Class I Railroad map of North America.

Click to enlarge.

(Kmusser, CC BY-SA 2.5 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5>, via Wikimedia Commons)

 

RAILROADS A-Z

CLASS I AND FORMER CLASS I RAILROADS

Class I railroads are the largest rail carriers in the United States. In 1900, there were 132 Class I railroads, but as the result of mergers and bankruptcies, the industry has consolidated and in August of 2021, just seven Class I freight railroads remained. Now there are only six.

Note: This list also includes other important Class II or noteworthy roads and transit systems.

See also: Railroad Classes

 

A

Aberdeen and Rockfish Railroad

Ahnapee and Western Railway

Akron, Canton and Youngstown Railroad

Alabama & Gulf Coast Railway

Alabama Great Southern Railroad

Alabama, Tennessee and Northern Railroad

Alabama and Vicksburg Railway

Alaska Railroad

Algoma Central Railway

Altamont Corridor Express

Alton Railroad

Alton and Southern Railway

Amtrak

Amtrak California

Angels Flight

Ann Arbor Railroad

Apache Railway

Arizona Central Railroad

Arizona Eastern Railroad

Arizona and New Mexico Railway

Arkansas and Missouri Railroad

Ashley, Drew and Northern Railway

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway

     See also: Fred Harvey Company

Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic Railway

Atlanta, Birmingham and Coast Railroad

Atlanta and St. Andrews Bay Railway

Atlanta and West Point Railroad

Atlantic City Railroad

Atlantic Coast Line Railroad

Atlantic and Danville Railway

Atlantic and St. Lawrence Railroad

Auto-Train Corporation

 

B

Baltimore, Chesapeake and Atlantic Railroad

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad

Bangor and Aroostook Railroad

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)

Bay Coast Railroad

Bayside Canadian Railway

BCRail

Beaumont, Sour Lake and Western Railway

Belt Railway of Chicago

Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad

Big Four Railroad

Billy Jone's Wildcat Railway

Bingham and Garfield Railway

Blue Ridge Scenic Railway

BNSF

Bosques de Chihuahua

Boston and Albany Railroad

Boston and Maine Railroad

Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad

Brightline

Brightline West

Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad

Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado Railway

Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway

Buffalo and Susquehanna Railroad

Bulldog Goldfield Railroad

Burlington Northern Railroad

Burlington Refrigerator Express

Burlington-Rock Island Railroad

Butte, Anaconda and Pacific Railway

 

C

California Western Railroad

Caltrain

Cambria and Indiana Railroad

Canadian National Lines in New England

Canadian National Railways

Canadian Northern Railway

Canadian Pacific Lines in Maine

Canadian Pacific Lines in Vermont

Canadian Pacific Railway

Canadian Railways

CapMetro Rail

Carolina, Clinchfield and Ohio Railway

Carolina and Northwestern Railway

Central of Georgia Railway

Central Maine and Québec Railway

Central New England Railway

Central Railroad of New Jersey

Central Railroad of Pennsylvania

Central Vermont Railway

Charleston and Western Carolina Railway

Chesapeake and Ohio Railway

Chessie System

Chicago and Atlantic Railway

Chicago and Alton Railroad

Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad

Chicago Central and Pacific Railroad

Chicago, Detroit and Canada Grand Trunk Junction Railroad

Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad

Chicago and Erie Railroad

Chicago and North Western Transportation Company

Chicago Great Western Railroad

Chicago and Illinois Midland Railway

Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad

Chicago, Indiana and Southern Railroad

Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville Railway

Chicago "L"

Chicago, Milwaukee and Puget Sound Railway

Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (The Milwaukee Road)

Chicago, Missouri and Western Railway

Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad

Chicago, Peoria and St. Louis Railroad

Chicago Rapid Transit Company

Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf Railway

Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (CRIP)

Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (RILX)

Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway

Chicago and Southern Railway

Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad

Chicago, Terre Haute and Southeastern Railway

Chicago Transit Authority

Cincinnati & Lake Erie Railroad

Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railway

Cincinnati, Indianapolis & Western Railroad

Cincinnati, Lebanon and Northern Railway

Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railway

Cincinnati Northern Railroad

Cleveland, Akron and Cincinnati Railway

Cleveland, Akron and Columbus Railway

Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway

Cliffs Erie Railroad

Clinchfield Railroad

Coal and Coke Railway

Coaster

Colorado Midland Railway

Colorado and Southern Railway

Colorado and Wyoming Railway

Columbus and Greenville Railroad

Columbus and Greenville Railway

Consolidated Rail Corporation

Conrail

Conrail Shared Assets Operations

Conway Scenic Railroad

Copper River and Northwestern Railway

Cotton Belt

Cotton Belt Line

Corpus Christi Terminal Railroad

Cripple Creek and Colorado Springs Railroad

CSX Transportation

CT Rail

Cumberland Valley Railroad

Cumberland Valley and Martinsburg Railroad

Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad

 

D

D&I Railroad

Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad

Dakota, Missouri Valley and Western Railroad

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)

Dallas Streetcar

DART Silver Line

DCTA A-train

Death Valley Railroad

Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad

Delaware and Hudson Railway

Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad

Denver, Northwestern and Pacific Railway

Denver and Rio Grande Railroad

Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad

              See also: Rio Grande Industries, Inc.

Denver and Salt Lake Railroad

Denver and Salt Lake Railway

Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee Railway

Detroit and Mackinac Railway

Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad

Detroit and Toledo Shore Line Railroad

Disneyland Railroad

Duluth and Iron Range Railroad

Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway

Duluth, Missabe and Northern Railway

Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway

Duluth, Winnipeg and Pacific Railway

Duquesne Incline

Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad

 

E

East Broad Top Railroad and Coal Company

El Paso and Southwestern Railroad

Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway

Ellis and Eastern Company

Erie Railroad

Erie Lackawanna Railway

Escanaba & Lake Superior Railroad

Evansville, Indianapolis and Terre Haute Railway

Evansville and Terre Haute Railroad

Evansville Western Railway

Exo

 

F

Family Lines

Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacifico

Ferrocarril del Pacífico

Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México

Ferrocarril Sonora–Baja California

Ferrocarriles Unidos del Sureste

Ferromex

Ferrosur

Finger Lakes Railway

Fitchburg Railroad

Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad

Florida East Coast Railway

Fonda, Johnstown and Gloversville Railroad

Fort Smith and Western Railroad

Fort Smith and Western Railway

Fort Worth and Denver Railway

Fort Worth and Denver City Railway

Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railway

Fox River Valley Railroad

Frisco

Fruit Growers Express

 

G

Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway

Galveston Railroad

Gateway Western Railway

GATX

Genesee and Wyoming, Inc.

Georgia Railroad

Georgia and Florida Railroad

Georgia and Florida Railway

Georgia Southern and Florida Railway

GO Transit

Grand Canyon Railway

Grand Rapids and Indiana Railway

Grand Trunk Corporation

Grand Trunk Railway

Grand Trunk Western Railroad

Great Lakes Central Railroad

Great Northern Railway

Green Bay and Western Railroad

Guilford Transportation

Gulf and Mississippi Railroad

Gulf Coast Lines

Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway

Gulf, Mobile and Northern Railroad

Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad

Gulf and Ship Island Railroad (G&SI)

Gulf and Ship Island Railroad (GSI)

 

H

Hetch Hetchy Railroad

Hocking Valley Railway

Houston East and West Texas Railway

Houston and Texas Central Railroad

 

I

I&M Rail Link

Illinois and Midland Railroad

Illinois Central Railroad

Illinois Central Gulf Railroad

Illinois Terminal Company

Illinois Terminal Railroad

Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad

Indianapolis Southern Railroad

Intercolonial Railway

International-Great Northern Railroad

International and Great Northern Railroad

International and Great Northern Railway

International Railway of Maine

Interstate Railroad

Iowa Central Railway

Iowa, Chicago and Eastern Railroad

Iowa Interstate Railroad

Iowa Pacific Holdings

 

J

Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railway

 

K

Kanawha and Michigan Railway

Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway

Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway of Texas

Kansas City, Pittsburgh and Gulf Railroad

Kansas City Southern Railway

Kansas City Southern de Mexico (KCSM)

Kansas City Terminal Railway

Kansas, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway

Katy

Kaw River Railroad

Kelowna Pacific Railway

Key System

Kyle Railroad

 

