Railroads
When the steam locomotive was introduced in the 1800s and continued to be improved upon, it allowed people to travel faster and longer distances. As such, railroad maps can give us clues to questions such as:
- How far could someone travel from a specific destination, via railroad?
- What areas would have been affected by the railroads, leading to growth of the area?
- Which routes were one-way? Which routes required multiple transfers?
Railroad maps can answer these questions, and many more.
See below for a list of examples of railroad maps that you can start your research with.
Map of the Connecticut River Line and Connections, 1886 NYPL Digital Collections Image ID 57181847
Catalog Tips
When searching the Online Research Catalog for road maps, in the Advanced Search, checkmark "Cartographic" under Format and type the following into the Keyword Field or Subject Field for most results:
- Keyword Search: Railroads [Name of location]
- Example: Railroads Russia
- Subject Search: Railroads -- [Name of location].
- Example: Railroads Russia.
For holdings of other years and places that are not in the Online Research Catalog, please search in the printed Dictionary Catalog of the Map Division (available online via HathiTrust), in volume 8 p. 340, under Railways.
- Please note that p. 339 of the digitized copy, where items indexed under "Railways" start, is an incomplete scan. To see the full p. 339, please visit the Map Division to review the physical copy.
In addition, please note that railroad routes are often also depicted on steamship/steamboat maps, so we do recommend searching for these types of maps as well for a more complete search. You can find recommended tips on how to search for steamship/steamboat maps via our Steamship/Steamboat Maps Tab.
Digitized Collections of Railroad Maps
- Railroad maps, 1828-1900
- a digital collection from the Library of Congress
- NYPL Digital Collection
- Keyword Search: Railroads
- Can utilize facets on left panel of results page to narrow your search
International Maps of Railroads
- Atlas of western, northwestern and middle western states : with maps of the island possessions, Japan, China, United States, and the world, showing location of railway lines of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railway, Great Northern Railway, Northern Pacific Railway / issued by the Passenger departments, Burlington route, Great Northern Railway, Northern Pacific Railway. 1905
- Map Div.+++ (United States. Railroads. 1905) (Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Company. Passenger Dept. Atlas of western, northwestern, and middle western states)
- Thomas Cook world rail map. 1990
- Map Div. 94-13941
- Verso includes larger scale maps of North America, Japan and India giving track gauges and system sizes.
A Selection of Africa Railroad Maps
- Africa, its political divisions and commercial routes. [189?]
- Map Div. 21-2947
- Africa orientale italiana / Istituto geografico militare. 1936
- Map Div. 19-1945
- Covers East Africa
- The Century Atlas, Africa central part. [1897]
- Map Div. 21-4163
- Stanford's library map of Africa. 1877
- Map Div. 21-2945
- Stanford's library map of Africa: new edition. 1898
- Map Div. 21-2951
- Map of routes to the Sudan : adapted from Les Annales Ge̓ographie. [1891]
- Map Div. 22-1694
- Mapa de Abisinia (Etiopia). [1931]
- Map Div. 19-742
- Standaardspoorwegkaart van Suid-Afrika = Standard railway map of South Africa. [1958?]
- Sc Map Q-33
- South Africa railway map. 1977
- Map Div. 10-331
- Zimbabwe. 1984
- Map Div. 87-5720
Asia
- Azii͡a / Glavnoe upravlenie geodezii i kartografii pri Sovete Ministrov SSSR. 1979, 1980
- Map Div. 19-1824
- Railway network map : [Turkey to the Central Asian republics]. [2003]
- Map Div. 03-3651
- Specialkarte vom westlichen Kleinasien [cartographic material] : nach seinen eigenen Reisen und anderen grösstenteils noch unveröffentlichten Routenaufnahmen / bearbeitet von Heinrich Kiepert = Carte de la partie occidentale de l 'Asie mineure / dressée par Henri Kiepert d'après ses propres observations et d'autres levées pour la plupart inédites = Map of the western part of Asia Minor / drawn by Henry Kiepert from his own researches and other surveys mostly unpublished. 1890-1891
- Map Div. (Asia Minor. Sets. 1:250,000) (Kiepert, H. Specialkarte vom westlichen Kleinasien. 1890-1891)
- Carte des Missions Catholiques du Siam, de la Birmanie et du Laos. 1904
- Covers from Burma and China to Singapore and Sumatra.
- Keifu Testudo senro ryakuzu = Map of the Seoul-Pusan Railway ; Fu Tōyō Tetsudō senro ryakuzu = Map of the Eastern Railways. 1910
- Map Div. 19-745
- Philippines / Prepared under the direction of the Department of Defense. 1971
- Map Div. 86-4056
- Railway map of India. Published under the direction of Dr. Hari Narain ... Surveyor General of India. 7th ed. 1974
- Map Div. 78-3426
- Travelers' map of Japan, Chosen (Korea), Taiwan (Formosa) : with brief descriptions of the principal tourist points in Japan. 1927
- Map Div. 06-1383
Austrasia
- Australia railway systems, 1981.
