- Joined
- Apr 4, 2017
- Location
- Denver, CO
The railroad system in the northern states of the United States at the start of the US Civil War was the largest railroad system in the world. Because of its shear size, the railroad system supported its own iron makers, and 3 major locomotive manufacturers.
Although the commonly stated ratio of US mileage to Confederate mileage is 9:21, or 3:7, the actual difference was much greater.
The northern states had 5 times the locomotives of the Confederacy:
Compared to the Union the Confederacy had one-third of the freight cars, one fifth of the locomotives, one eighth of rail production, one tenth of the telegraph stations and one twenty fourth of locomotive production. These numbers have led some to say the Confederate rail system was inferior to that of the Union.
https://www.essentialcivilwarcurriculum.com/a-railroad-war.html
In fact, the US system was five times the size of the Confederate system in terms of traffic. The process of using telegraph communication to run busier and tighter schedules, was already started in the northern states. Similarly as early as 1848 the railroads in the north began to study ways to improve service by cooperating.
How could the northern railroads run so many trains?
Large sections of right of way were double tracked.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/1888813?seq=2#metadata_info_tab_contents
Although the commonly stated ratio of US mileage to Confederate mileage is 9:21, or 3:7, the actual difference was much greater.
The northern states had 5 times the locomotives of the Confederacy:
Compared to the Union the Confederacy had one-third of the freight cars, one fifth of the locomotives, one eighth of rail production, one tenth of the telegraph stations and one twenty fourth of locomotive production. These numbers have led some to say the Confederate rail system was inferior to that of the Union.
https://www.essentialcivilwarcurriculum.com/a-railroad-war.html
In fact, the US system was five times the size of the Confederate system in terms of traffic. The process of using telegraph communication to run busier and tighter schedules, was already started in the northern states. Similarly as early as 1848 the railroads in the north began to study ways to improve service by cooperating.
How could the northern railroads run so many trains?
Large sections of right of way were double tracked.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/1888813?seq=2#metadata_info_tab_contents