A crossing of the North American continental divide

Continental Divide

The Continental Divide of the Americas, or merely the Continental Gulf of Division or Great Divide, is the name given to the principal, and largely mountainous, hydrological divide of the Americas that separates the watersheds that drain into the Pacific Ocean from those river systems that drain...

 is necessary for any transcontinental railroad

Transcontinental railroad

A transcontinental railroad is a contiguous network of railroad trackage that crosses a continental land mass with terminals at different oceans or continental borders. Such networks can be via the tracks of either a single railroad, or over those owned or controlled by multiple railway companies...

 in North America

North America

North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

, and has always been one of the hardest obstacles. This article lists such crossings from north to south.

Canada

Location	Province(s)	Elevation	Built by	Current/Last	Years of operation	Notes
Pine Pass Pine Pass The Pine Pass, 875 m , is a mountain pass in the Hart Ranges of the Northern Rockies of British Columbia, Canada. It is used by BC Highway 97 and the Canadian National Railway formly BC Rail to connect the Peace Country of the province's Northeastern Interior, and is the location of the...	British Columbia British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...			Canadian National Railway Canadian National Railway The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....	? - Present	This is possibly the line "south of Summit Lake" below.
south of Summit Lake	British Columbia British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...		Pacific Great Eastern Railway	Canadian National Railway Canadian National Railway The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....	1967-present	Two crossings, 4 miles apart
east of Summit Lake	British Columbia British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...	2389 m (7,838 ft)	Pacific Great Eastern Railway	Canadian National Railway Canadian National Railway The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....	1958-present
Yellowhead Pass Yellowhead Pass The Yellowhead Pass is a mountain pass across the Continental Divide of the Canadian Rockies. It is located on the border between the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, and lies within Jasper National Park and Mount Robson Provincial Park....	Alberta Alberta Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...  and British Columbia British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...	1110 m (3,642 ft)	Canadian Northern Railway Canadian Northern Railway The Canadian Northern Railway is a historic Canadian transcontinental railway. At its demise in 1923, when it was merged into the Canadian National Railway , the CNoR owned a main line between Quebec City and Vancouver via Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Edmonton.-Manitoba beginnings:CNoR had its start in...  and Grand Trunk Pacific Railway Grand Trunk Pacific Railway The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway was a historical Canadian railway.A wholly owned subsidiary of the Grand Trunk Railway , the GTPR was constructed by GTR using loans provided by the Government of Canada. The company was formed in 1903 with a mandate to build west from Winnipeg, Manitoba to the...	Canadian National Railway Canadian National Railway The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....	1914-present	Originally two lines. GTP built 1914, CNoR built 1915. Consolidated into one line in 1917, with some adjustments in 1924
Kicking Horse Pass Kicking Horse Pass Kicking Horse Pass is a high mountain pass across the Continental Divide of the Americas of the Canadian Rockies on the Alberta/British Columbia border, and lying within Yoho and Banff National Parks...	Alberta Alberta Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...  and British Columbia British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...	1627 m (5,338 ft)	Canadian Pacific Railway Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...	Canadian Pacific Railway	1884-present
Crowsnest Pass Crowsnest Pass Crowsnest Pass is a high mountain pass across the Continental Divide of the Canadian Rockies on the Alberta/British Columbia border.-Geography:...	Alberta Alberta Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...  and British Columbia British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...	1358 m (4,455 ft)	Canadian Pacific Railway Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...	Canadian Pacific Railway	1897-present

