Maps
I’ve always been intrigued by maps and occasionally my feed will pop some interesting map related story. Do you have a cool map to post? It could be a map of your layout, or of a trip you’ve made…
Railways To Nowhere
I was quite surprised by this.
During the Industrial Revolution in America, railroads were seen as the future of transportation and commerce. Companies raced to lay tracks, believing that every city, town, and settlement would soon be connected by rail. This led to a frenzy of railroad expansion, with investors pouring money into new ventures, often without fully considering the long-term feasibility or demand for some of these routes. Railroads were constructed to reach even the most remote areas, often in hopes that the arrival of rail service would spark economic growth in these regions.
However, by 1893, this speculative boom came crashing down during what became known as the Panic of 1893. This financial crisis was one of the most severe in U.S. history and marked a turning point for the railroad industry. The economy fell into a deep depression, leading to widespread bank failures, bankruptcies, and unemployment. Railroad companies, many of which were over-leveraged and dependent on continued investment and growth, faced severe financial difficulties. Numerous railroads went bankrupt, and construction projects were abandoned.
As a result, many of these incomplete railroads led to “nowhere,” cutting through landscapes without reaching their intended destinations or serving populations large enough to sustain them.
These ghost railroads, remnants of a once-ambitious vision of connectivity, are scattered across the country and someone put together this map.
If you’re curious about how many USA’s fit into Australia or perhaps flamingo migration patterns, or want to know where Canadians live? The link is below.
