: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland: Penn Central Railroad
Browse Case Western Reserve University for photos, maps, library, and links on historical information for this Pennsylvania Central Railroad.
Ohio: Cleveland Union Terminal Collection
Check Cleveland Union Terminal Collection for exhibitions, history, and relevant news, with details and photos.
Ohio: Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
Check Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad for vintage train trips with ticket and local attraction information.
Oregon: Columbia County Logging Railroads
Check Columbia County Logging Railroads for extensive histories of railroads and train used the logging effort out West.
Pennsylvania: Northeastern Pennsylvania Rail and Anthracite
Check Northeastern Pennsylvania Rail and Anthracite for articles, background information and photos to preserve the legacy of mining and railroads.
Vermont: Vermont State Colleges: Addison Railroad
Check Vermont State Colleges photos, articles, and documents about Addison Railroad in Vermont, with a discussion on aspects of the railway's life.
Vermont: Vermont State Colleges: Electric Railroads of Vermont
Check Vermont State Colleges maps, histories, and photos of various electric train operations in Vermont, including a train servicing Mount Mansfield.