The United States and Canadian railroad maps on this page are from a late 1800s railway atlas used by shippers and railroad personnel.  The stated purpose of the atlas was to provide the "true location of all railroads, towns, villages and post offices" for rail lines active in the United States and Canada at that time.

In addition to showing the railroad routes in each state and province, the atlas identified each town on the right of way that had a store, the population, number of banks, telegraph stations, post offices (including those that could issue money orders) and the express shipping companies with local offices.