Railroad History; There's Something About A Train

Railroads were one of the most important technologies of the Victorian and Industrial Era, connecting the world in ways previously unknown to society. First invented in the mid 1750s, the steam engine was a critical part of the innovation process.

The first passenger railroad carriage, drawn by horses was built in 1807 in Swansea, England but it was not until the 1820s that steam-powered railroads  came to the US. The first westward bound railroad built in America was the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (B&O), which ran from Baltimore to the Ohio River in Virginia. The Transcontinental Railroad was finished in 1869.

About Railroad Date Nails: In the later half of the 1800s, North American railroads began to experiment with treated railroad ties as tracks were put down across the nation. Marking the ties as they went onto the track helped keep track of the life and maintenance of different ties. By the 1890s, date nails became the chosen method, with the year of installation stamped on the head of the nail. It is sometimes possible to trace different companies through the shape and markings on the nail. Like railroads, date nails were most used in the 1930s and almost completely disappeared by the 1970s.

Railroad History Timeline

1769 – Invention of steam engine by James Watt

1803 – First passenger railroad (horse-drawn) in South London.

1820 – Invention of wrought iron allows longer rails for tracks

1830 – First west-bound route in US, the Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) line

1869 – Transcontinental railroad completed when the Central Pacific and Union Pacific meet at Promontory Summit

1872: George Westinghouse patents the first automatic air brake. This is basically the same system as is used by today's railroads.

1880s – Date nails begin to appear treated railroad ties (oldest known is an 1897 from the Mississippi River & Bonne Terre Line)

1883: The Northern Pacific line completed at Gold Creek, Montana.

1883: The Southern Pacific line is completed.

1885: The Santa Fe is completed.

1930s – Over 100 railroads using date nails, peak of use

1950-70 – Date nail use ends

We use real antique railroad artifacts in our designs. Our cufflinks are made with genuine railway uniform buttons, dating between 1880 and 1950.

Shop Men's Railroad Collection

Shop Ladies Railroad Collection

Find your railroad! Find the line of your uniform button cufflinks in the list below.

