U.S. National Rail Network Shapefile from 2019 Census

The U.S. Census Bureau provides a seamless national shapefile of all rail features, including main lines, spurs, yards, and mass transit rails like streetcars and monorails. This dataset is an extract from the Master Address File/Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) Database, designed to stand alone or be combined for full national coverage. It categorizes features using MAF/TIGER Feature Classification Codes (MTFCC) beginning with 'R'.

Use Cases

• Analyze the spatial distribution of rail features classified by MAF/TIGER Feature Classification Code (MTFCC) to map national rail infrastructure density.
• Model transportation networks by integrating main lines, spur lines, and rail yards from this shapefile with other Census TIGER/Line datasets.
• Conduct proximity analysis for urban planning using mass transit rail features such as carlines, streetcar tracks, and monorails.
• Create a national rail atlas by combining this standalone shapefile with other geographic extracts from the MAF/TIGER Database.

Strengths

• Data originates from the authoritative U.S. Census Bureau MAF/TIGER Database, ensuring national consistency.
• The dataset provides a seamless national file with no overlaps or gaps between geographic parts.
• Includes a detailed classification of rail features, from main lines to special purpose rails like cog and incline lines.

Limitations

• The dataset's temporal coverage is specific to 2019 and may not reflect recent rail network changes.
• As a shapefile extract, it lacks tabular column details and row counts, limiting quantitative analysis.
• Focus is exclusively on U.S. rail infrastructure, offering no international context or comparative data.

Provenance

Source

U.S. Census Bureau, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Extracted from the Master Address File/Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) Database.

Time Range

2019

Freshness

Data reflects 2019 features, with metadata last updated in January 2021.

Geography

United States (nation)