L

Lake Erie and Western Railroad

Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway

Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad

Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad

Lehigh and Hudson River Railway

Lehigh and New England Railroad

Lehigh Valley Railroad

Leonard's M&O Subway

Litchfield and Madison Railway

Long Island Rail Road

   see also Long Island Rail Road History

Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad

Louisiana and Arkansas Railway

Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas Railway

Louisiana Railway and Navigation Company

Louisiana Railway and Navigation Company of Texas

Louisiana Western Railroad

Louisville, Henderson and St. Louis Railway

Louisville and Nashville Railroad

 

M

M Ocean View (Muni)

M-Line Trolley

Maine Central Railroad

Magma Arizona Railroad

MARC

Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad (Ma & Pa)

Maryland, Delaware and Virginia Railway

MAX Light Rail

MBTA Commuter Rail

Metra

METRO (Minnesota)

Metro-North Railroad

METRORail (Houston)

Metrorail (Miami-Dade County)

Mexican Central Railway

Mexican National Railroad (NdeM)

Mexico City Metro

Railroads of Mexico

see also Rail Transport in Mexico

Michigan Central Railroad

Michigan Interstate Railway

Midland Valley Railroad

MidSouth Rail Corporation

Milwaukee Road

Mineral Range Railroad

Minarets and Western Railway

Minneapolis, Northfield and Southern Railway

Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway

Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad (Soo Line)

     See also: Soo Line Locomotives

Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway

Minnesota and International Railway

Mississippi Central Railroad

Missouri and Arkansas Railway

Missouri-Illinois Railroad

Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (Katy)

Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway

Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad of Texas

Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway of Texas

Missouri and North Arkansas Railroad

Missouri and North Arkansas Railway

Missouri, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway

Missouri Pacific Railroad

Mobile and Ohio Railroad

Monon Railroad

Monongahela Incline

Monongahela Railway

Montana Rail Link

Monterrey Metro

Montour Railroad

Morgan's Louisiana and Texas Railroad and Steamship Company

Morristown and Erie Railway

Mount Adams Incline

MTA

MUNI San Francisco Municipal Railway

 

N

Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway

National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak).

National Railways of Mexico (NdeM)

Nevada Northern Railway

New England Central Railroad

New Jersey and New York Railroad

New Jersey Central Railroad

New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit)

New Mexico Rail Runner Express

New Orleans Great Northern Railroad

New Orleans, Mobile and Chicago Railroad

New Orleans and Northeastern Railroad

New Orleans, Texas and Mexico Railroad

New Orleans, Texas and Mexico Railway

New York and Lake Erie Railroad

New York Central Railroad

New York Central and Hudson River Railroad

New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (Nickel Plate Road)

New York City Transit Authority

New York Connecting Railroad

New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad

New York, Ontario and Western Railway

New York, Philadelphia and Norfolk Railroad

New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway

Newfoundland Railway

Nickel Plate Road

Norfolk Southern Railway (1942-1982)

Norfolk Southern Railway

Norfolk and Western Railway

North Shore Line

Northern Alabama Railway

Northern Central Railway

Northern Pacific Railway

Northwestern Pacific Railroad

 

O

Oahu Railway and Land Company

Okanagan Valley Railway

Oklahoma City-Ada-Atoka Railway

Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Railroad

OmniTRAX

Ontario Northland Railway

Oregon Electric Railway

Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company

Oregon Short Line Railroad

Oregon-Washington Railroad and Navigation Company

 

P

Pacific Coast Railroad (Tourist)

Pacific Coast Railway

Pacific Electric Railway

Pacific Fruit Express

Pacific Harbor Line

Paducah & Louisville Railway

Pan Am Railways

Panhandle and Santa Fe Railway

PATCO Speedline

Pecos and Northern Texas Railway

Penn Central Transportation Company

Pennsylvania Railroad

See also: PRR Locomotive Classification

Pennsylvania Company

Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines

Peoria and Eastern Railway

Pere Marquette Railway

Perkiomen Railroad

Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad

Philadelphia and Reading Railway

Piedmont and Northern Railway

Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad

Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad

Pittsburg and Shawmut Railroad

Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway

Pittsburg, Shawmut and Northern Railroad

Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railway

Pittsburgh Light Rail

Pittsburgh Regional Transit

Plant System

Port Reading Railroad

Port Whitby and Port Perry Railway

Portland and Western Railroad

Portland Streetcar

Progressive Rail, Inc.