United States

Location	State(s)	Elevation	Built by	Currently	Years of operation	Notes
Marias Pass Marias Pass Marias Pass is a high mountain pass near Glacier National Park in northwestern Montana in the United States.The pass traverses the continental divide in the Lewis Range, along the boundary between the Lewis and Clark National Forest and the Flathead National Forest...	Montana Montana Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...	5213 ft (1,589 m)	Great Northern Railway	BNSF Railway BNSF Railway The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...	1893-present
Mullan Pass Mullan Pass The Mullan Pass is a mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of Montana in the United States. It sits on the continental divide on the border between Powell County, Montana and Lewis and Clark County, Montana, west of Helena, Montana in Helena National Forest at a height of .The Northern Pacific...	Montana Montana Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...	5566 ft (1,697 m)	Northern Pacific Railroad	Montana Rail Link	1883-present	Passes through the Mullan Tunnel
Elk Park Pass	Montana Montana Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...	6365 ft (1,940 m)	Great Northern Railway	Burlington Northern Railroad Burlington Northern Railroad The Burlington Northern Railroad was a United States-based railroad company formed from a merger of four major U.S. railroads. Burlington Northern operated between 1970 and 1996....	1888-1972
Homestake Pass Homestake Pass Homestake Pass is a mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of Montana in the United States. It sits on the Continental Divide of the Americas on the border between Jefferson County, Montana and Silver Bow County, Montana, six miles south-southeast of Butte, Montana in Beaverhead-Deerlodge National...	Montana Montana Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...	6328 ft (1,929 m)	Northern Pacific Railroad	BNSF Railway BNSF Railway The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...	1888-present (dormant since 1983)
Pipestone Pass Pipestone Pass Pipestone Pass is a mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of Montana in the United States. It sits on the continental divide in Silver Bow County, Montana, 10 miles south of Butte, Montana in Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest at a height of 6,347 ft .The Chicago, Milwaukee, St...	Montana Montana Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...	6347 ft (1,935 m)	Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest and Northwest of the United States from 1847 until its merger into the Soo Line Railroad on January 1, 1986. The company went through several official names...	Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad	1909-1980	Passed through the Pipestone Pass Tunnel
Deer Lodge Pass	Montana Montana Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...	5900 ft (1,798 m)	Utah and Northern Railway Utah and Northern Railway The Utah and Northern Railway is a defunct railroad that was operated in the Utah Territory and later in the Idaho Territory and Montana Territory in the western United States during the 1870s and 1880s. It was the first railroad in Idaho and in Montana....	Union Pacific Railroad Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....	1881-present	Narrow gauge until 1887
Bannock Pass Bannock Pass Bannock Pass is a high mountain pass in the Beaverhead Mountains, part of the Bitterroot Range in the Rocky Mountains The pass lies on the Montana-Idaho border on the continental divide, at an elevation of 7684 feet above sea level....	Montana Montana Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...  and Idaho Idaho Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....	7237 ft (2,206 m)	Gilmore and Pittsburgh Railroad Gilmore and Pittsburgh Railroad The Gilmore and Pittsburgh Railroad , now defunct, was an American railroad located in southwestern Montana and east-central Idaho. Constructed in 1909 and 1910 between the towns of Armstead, Montana and Salmon, Idaho, the G&P served mining and agricultural areas in Lemhi County, Idaho and...	Gilmore and Pittsburgh Railroad	1910-1939	Tunnel at summit
Monida Pass Monida Pass Monida Pass is a high mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of the northwestern United States, at an elevation of 6870 feet above sea level on Interstate 15....	Montana Montana Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...  and Idaho Idaho Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....	6823 ft (2,080 m)	Utah and Northern Railway Utah and Northern Railway The Utah and Northern Railway is a defunct railroad that was operated in the Utah Territory and later in the Idaho Territory and Montana Territory in the western United States during the 1870s and 1880s. It was the first railroad in Idaho and in Montana....	Union Pacific Railroad Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....	1880-present	Narrow gauge until 1886
Reas Pass	Montana Montana Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...  and Idaho Idaho Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....	7078 ft (2,157 m)	Union Pacific Railroad Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....	Union Pacific Railroad	1905-1981	Branch to West Yellowstone West Yellowstone, Montana West Yellowstone is a town in Gallatin County, Montana, adjacent to Yellowstone National Park. The population was 1,177 at the 2000 census. The town is served by Yellowstone Airport...
South Pass	Wyoming Wyoming Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...	7550 ft (2,301 m)	U.S. Steel U.S. Steel The United States Steel Corporation , more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an integrated steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe. The company is the world's tenth largest steel producer ranked by sales...	U.S. Steel	1962-1983	Served U.S. Steel Atlantic City Ore Mine
Robinson	Wyoming Wyoming Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...	7107 ft (2,166 m)	Union Pacific Railroad Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....	Union Pacific Railroad Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....	1868-present	Two sides of the Great Divide Basin Great Divide Basin The Great Divide Basin is a drainage basin of the Continental Divide of the Americas. The basin is between the Green River watershed on the west and the Medicine Bow River watershed on the east . From the northwest, the basin begins in the "Wind River Range .....
Hadsell	Wyoming Wyoming Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
Rollins Pass Rollins Pass Rollins Pass is a high mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of north-central Colorado in the United States. The pass is located on the continental divide at the crest of the Front Range southwest of Boulder, at the boundary of Grand and Boulder counties.-Description:Rollins Pass Rollins Pass (el....	Colorado Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...	11660 ft (3,554 m) (1904), 9239 ft (2,816 m) (1928)	Denver, Northwestern and Pacific Railway	Union Pacific Railroad Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....	1904-present	Original alignment replaced in 1928 by the Moffat Tunnel Moffat Tunnel The Moffat Tunnel is a railroad and water tunnel that cuts through the Continental Divide in north-central Colorado. Named after Colorado railroad pioneer David Moffat, the tunnel's first railroad traffic passed through in February 1928....  http://ghostdepot.com/rg/maps/profiles/drgw%20profile%205.gif)
Jones Pass	Colorado Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...		Henderson Mine		1976-1999	Narrow gauge, passed through the Henderson Tunnel; replaced by a conveyor belt Conveyor belt A conveyor belt consists of two or more pulleys, with a continuous loop of material - the conveyor belt - that rotates about them. One or both of the pulleys are powered, moving the belt and the material on the belt forward. The powered pulley is called the drive pulley while the unpowered pulley...
Boreas Pass Boreas Pass Boreas Pass, elevation , is a high mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado in the United States. The pass is located on the continental divide, at the crest of the Front Range along the border between Park and Summit counties...	Colorado Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...	11493 ft (3,503 m)	Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad The Denver, South Park, and Pacific Railroad was a historic narrow gauge railway that operated in Colorado in the western United States in the late 19th century. The railroad opened up the first rail routes to a large section of the central Colorado mining district in the decades of the mineral boom...	Colorado and Southern Railway Colorado and Southern Railway The Colorado and Southern Railway was a railroad company in the western United States that operated independently from 1898 to 1908, then as part of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad until it was absorbed into the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1981.The railway began as the...	1882-1937	Narrow gauge
Fremont Pass Fremont Pass (Colorado) Fremont Pass is a high mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado in the United States.It forms the continental divide on the border between Lake County and Summit County. The pass is named for John C. Fremont, an explorer of the American West who discovered the pass while traversing...	Colorado Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...	11319 ft (3,450 m)	Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad The Denver, South Park, and Pacific Railroad was a historic narrow gauge railway that operated in Colorado in the western United States in the late 19th century. The railroad opened up the first rail routes to a large section of the central Colorado mining district in the decades of the mineral boom...	Colorado and Southern Railway Colorado and Southern Railway The Colorado and Southern Railway was a railroad company in the western United States that operated independently from 1898 to 1908, then as part of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad until it was absorbed into the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1981.The railway began as the...	1884-1937	Narrow gauge. Line south of Climax Climax, Colorado Climax was an unincorporated mining village and a former U.S. Post Office located in Lake County, Colorado. Climax was known for its large molybdenum ore deposit. The former Climax Post Office had the ZIP Code 80429. Climax is located along the Continental Divide at an elevation of about 11,360 feet...  retained, converted to standard gauge 1943, now operated by Leadville, Colorado and Southern Railroad
Fremont Pass Fremont Pass (Colorado) Fremont Pass is a high mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado in the United States.It forms the continental divide on the border between Lake County and Summit County. The pass is named for John C. Fremont, an explorer of the American West who discovered the pass while traversing...	Colorado Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...	11330 ft (3,453 m)	Denver and Rio Grande Railroad	Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad , often shortened to Rio Grande or D&RGW, formerly the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, is a defunct U.S. railroad company. The railroad started as a narrow gauge line running south from Denver, Colorado in 1870; however, served mainly as a transcontinental...	1881-1923	Narrow gauge
Tennessee Pass Tennessee Pass (Colorado) Tennessee Pass elevation is a high mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado in the United States.The pass traverses the continental divide north of Leadville in a gap between the northern end of the Sawatch Range to the west and the northern end of the Mosquito Range to the east...	Colorado Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...	10424 ft (3,177 m) http://ghostdepot.com/rg/maps/profiles/drgw%20profile%207.gif	Denver and Rio Grande Railroad	Denver and Rio Grande Railroad	1887-1890	Narrow gauge, replaced by standard gauge Tennessee Pass Tunnel
Tennessee Pass Tennessee Pass (Colorado) Tennessee Pass elevation is a high mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado in the United States.The pass traverses the continental divide north of Leadville in a gap between the northern end of the Sawatch Range to the west and the northern end of the Mosquito Range to the east...	Colorado Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...	10239 ft (3,121 m) (1890), 10221 ft (3,115 m) (1945) http://ghostdepot.com/rg/maps/profiles/drgw%20profile%207.gif	Denver and Rio Grande Railroad	Union Pacific Railroad Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....  (dormant)	1890-present (dormant since 1997)	Passed through the Tennessee Pass Tunnel (original tunnel built 1890, replaced in 1945)
