US Railway History 1861-1865

December 4, 2005

1861-1865

The Civil War becomes the first major conflict in which railroads play a major role as both sides use trains to move troops munitions and supplies. Two-thirds of the nation’s railroads were in the northern states in 1861. The north was where the industrial centers were located.

In the South there were gaps in the rail network within and between states. Tracks of differing gauge (five feet was the dominant gauge) caused problems in transferring passengers and cargo between rail lines. Also, the South had less rolling stock, while track materials and locomotive factories were scarce.