Providence and Worcester Railroad

 

Q

Quanah, Acme and Pacific Railway

Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway

Queen Anne’s Railroad

Quincy, Omaha and Kansas City Railroad

 

R

RailAmerica

Rapid City, Pierre and Eastern Railroad

Reading Company

Red River Valley and Western Railroad

Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad

Rio Grande Southern Railroad

R.J. Corman Railroad Group

Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad

Rock and Rail

RTD Denver

Rutland Railway

 

S

Sacramento Northern Railway

St. Joseph and Grand Island Railway

St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway

St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway

St. Louis-San Francisco Railway (Frisco)

St. Louis, San Francisco and Texas Railway

St. Louis Southwestern Railway (Cotton Belt)

St. Louis Southwestern Railway of Texas

San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway

San Antonio, Uvalde and Gulf Railroad

San Diego and Arizona Railway

San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway

San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad

Santa Cruz, Big Trees and Pacific Railway

Santa Fe, Prescott and Phoenix Railway

Santa Fe Refrigerator Despatch

Saugus Branch Railroad

Savannah and Atlanta Railway

Savannah and Northwestern Railway

Seaboard Air Line Railroad

Seaboard-All Florida Railroad

Seaboard Coast Line Railroad

Seaboard System Railroad

SEPTA

SEPTA Regional Rail

Soo Line Railroad

     See also: Soo Line Locomotives

Sounder Commuter Rail

South Florida Railroad

South Pacific Coast Railway

South Reading Branch Railroad

South Shore Line

Southern Indiana Railway

Southern Kansas Railway of Texas

Southern Pacific Red Electric Lines

Southern Pacific Transportation Company

    See also History of the Southern Pacific

Southern Pacific Santa Fe Railway

    See also Santa Fe Pacific Corporation

Southern Railway

Southern Railway in Mississippi

Spokane and Inland Empire Railroad

Spokane International Railroad

Spokane International Railway

Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway

Sprinter

Staten Island Rapid Transit Railway

Strasburg Rail Road

Steamtown National Historic Site

Steamtown, U.S.A.

SunRail

Sunset Railroad

Syracuse, Binghamton and New York Railroad

 

T

Tandy Center Subway

Tennessee Central Railway

Terra Transport

Texarkana and Fort Smith Railway

Texas Mexican Railway

Texas and Eastern Railroad

Texas and New Orleans Railroad

Texas and Northern Railway

Texas and Pacific Railway

Texas State Railroad

TEXRail

TFM

Three Rivers Rambler

Tidewater Southern Railway

Toledo and Ohio Central Railway

Toledo, Peoria and Western Railroad

Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway

Toledo, St. Louis and Western Railroad

Tonopah and Goldfield Railroad

Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad

Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway

Toronto Streetcar System

Transportación Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM)

TriMet

Trinity and Brazos Valley Railway

Trinity Railway Express

Tri-Rail

Tweetsie Railroad

 

U

Ulster and Delaware Railroad

Union Pacific Railroad

Utah Railway

 

V

Valley Metro Rail (Phoenix)

Vandalia Railroad

Verde Canyon Railroad

Via Rail Canada

Vicksburg, Shreveport and Pacific Railway

Virginia and Southwestern Railway

Virginia and Truckee Railroad

Virginian Railway

 

W

Wabash Railroad

Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal Railway

Washington Southern Railway

Watco Industries, LLC

WES Commuter Rail

West Jersey and Seashore Railroad

Western Fruit Express

Western Railway of Alabama

Western Maryland Railway

Western Maryland Scenic Railroad

Western Pacific Railroad

Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad (1990)

Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway (1916-1988)

White Pass and Yukon Route

Wichita Falls and Northwestern Railway

Wichita Falls and Southern Railroad

Wichita Valley Railway

Wisconsin and Southern Railroad

Wisconsin Central Ltd.

Wisconsin Central Railroad (1871-1899)

Wisconsin Central Railway (1897–1954)

Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad

 

Y

Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad