While searching for an image to depict ‘The Missing American Railway’ I found this map from the University of Texas collection. From1900, the map displays America’s Principal Railways along with the country’s major population centers (in brown).
An updated map would surely show a massive smear of brown in the Sunbelt, particularly the Southwest and California, both relative backwaters at the time. Our own Miami, doesn’t even register as a color. We all know that has changed, along with not having anything that resembles a reliable, national network of trains.
Shows how much can change in a century. LA, Seattle, San Diego, Miami, Houston, Las Vegas..etc were all minor cities at best. Makes you wonder would could happen in the next 100 years.