Reporting Mark Railroad Name
A  
AA ANN ARBOR
AC ALGOMA CENTRAL
ACIS ALGOMA CENTRAL
ACJR ASHTABULA CARSON JEFFERSON
ACL ATLANTIC COAST LINE (CSX)
ACWR ABERDEEN CAROLINA & WESTERN
ACY AKRON CANTON & YONGSTOWN (NORFOLK SOUTHERN)
ADN ASHLEY DREW & NORTHERN
AG ABERVILL GRIMES
AGLF ATLANTIC & GULF
AHW AHNAPEE & WESTERN
ALM ARKANSAS LOUISIANA & MISSISSIPPI
ALQS ALIQUIPPA & SOUTHERN
AM ARKANSAS & MISSOURI
AMC AMADOR CENTRAL
AMTK AMTRAK
AN APALACHICOLA NORTHERN
ANR ANGELINA & NECHES RIVRE
APA APACHE
AR ABERDEEN &ROCKFISH
AAR ALASKA RAILROAD
ASAB ATLANTA & ST. ANDREWS BAY
ATLT AT &L RAILROAD
ATSF ATCHISON TOPEKA & SANTA FE
ATW ATLANTIC & WESTERN
AVL AROOSTOOK VALLEY
AWP ATLANTA & WEST POINT (CSX)
AWW ALGEERS WINSLOW & WESTERN
AZER ARIZONA EASTERN
B  
BA BOSTON & ALBANY (* CONRAIL)
BAR BANGOR & AROOSTOOK
BB BUCKINGHAM BRANCH
BCH BC HYDRO (SOUTHERN RAILWAY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA)
BCIT BC RAIL
BCK BUFFALO CREEK (* CONRAIL)
BCLR BAY COLONY
BCNE CANADIAN NATIONAL
BCOL BC RAIL
BFRR BUFFALO RIDGE
BKTY MISSOURI - KANSAS - TEXAS (UNION PACIFIC)
BLE BESSEMER & LAKR ERIE
BM BOSTON & MAINE (GILFORD TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRIES)
BMS BERLIN MILLS RAILROAD
BN BURLINGTON NORTHERN
BNSF BURLINGTON NORTHERN SANTA FE
BO BALTIMORE & OHIO (CSX)
BPRR BUFFALO & PITTSBURGH
BS BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN
BVRY BRANDYWINE VALLY
BXN BAUXITE & NORTHERN
C  
CAGY COLUMBUS & GREENVILLE
CBQ CHICAGO BURLINGTON & QUINCY (BURLINGTON NORTHERN)
CBRY COPPER BASIN
CBYN CROSBYTON RAILROAD
CC CHICAGO CENTRAL & PACIFIC
CCR CORNITH & COUNCE (TENNRAIL)
CCT CENTRAL CALIFORNIA TRACTION
CEI CHICAGO & EASTERN ILLINOIS (UNION PACIFIC)
CERA CENTRAL RAILROAD OF INDIAPOLIS
CFWR CANERY FORK & WESTERN
CG CENTRAL OF GEORGIA (NORFOLK SOUTHERN)
CGW CHICAGO GREAT WESTERN (CHICAGO & NORTH WESTERN)
CHP CHIHUAHUA PACIFIC (NATIONAL RAILWAYS OF MEXICO)
CHTT CHICAGO HEIGHTS TERNINAL TRANSFER (UNION PACIFIC)
CHW CHESAPEAK WESTERN (NORFOLK SOUTHERN)
CI CAMBRIA AND INDIANA
CIC CEDAR RAPIDS & IOWA CITY
CIM CHICAGO & ILLINOIS MIDLAND
CIRR CHATTAHOOCHEE INDUSTRIAL
CIW CHICAGO & ILLINOIS WESTERN (ILLINOIS CENTRAL)
CLC COLUMBIA & COWLITZ
CLP CLARENDON & PITTSFORD
CMNW CHICAGO MISSOURI & WESTERN (GATEWAY WESTERN)
CN CANADIAN NATIONAL
CNA CANADIAN NATIONAL
CNIS CANADIAN NATIONAL
CNJ CENTRAL OF NEW JERSEY (* CONRAIL)
CNQ CANADIAN NATIONAL
CNW CHICAGO & NORTHWESTERN
CO CHESAPEAKE & OHIO (CSX)
COER CRAB ORCHARD & EGYPTIAN
COP CITY OF PINEVILLE
CP CANADIAN PACIFIC (CP RAIL)
CPAA (CP RAIL)
CPI CP RAIL
CPT CP RAIL
CR *CONRAIL
CRI CHICAGO RIVER & INDIANA (* CONRAIL)
CRL CHICAGO RAIL LINK
CRLE COR RAIL
CRR CLINCHFIELD (CSX)
CS COLORADO & SOUTHERN (BURLINGTON NORTHERN)
CSL CHICAGO SHORT LINE
CSS CHICAGO SOUTH SHORE & SOUTH BEND
CSXT ALTHOUGH THIS RAILROAD IS COMMONLY KNOWN ONLY AS CSX TRANSPORTATION, THIS ABBREVIATION CAME ABOUT AS A RESULT OF SEVERAL MERGERS. THE LETTER "C" STANDS FOR CHESSIE , "S" FOR SEABOARD, AND "X" FOR THE MULTIPLICATION SYMBOL.
CTIE KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN
CTML CAIRO TERMINAL
CTN CANTON RAILROAD
CUVA CENTRAL VERMONT (CANADIAN NATIONAL)
CW COLORADO & WYOMING
CWP CHICAGO WEST PULLMAN & SOUTHERN
D  
DCLR DELAWARE COAST LINE
D&H DELAWARE & HUDSON (CP RAIL SYSTEM)
DHNY DELAWARE & HUDSON (CP RAIL SYSTEM)
DLW DELAWARE LAKAWANNA & WESTERN (* CONRAIL)
DM DETROIT & MACINAC (LAKE STATE)
DMIR DULUTH MISSABE &IRON RANGE
DNE DULUTH & NORTHEASTERN
DRGW DENVER RIO GRANDE WESTERN (SOUTHERN PACIFIC LINES)
DSRC DAKOTA SOUTHERN
DSW DENVER SOUTH WESTERN
DTI DETROIT TOLEDO & IRONTON (GRAND TRUNK WESTERN
DTS DRTROIT & TOLEDO SHORE LINE (GRAND TRUNK WESTERN
DVS DELTA VALLEY & SOUTHERN
DWC DULUTH WINNIPEG & PACIFIC
E  
EACH EAST CAMDEN & HIGHLAND
EIRC EASTERN ILLINOIS
EJE ELGIN JOLIRT & EASTERN
EL ERIE LACKAWANNA (* CONRAIL)
ELS ESCANABA & LAKE SUPERIOR
EN ESQUIMALT & NANAIMO (CP RAIL SYSTEM)
ERIE ERIE (* CONRAIL
ESE EMPIRE STATE EXPRESS
ESHR EASTERN SHORE
ETRY EAST TENNESSEE
ETWNC EASTERN TENNESSEE & WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
F  
FCM FERROCARRIL MEXICANO (NATIONAL RAILWAYS OF MEXICO)
FCP FERROCARRIL DEL PACIFICO (NATIONAL RAILWAYS OF MEXICO)
FDDM FORT DODGE DES MOINES & SOUTHERN (CHICAGO & NORTH WESTERN
FEC FLORIDA EAST COAST
FMID FLORIDA MIDLAND
FRMC FRAMRAIL
FP FORDYCE & PRINCETON
FRDN FERDINAND RAILROAD (HARTFORD & SLOCOMB)
FRVR FOX RIVER VALLEY
FSR FORT SMITH RAILROAD
FUS FERROCARRILES UNIDOS DEL SURESTE (NATIONAL RAILWAYS OF MEXICO)
FWD FORT WORTH & DENVER (BURLINGTON NORTHERN)
FWRC FLOEIDA WEST COAST
G  
GA GEORGIA RAILROAD (CSX)
GBW GREEN BAY & WESTERN
GB&L GEORGETOWN BRECKENRIDGE & LEADVILLE
GC GEORGIA CENTRAL
GCRC GOLDEN CAT RAILROAD
GETY GETTYSBURG RAILROAD
GF GEORGIA & FLORIDA ( NORFOLK SOUTHERN)
GLSR GLOSTER SOUTHERN
GMO GULF MOBILE & OHIO (ILLINOIS CENTRAL GULF)
GMRC GREEN MOUNTAIN
GMSR GULF & MISSISSIPPI (SOUTHRAIL)
GN GREAT NORTHERN BURLINGTON NORTHERN)
GNA GRAYSONIA NASHVILLE & ASHDOWN
GNRR GEORGIA NORTHEASTERN
GNWR GENESEE & WYOMING
GP GEORGIA PACIFIC
GRN GREENVILLE & NORTHERN
GRR GEORGRTOWN RAILROAD
GSOR INDIANA HIGH RAIL
GSWR GEORGIA SOUTHWESTERN
GT GRAND TRUNK
GTRA GOLDEN TRIANGLE
GTW GRAND TRUNK WESTERN
GVSR GALVESTON RAILROAD
GWR GREAT WESTERN
GWWR GATEWAY WESTERN
H  
HBT HOUSTON BELT & TERMINAL
HE HOLLIS & EASTERN
HESR HURON & EASTERN
HRGGR H&R TRAINS GAZEBO GARDEN RAILROAD
HS HARTFORD & SLOCOMB
I  
IAIS IOWA INTERSTATE
IATR IOWA TRACTION
IC ILLINOIS CENTRAL
ICG ILLINOIS CENTRAL GULF (ILLINOIS CENTRAL)
IHB INDIANA HARBOR BELT
IHRC INDIANA HI-RAIL CORPORATION
INRD INDIANA RAILROAD
IOCR INDIANA & OHIO CENTRAL
IORY INDIANA & OHIO RAILWAY
ITC ILLINOIS TERMINAL (NORFOLK SOUTHERN)
