This is kind of off-topic, but I'm writing a history paper on a small railroad in western Illinois and I am trying to find some numbers on railroad mileage in the mid-19th century. Specifically, I'm looking for total railroad mileage in Illinois for the years 1860 and 1870, though national rail mileage for those years would be a good backup. Can anyone suggest a source for this information? Thanks!!

Look at some of Hilton's work. It usually has much statistical information. Either his narrow gauge book or the interurbans book likely refers to comparative statistics at some point.

Some statistics that might prove useful as well as some sources for consideration.Railroad mileage in the United States (apparently from The Railway Age)1860: 1,837 built 30,626 total1870: 6,078 built 52,922 total1880: 6,706 built 93,262 totalIntroduction of the World-wide Railroad Era (apparently from Poor’s Manual 1889, p. xi; Encyclopaedia Britannica 1898, vol. 28, p. 2502)Illinois: 24.00 miles, opened 1839; 7,851 miles in 1880U.S.A. total miles in 1880 = 98,296Reference: Donald B. Robertson, Encyclopedia of Western Railroad History, The Desert States: Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah (Caldwell, Idaho: Caxton Printers, 1986): 37-38.Here are two maps that might prove useful:Illinois Railroads, 1850-1860 (map)http://www.outfitters.com/illinois/history/ilrails.htmlMap of Illinois rail lines in 1850 and 1880http://www.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/athome/1850/maps/index.htmlCheers,Keith Albrandt

I used www.google.com and found several interesting links:Some Data On Railroads, 1860-1920http://www.cprr.org/Museum/Railroad_Statistics.pdfNew Railroad Mileage, 1850-1860 (by region)http://alpha.furman.edu/~benson/docs/rr5060.htmThe Greatest Railway State [Illinois had the greatest railroad milage at one time!]http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1215/is_2_206/ai_n13455606