The transcontinental railways in the United States link the Atlantic coast with the Pacific coast, a distance of 5000 kilometers Chicago, on Lake Michigan, is the chief terminus of railways. It is the world’s largest railway junction. About twelve routes from different directions converge on Chicago. Its railway –yard has 32 rail tracks with a capacity of 1800 bogies.

North America railways

*There are a number of railway lines run from the east coast to the west coast. So, they called transcontinental railways.

The railways of North America are concentrated in the eastern part of the continent, mainly in the United States. The reasons are obvious-it is the main agricultural and industrial area of the continent.

America railways are used more for transporting goods than for passenger traffic.

There are several transcontinental railways in Canada and the United States which cross the continent from east to west. There are two such coast to coast railways in Canada. The government-owned Canadian National Railway starting from Halifax on the Atlantic it is runs westwards through Quebec, Winnipeg and Edmonton to Prince Rupert on the Pacific coast. Similarly, the Canadian Pacific Railway joins St. John with Vancouver through Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Regina and Calgary.

Remember Chicago on Lake Michigan and St. Louis and New Orleans on the Mississippi. The east and west of the continent meet in these towns. Railways from this eastern coast reach this junction and then push on westwards. Chicago has the biggest railway-yard in the world. Owing to its unique location at the tip of the Great Lakes, nearly a Dozen railway routes converge on Chicago. This makes it the world’s largest and busiest railway junction. Remember the railway line from New York to San Francisco through Pittsburgh, Chicago and Salt Lake City. Other lines from Chicago reach Seattle and Los Angles. Railways from New Orleans cross the southern dry country to reach Los Angles.

Remember also the railway line running along the Appalachian Mountains from St. John in Canada to New Orleans in the south. Lines from Chicago go northwestwards to join the Canadian railways at Winnipeg and Regina.

Mexico City is connected by railway with the United States. There main lines go south across the border. From Mexico City, a line pushes into the difficult country of Central America to Guatemala.