List of railway towns in the United States explained

This is a list of railway towns in the United States listed by state. The United States has a high concentration of railway towns, communities that developed and/or were built around a railway system. Railway towns are particularly abundant in the midwest and western states, and the railroad has been credited as a major force in the economic and geographic development of the country.^[1] Historians credit the railroad system for the country's vast development in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, as well as having helped facilitate a "unified" nation.^[2]

Alabama

• Birmingham

Alaska

• Fairbanks
• Seward^[3]

Arizona

• Benson
• Williams

Arkansas

• North Little Rock

Colorado

• Antonito
• Denver
• Durango
• Pueblo^[1]

Georgia

• Atlanta (est. as Terminus)^[2]

Idaho

Pcatello, Idaho

• Avery
• Burke^[4]
• Nampa^[5]
• Wallace^[6]

Illinois

• Centralia
• Champaign
• Chicago^[1]
• West Chicago
• Rochelle

Iowa

• Ames^[7]

Kansas

• Dodge City^[2]

Kentucky

• Midway

Maryland

• Baltimore
• Brunswick
• Cumberland
• Hagerstown

Missouri

• Kansas City
• St. Louis

Montana

• Billings^[1]
• Dillon
• Laurel^[8]
• Livingston^[9]

Nebraska

• North Platte^[10]
• Omaha

Nevada

• Carson City
• Las Vegas
• Virginia City

New Hampshire

• Woodsville

New Mexico

• Albuquerque^[1]
• Chama^[11]

New York

• Albany
• New York City^[12]

North Carolina

• Apex
• Durham
• Ellenboro
• Goldsboro
• High Point
• Morehead City
• Weldon

North Dakota

• Barton^[1]
• Enderlin^[13]

Oklahoma

• Guthrie^[11]
• Stillwater

Pennsylvania

• Altoona
• Pittsburgh^[2]
• Scranton

Tennessee

• Chattanooga
• Etowah
• Nashville

Texas

• Kilgore, Texas
• Port Arthur

Wills Point

• Elgin, Texas
• College Station, Texas

Utah

• Helper
• Salt Lake City^[1]

Vermont

• Island Pond
• White River Junction
• Wells River

Virginia

• Clifton Forge, home to Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) shops.
• Roanoke, home to shops and locomotive works of the Norfolk & Western (N&W).
• Victoria, home to the Virginian Railway (VGN) shops.

Washington (state)

• Kalama
• Lester^[14]
• Melmont^[15]
• Spokane^[11]
• Tacoma^[1]

West Virginia

• Wheeling^[2]
• Harper's Ferry
• Huntington, founded as terminus for Chesapeake & Ohio

Wyoming

• Cheyenne, Wyoming^[1]
• Laramie^[1]

External links

• History of railroad towns via University of Groningen

Notes and References

1. Towns of the Western Railroads. John C.. Hudson. 41–54. 1982. Great Plains Quarterly. 2. 1.
2. Web site: Railroads. Dictionary of American History. Encyclopedia.com. 2003. August 30, 2017.
3. Web site: Alaska Railroad History. AlaskaTrain. August 28, 2017.
4. Shoot-Out In Burke Canyon. American Heritage. Earl. Clark. August 1971 . 22 . 5. March 28, 2007.
5. Web site: A Walk Through Time: Discovering Downtown Nampa. Preservation Idaho. August 30, 2017. 2012.
6. Web site: A Brief History of Wallace, Idaho. Spokane Historical Society. August 30, 2017. Hiatt, Sean.
7. Web site: Ames Origin . Ames Historical Society . Mar 21, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140322030555/http://www.ameshistory.org/ames_origin.htm . March 22, 2014 .
8. Web site: Laurel at 100: Railroad spurs towns growth. Billings Gazette. Pickett, Mary. June 7, 2008. August 29, 2017.
9. Web site: North of paradise: Livingston — Montana's windy, railroad town — is full of quirks and delights. Billings Gazette. March 14, 2016. August 30, 2017. Briggeman, Kim.
10. Web site: North Platte: The rise of a railroad town. Trains. May 21, 2010. Van Hattem, Matt. August 29, 2017.
11. Web site: Train Towns. True West Magazine. March 1, 2006. August 30, 2017.
12. Web site: History of Railroads in New York State. State of New York. August 26, 2017.
13. Web site: Why a small North Dakota town is taking on Big Rail. Reuters. November 25, 2014. Scheyder, Ernest. August 29, 2017.
14. Web site: Former Northwest Railroad Town Struggles To Keep Last 25 People. Oregon Public Broadcasting. September 6, 2013. August 29, 2017. Robinson, Jessica.
15. Book: Hall, Nancy I. . Carbon River Coal Country. Orting. Heritage Quest Press. 1994. 978-0-945-43333-0. 251.