- Railways of Australia. 1995
- Map Div. 07-575
- Railway and road services map. 1972
- Map Div. 79-3039
- Focuses on Western Australia
A Selection of Europe Railroad Maps
- Central Europe, railways. 1920
- Map Div. (Europe, Central. 1920) (Central Europe: railways)
- Lignes ferrées internationales des Alpes. Le Grand Saint-Bernand, trajet direct de Londres à Brindisi avec jonction à la Méditerranée par le Col de Tende. 1884
- TPL (Vautheleret, M. de. Lignes ferrées internationales des Alpes)
- Map of central Europe : containing all the railways in use with the stations, also the principal roads, rivers and mountain ranges. 1870
- Map Div. (Europe, Central. 1882) (Map of central Europe)
- Stanford's library map of Europe : New Edition, 1910.
- Map Div. 22-1930
- The Thomas Cook new rail map of Europe. 1994
- Map Div. 97-694
- Brockhaus Reise-Atlas : Berlin-Leipzig-Wittenberge : Führer für Reisende auf den Eisenbahnen zwischen Berlin, Potsdam, Maddeburg, Wittenberge und Leipzig. [1868?]
- Map Div. (Germany. 1868) (Brockhaus Reise-Atlas : Berlin-Leipzig-Wittenberge)
- Carta de España : indicando el estado de los caminos de hierro en 1o de Enero de 1883, con las capitales de provincia, cabezas de partido judicial, plazas de guerra y aduanas de la península, y con las estaciones de las lineas en explotacion. 1883
- TPM (Spain. Obras Publicas, Direccion General de. Carta de Espana indicando el estado de los caminos de hierro. 1883)
- Focuses on Spain and Portugal
- Carte des chemins de fer concédés à la Grande société des chemins de fer russes par l'ukase de S.M. l'Empereur de Russie : en date du 26 janvier-7 février 1857.
- Map Div. 06-1271
- Focuses on Russia
- Carte spéciale des chemins de fer de l'Empire français, indiquant ... les routes et les voies navigables...1866
- Map Div. (France. 1866) (Carte speciale des chemins de fer de l'Empire francais)
- Focuses on France
- France : carte de tourisme. 1937
- Map Div. 19-1836
- A travelling county atlas: with all the railroads accurately laid down and coloured. [184?]
- Map Div. (Great Britain) (Hall, S. Travelling county atlas. 184-?)
- Focuses on Great Britain
A Selection of North American Railroad Maps
- Disturnell's new map of the United States and Canada showing all the canals, rail roads, telegraph lines and principal stage routes. 1851
- Map Div. 15-5093
- Map of North America showing the Pacific railroads. [1860]
- Map Div.15-5046
- New map of that portion of North America, exhibiting the United States and territories, the Canadas, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Mexico, also Central America, and the West India Islands [cartographic material] : compiled from the most recent surveys and authentic sources. 1854
- Map Div. 15-5043
- Professional railroad atlas of North America : United States, Canada, Mexico. 1998
- Map Div. 03-1469
- Rail road map of New England, Canada, & eastern N.Y. : compiled from the most authentic sources. 1850
- Map Div. 15-5268
- Rand McNally & Co.'s new official railroad map of the United States, Canada and Mexico. 1888
- Map Div. 15-5212
- Digital Image Available Here
- Skeleton map showing the rail roads completed and in progress in the United States and their connection as proposed with the harbor of Pensacola : and its relative position to the various important ports on the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic coast and in the West Indies. [1848]
- Map Div. 01-5296
- The Canadian National Railway System. 1965
- Map Div. 75-1218
- Aguascalientes, Colima, Jalisco, and Nayarit, México; indexed pocket map, tourists' and shippers' guide, with railroads, towns, post offices, lakes, rivers, mountains, etc. 1925
- Map Div. (Aguascalientes (state), Mexico) (Rand, McNally & Company. Aguascalientes, Colima, Jalisco, and Nayarit, Mexico)
- Campeche, Chiapas and Tabasco, México; indexed pocket map, tourists' and shippers' guide, with railroads, towns, post offices, lakes, rivers, mountains, etc. 1926
- Map Div. (Mexico [states]. 1925) (Rand, McNally & Company. Mexico [states]) indexes
- Chihuahua, México; indexed pocket map, tourists' and shippers' guide, with railroads, towns, post offices, lakes, rivers, mountains, etc. 1925
- Map Div. (Mexico [states]. 1925) (Rand, McNally & Company. Mexico [states]) indexes
- Coahuila, México; indexed pocket map tourists' and shippers' guide, with railroads, towns, post offices, lakes, rivers, mountains, etc. 1925
- Map Div. (Mexico [states]. 1925) (Rand, McNally & Company. Mexico [states]) indexes
- Durango, México; indexed pocket map, tourists' and shippers' guide, with railroads, towns, post offices, lakes, rivers, mountains, etc. 1925
- Map Div. (Mexico [states]. 1925) (Rand, McNally & Company. Mexico [states]) indexes
