North American Rail Yards from the National Transportation Atlas Database

2024 data updated in 2026 details rail yards across North America. The layer is derived from the North American Rail Network (NARN) Lines layer, aggregated by track type designated as yards. It provides geographic and attribute references for the railway system at a scale of 1:24,000 or better within the United States.

Use Cases

• Map the geographic distribution of rail yards across the United States, Canada, and Mexico using the spatial layer.
• Analyze rail yard density relative to the NARN Lines layer to identify major freight or maintenance hubs.
• Study track type designations within yards to understand their operational function in the broader rail network.

Strengths

• National coverage includes all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Mexico, and Canada.
• Spatial detail is maintained at a scale of 1:24,000 or better within the United States.
• Data was updated in January 2026, indicating recent maintenance.

Limitations

• Specific row count, column names, and sample data are unavailable, limiting preliminary analysis.
• Attribute details require external reference to a data dictionary via a DOI link.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Derived from the North American Rail Network (NARN) Lines layer, aggregated by type of track designated as yards.

Time Range

Dataset created in 2024.

Freshness

Updated on January 29, 2026.

Geography

North America, covering the United States, Canada, and Mexico.