J  
JEFW JEFFERSON WARRIOR
JSRC JACKSON & SOUTHERN
K  
KBSR KANKAKEE BEAVERVILLE & SOUTHERN
KCS KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN
KCT KANSAS CITY TERMINAL
KJRY KEOKUK JUNCTION
KO KANSAS & OKLAHOMA RAILROAD
KRR KIAMICHI REILROAD
KWT KWT RAILROAD
KYLE KYLE RAILROAD
L  
LC LANCASTER & CHESTER
LEF LAKE ERIE FRANKLIN & CLARION
LN LOUISVILLE & NASHVILLE (CSX)
LNAC LOUISVILLE NEW ALBANY & CORYDON (HARTFORD & SOLCOMB
LNW LOUISIANA & NORTH WEST
LPN LONGVIEW PORTLAND & NORTHERN
LRS LAURINBURG & SOUTHERN
LRWN LITTLE ROCK & WESTERN
LSI LAKE SUPERIOR & ISHPEMING
LT LAKE TERMINAL
LV LEHIGH VALLEY (* CONRAIL)
LVAL LACKAWANNA VALLEY
LVRC LAMOILLE VALLEY
M  
MAA MAGMA ARIZONA
MACO MCCORMICK ASHLAND CITY & NASHVILLE
MB MERIDIAN & BIGBEE
MCSA MOSCOW CAMDEN & SAN AUGUSTINE
MDR MIDLOUISIANA RAIL
MDW MINNESOTA DAKOTA & WESTERN
MEC MAIN CENTRAL (GUILFORD TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRIES)
MET MODESTO & EMPIRE TRACTION - CALIFORNIA
MI MISSOURI ILLINOIS (UNION PACIFIC)
MILW MILWAUKEE ROAD (CP RAIL SYSTEM)
MISS MISSISSIPPI RAILWAY
MJ MANUFACTURERS JUNCTION RAILWAY
MKC MCKEESPORT CONNECTING
MKT MISSOURI - KANSAS & TEXAS (UNION PACIFIC)
MKTT MISSOURI - KANSAS & TEXAS (UNION PACIFIC)
MMID MARYLAND MIDLAND
MMRR MID - MICHIGAN
MNRR MINNESOTA COMMERCIAL
MNS MINNEAPOLIS NORTHFIELD & SOUTHERN (CP RAIL SYSTEM)
MNVA MNVA RAILROAD
MON MONON (CSX)
MOW MAINTENANCE OF WAY
MP MISSOURI PACIFIC (UNION PACIFIC)
MR MCCLOUD RAILWAY
MRL MONTANA RAIL LINK
MRR MID ATLANTIC
MRS MANUFACTURERS RAILWAY
MSDR MISSISSIPPI DELTA
MSE MISSISSIPPI EXPORT RAILROAD
MSRC MID SOUTH
MSTL MINNEAPOLIS & ST. LOUIS (CHICAGO & NORTH WESTERN)
MSV MISSISSIPPI & SKUNA VALLEY
MTR MONTOUR (PITTSBURGH & LAKE ERIE)
MTW MARINETTE TOMAHAWK & WESTERN (TOMAHAWK RAILWAY)
N  
NAR NORTHERN ALBERTA (CANADIAN NATIONAL)
NBNR NICOLET BADGER NORTHERN
NC NASHVILLE CHATTANOOGA & ST. LOUIS ( CSX)
NDM NATIONAL RAILWAY OF MEXICO
NH NEW HAVEN
NHVT NEW HAMPSHIRE & VERMONT
NJ NAPIERVILLE JUNCTION (CP RAIL SYSTEM)
NKP NICKEL PLATE (NORFOLK SOUTHERN)
NLG MIDLOUISIANA
NOKL NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA
NOPB NEW ORLEANS PUBLIC BELT
NP NORTHERN PACIFIC (BURLINGTON NORTHERN)
NS NORFOLK SOUTHERN
NSL NORWOOD & ST. LAWRENCE (ST. LAWRENCE & RAQUEETTE RIVER)
NSR NEWBURG & SOUTH SHORE
NTR NATCHES TRACE RAILROAD
NW NORFOLK & WESTERN
NYC NEW YORK CENTRAL
NYSW NEW YORK SUSQUEHANNA & WESTERN
O  
OAR OLD AUGUSTA RAILROAD
OCE OREGON CALIFORNIA & EASTERN
OHCR OHIO CENTRAL
OKKT OKLAHOLA KANSAS & TEXAS (UNION PACIFIC)
OLB OMAHA LINCOLN & BEATRICE
OLY OLYMPIC RAILROAD
ONT ONTARIO NORTHERN
ONTA ONTARIO NORTHERN
OPE OREGON PACIFIC & EASTERN
OTVR OTTER TRAIL VALLEY
OWRN Oragon - Washington Railroad & Navigation Company (Union Pacific)
P  
PAE PEORIA & EASTERN (*CONRAIL
PAL PADUCAH & LOUISVILLE
