Why towns formed
Railroads needed stations, water and fuel stops, yards, shops, crew terminals, and junctions. Businesses and housing often grew around these facilities.
The depot as a gateway
For many communities the depot was the connection to the wider country. Passengers, mail, newspapers, express packages, farm products, and manufactured goods passed through it.
Winners and losers
Communities competed to attract rail lines because being bypassed could mean losing trade and population to a neighboring town. Transportation geography helped determine where commerce concentrated.
A railroad identity
Generations of families worked in shops, yards, stations, maintenance gangs, and train service. In many places the railroad became part of local identity even after major facilities disappeared.