- Guanajuato, Hidalgo and Queretaro, México; indexed pocket map, tourists' and shippers' guide, with railroads, towns, post offices, lakes, rivers, mountains, etc. 1925
- Map Div. (Mexico [states]. 1925) (Rand, McNally & Company. Mexico [states]) indexes
- Guerrero and Michoacan, México; indexed pocket map, tourists' and shippers' guide, with railroads, towns, post offices, lakes, rivers, mountains, etc. 1925
- Map Div. (Mexico [states]. 1925) (Rand, McNally & Company. Mexico [states]) indexes
- Mapa de bolsillo Sonora, México; divisiones politicas, ciudades, ferrocarriles, canales y ríos navegables, etc. 1924
- Map Div. (Mexico [states]. 1925) (Rand, McNally & Company. Mexico [states]) indexes
- Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas, México; indexed pocket map, tourists' and shippers' guide, with railroads, towns, post offices, lakes, rivers, mountains, etc. 1925
- Map Div. (Mexico [states]. 1925) (Rand, McNally & Company. Mexico [states]) indexes
- Puebla, Tlaxcala and Veracruz, México; indexed pocket map, tourists' and shippers' guide, with railroads, towns, post offices, lakes, rivers, mountains, etc. 1925
- Map Div. (Mexico [states]. 1925) (Rand, McNally & Company. Mexico [states]) indexes
- Quintana Roo and Yucatan, México; indexed pocket map, tourists' and shippers' guide, with railroads, towns, post offices, lakes, rivers, mountains, etc. 1925
- Map Div. (Mexico [states]. 1925) (Rand, McNally & Company. Mexico [states]) indexes
- Rand MaNally & Co.'s indexed state and railroad pocket map and shippers' guide of Mexico. 1901
- Map Div. (Mexico. 1901) (Rand, McNally & Co.'s indexed state and railroad pocket map and shippers' guide of Mexico)
- San Luis Potosi, México; indexed pocket map, tourists' and shippers' guide, with railroads, towns, post offices, lakes, rivers, mountains, etc. 1925
- Map Div. (Mexico [states]. 1925) (Rand, McNally & Company. Mexico [states]) indexes
- Sinaloa, México; indexed pocket map, tourists' and shippers' guide, with railroad, towns, post offices, lakes, rivers, mountains, etc. 1925
- Map Div. (Mexico [states]. 1925) (Rand, McNally & Company. Mexico [states]) indexes
- Zacatecas and Aguascalientes, México; indexed pocket map, tourists' and shippers' guide, with railroads, towns, post offices, lakes, rivers, mountains, etc. 1925
- Map Div. (Zacatecas (state), Mexico) (Rand, McNally & Co. Zacatecas and Aguascalientes, México)
- [Eastern Tennessee, with parts of Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and Kentucky]. 1865
- Map Div. 17-682
- Johnson's Missouri and Kansas. 1865
- Map Div. 16-5498
- Map no. 1 from San Francisco Bay to the northern boundary of California : from explorations and surveys made under the direction of the Hon. Jefferson Davis, Sec. of War. 1855
- Map Div. 15-5455
- Map of Alaska and portions of the Northwest Territory : showing routes to the gold fields. 1898
- Map Div. 15-5413
- [Map of the territory of Minnesota, part of Wisconsin and the adjacent states]. [1865]
- Map Div. 16-5451
- Map of the United States of North America, Upper & Lower Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia & British Columbia. Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica, St. Domingo and the Bahama Islands. [1861]
- Map Div. 15-5132
- Rand McNally handy railroad atlas of the United States, various years
- 1944: Map Div.+ (United States) (Rand McNally & Company. Handy railroad atlas of the United States. 1944)
- 1952: Map Div.+ (United States) (Rand McNally and Company. Handy railroad atlas of the United States. 1952)
- 1971: Map Div.+ (Rand McNally & Company. Handy railroad atlas of the United States)
- 1978: Map Div.+ 80-590 (Rand McNally and Co. Handy railroad atlas of the United States)
- 1982: Map Div. 85-195
- Railroad map of New England & eastern New York : compiled from the most authentic sources. 1849
- Map Div. 15-5262
- Digital image available here.
A Selection of Railroad Maps of South America
- Gran mapa de ferrocarriles sud americanos. 1914
- Map Div. (Bemporat, A. Gran mapa de ferrocarriles sud americanos)
- Transportation routes between the United States and other American countries. [1899]
- Map Div. 15-5014
- Carta do estado do Maranhão. [1897]
- Map Div. 87-5212
- Focuses on Brazil
- Mappa da viação ferrea dos E.U. do Brasil e da rep. do Uruguay. 1937
- Map Div. 87-5772
- Focuses on Brazil and Uruguay
- Mapa de la Provincia de Córdoba, Kilometraje y altimetrias : auto-rutas Cordoba [Argentina]. [197-]
- Map Div. 86-4260
- Mapa de las vias de comunicación de los Estados Unidos de Venezuela. [1951]
- Map Div. (Venezuela) (Mapa de la vias de comunicacion de los Estados Unidos de Venezuela)
- Plano de tramways de Buenos Aires. 1914
- Map Div. (Buenos Aires, Argentine Republic. 1914) (Bemporat, A. Plano de tramways de Buenos Aires)