PBNE PHILADELPHIA BETHLEHEM & NEW ENGLAND
PBR PATAPSCO & BLACK RIVER
PC PENN CENTRAL (*CONRAIL)
PCA PEN CENTRAL (*CONRAIL)
PCN POINT COMFORT & NORTHERN
PFE PACIFIC FRUIT EXPRESS
PGE PACIFIC GREAT EASTERN (BC RAIL)
PHD PORT HURON & DETROIT
PICK PICKENSRAILROAD
PLE PITTSBURGH & LAKE ERIE
PM PEREMARKET (C&O/CSX)
PPU PEORIA & PEKIN UNION RAILWAY
PRR PENNSYLVANIA (*C0NRAIL)
PS PITTSBURGH & SHAWMUT
PW PROVIDENCE & WORCESTER
Q  
QC QUEBEC CENTRAL (CP RAIL SYSTEM)
R  
RDG READING (*CONRAIL)
RFP RICHMOND FREDERICKSBURG & POTOMAC (CSX)
RJCM R.J. CORMAN RAILROAD MEMPHIS LINE
RMRR ROCKEY MOUNTAIN RAILCAR & RAILROAD
ROCK ROCK ISLAND
RS ROBERVAL & SAGUNEAY
RSR ROCHESTER & SOUTHERN
RSS ROCKDALE SANDOW & SOUTHERN
S  
SAL SEABOARD AIR LINE (CSX)
SAN SANDERSVILLE RAILROAD
SB SOUTH BUFFALO RAILROAD
SBC SONORA-BAJA CALIFORNIA (NATIONAL RAILROAD OF MEXICO)
SBD SEABOARD SYSTEM (CSX)
SCFE SOUTH CENTRAL FLORIDA
SCL SEABOARD COAST LINE (CSX)
SCTR SOUTH CENTRAL TENNESSEE
SGLR SEMINOLE GULF
SH STEELTON & HIGHSPIRE
SI SPOKANE INTERNATIONAL (UNION PACIFIC)
SIRT STATEN ISLAND RAPID TRANSIT
SKOL SOUTHERN KANSAS & OKLAHOMA RAILROAD
SLC SAN LUIS CENTRAL
SLR ST. LAWRENCE & ATLANTIC
SLSF ST. LOUIS-SAN FRANCISCO (BURLINGTON NORTHERN)
SM ST. MARYS RAILROAD
SMRR SISSETON MILBANK RAILROAD
SOM SOMERSET RAILROAD
SOO SOO LINE (CP RAIL SYSTEM)
SOU SOUTHERN RAILWAY (NORFOLK SOUTHERN)
SP SOUTHERN PACIFIC
SPS SPOKAN PORTLAND & SEATTLE (BURLINGTON NORTHERN)
SR SOUTH RAIL
SRN SABIN RIVER & NORTHERN
SSAM SAULT ST. & MARIE
SSW ST. LOUIS SOUTHWESTERN (SOUTHERN PACIFIC)
STE STOCTON TERMINAL & EASTERN
STMA ST. MARIES RIVER
SWGR SEAGRAVES WHITEFACE & LUBBOCK
T  
TAG TENNESSEE ALAMABA & GEORGIA RAILWAY COMPANY
TASD TERMINAL RAILROAD ALABAMA STATE DOCKS
TBER TERRE HAUTE BRIZIL & EASTERN
TCWR TWIN CITIES & WESTERN
THB TORONTO HAMILTON & BUFFALO (CP RAIL)
TM TEXAS MEXICAN
TN TEXAS & NORTHERN
TNM TEXAS-NEW MEXICO (UNION PACIFIC)
TOE TEXAS OKLAHOMA & EASTERN
TP TEXAS & PACIFIC (UNION PACIFIC)
TPW TOLEDO PEORIA & WESTERN
TSE TEXAS SOUTH EASTERN
TSRD TWIN STATE RAILROAD
TSRR TENNESSEE SOUTHERN
TTIS TRANSKENTUCKY TRANSPORTATION RAILROAD
TWRY TRADEWATER RAILWAY
U  
UMP UPPER MERION & PLYMOUTH
UP UNION PACIFIC
URR UNION RAILROAD
USRX U.S. RAILWAYS
V  
VCY VENTURA COUNTY
VGN VIRGINIAN (NORFOLK SOUTHERN)
VT VIRGINIA & TRUCKEE
VTR VERMONT RAILROAD
W  
WA WESTERN RAILROAD OF ALABAMA (CSX)
WAB WABASH (NORFOLK SOUTHERN)
WC WISCONSIN CENTRAL (CANADIAN NATIONAL)
WCCL WISCONSIN CENTRAL CHICAGO LOOP
WCRC WASHINGTON CENTRAL
WCTR WCTU RAILROAD
WE WHEELING & LAKE ERIE
WGRR WILLAMINA & GRANDE RONDE
WICT WISCONSIN & CALUMET
WIF WEST INDIA FRUIT & STEAMSHIP
WLO WATERLOO RAILROAD
WM WESTERN MARYLAND (CSX)
WNFR WINIFREDE RAILROAD
WP WESTERN PACIFIC (UNION PACIFIC)
WRRC WESTERN RAILROAD
WSOR WISCONSIN & SOUTHERN
WW WINCHESTER & WESTERN
Y  
YS YOUNGSTOWN & SOUTHERN