North American Rail Network Node Locations

Updated in 2026, this dataset contains geographic node points for the North American railway system. It provides topology and location information at a scale of 1:24,000 or better, covering all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Mexico, and Canada.

Use Cases

• Analyze network topology and connectivity patterns using the node location data.
• Map rail infrastructure density and distribution across the North American geography.
• Integrate node points with other transportation datasets using geographic location information.

Strengths

• Updated in January 2026, ensuring recent geographic and topological information.
• Covers a broad geography including all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Mexico, and Canada.
• Provides data at a detailed scale of 1:24,000 or better within the United States.

Limitations

• Specific row count, column details, and file formats are unknown, limiting precise technical assessment.
• Attribute definitions require accessing an external data dictionary, adding a step for full understanding.

Provenance

Source

Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), U.S. Department of Transportation/Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Collection Method

Part of the National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD); creation method not specified.

Time Range

Dataset created in 2016, with updates through 2026.

Freshness

Updated on January 29, 2026.

Geography

North America (United States, District of Columbia, Mexico, Canada).