Hagerman Pass Hagerman Pass Hagerman Pass, elevation , is a high mountain pass that crosses the continental divide in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado in the United States.The pass was named for James J. Hagerman, builder of the Colorado Midland Railroad...	Colorado Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...	11528 ft (3,514 m) (1887),10953 ft (3,338 m) (1893)	Colorado Midland Railway Colorado Midland Railway The Colorado Midland Railway , incorporated in 1883, was the first standard gauge railroad built over the Continental Divide in Colorado. It ran from Colorado Springs to Leadville and through the divide at Hagerman Pass to Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction....	Colorado Midland Railway	1887-1918	Passed through the Hagerman Tunnel Hagerman Tunnel Hagerman Tunnel was a 2,161 ft railroad tunnel crossing the Continental Divide in Colorado at an altitude of 11,528 ft .... , replaced in 1893 by the Busk-Ivanhoe Tunnel Busk-Ivanhoe Tunnel Busk-Ivanhoe Tunnel was a 9,394 ft long railroad tunnel at an elevation of 10,953 ft in Colorado. It was built by the Busk Tunnel Railway Company for the Colorado Midland Railroad in 1891 as a replacement for the Hagerman Tunnel at a lower, more direct route.The tunnel was briefly... . Reverted to original route between 1897 and 1899
Alpine Tunnel Alpine Tunnel Alpine Tunnel is a narrow gauge railroad tunnel located east of Pitkin, Colorado on the former Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad route from Denver to Gunnison. At an elevation of , it was the first tunnel constructed through the Colorado Continental Divide, and according to the U.S. Forest...	Colorado Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...	11612 ft (3,539 m)	Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad The Denver, South Park, and Pacific Railroad was a historic narrow gauge railway that operated in Colorado in the western United States in the late 19th century. The railroad opened up the first rail routes to a large section of the central Colorado mining district in the decades of the mineral boom...	Colorado and Southern Railway Colorado and Southern Railway The Colorado and Southern Railway was a railroad company in the western United States that operated independently from 1898 to 1908, then as part of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad until it was absorbed into the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1981.The railway began as the...	1881-1910	Narrow gauge
Marshall Pass Marshall Pass Marshall Pass is between Salida and Gunnison at the Continental Divide. Marshall Pass was discovered by, and named for, Lt. William L. Marshall of the Wheeler Survey in 1873...	Colorado Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...	10856 ft (3,309 m) http://ghostdepot.com/rg/maps/profiles/drgw%20profile%2014b.gif	Denver and Rio Grande Railroad	Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad , often shortened to Rio Grande or D&RGW, formerly the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, is a defunct U.S. railroad company. The railroad started as a narrow gauge line running south from Denver, Colorado in 1870; however, served mainly as a transcontinental...	1881-1953	Narrow gauge. Original D&RG mainline before Tennessee Pass line opened
Azotea	New Mexico New Mexico New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...	7773 ft (2,369 m) http://ghostdepot.com/rg/maps/profiles/drgw%20profile%2020.gif	Denver and Rio Grande Railroad	Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad , often shortened to Rio Grande or D&RGW, formerly the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, is a defunct U.S. railroad company. The railroad started as a narrow gauge line running south from Denver, Colorado in 1870; however, served mainly as a transcontinental...	1880-1968	Narrow gauge
Hillcrest	New Mexico New Mexico New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...	7714 ft (2,351 m)	Rio Grande and Southwestern Railroad	Rio Grande and Southwestern Railroad	1903-1924	Narrow gauge
Campbell Pass	New Mexico New Mexico New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...	7244 ft (2,208 m)	Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...	BNSF Railway BNSF Railway The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...	1882-present
Tyrone	New Mexico New Mexico New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...		Burro Mountain Railroad	Southwestern Railroad Southwestern Railroad The Southwestern Railroad started a spur line from Sparta, Tennessee to McMinnville, Tennessee to connect with the McMinnville and Manchester Railroad....		Serves Phelps Dodge Phelps Dodge Phelps Dodge Corporation was an American mining company founded in 1834 by Anson Greene Phelps and William Earle Dodge, Sr.. On March 19, 2007, it was acquired by Freeport-McMoRan and now operates under the name Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.-History:...  copper pit
Wilna	New Mexico New Mexico New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...	4584 ft (1,397 m)	Southern Pacific Railroad Southern Pacific Railroad The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....	Union Pacific Railroad Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....	1883-present
Hachita	New Mexico New Mexico New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...	4495 ft (1,370 m)	Arizona and New Mexico Railroad	Southern Pacific Railroad Southern Pacific Railroad The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....	1902-1934
Vista	New Mexico New Mexico New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...	4650 ft (1,417 m) (east), 4694 ft (1,431 m) (west)	El Paso and Southwestern Railroad El Paso and Southwestern Railroad The El Paso and Southwestern Railroad was a short-line American railway company which operated in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, with line extensions across the international border into Mexico. The railroad was known as the Arizona and South Eastern Railroad from 1888 to 1902.-Founding:James...	Southern Pacific Railroad Southern Pacific Railroad The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....	1902-1961	Two crossings 2 miles apart
(name unknown)	New Mexico New Mexico New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...	4525 ft (1,379 m)	Phelps Dodge Phelps Dodge Phelps Dodge Corporation was an American mining company founded in 1834 by Anson Greene Phelps and William Earle Dodge, Sr.. On March 19, 2007, it was acquired by Freeport-McMoRan and now operates under the name Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.-History:...	Phelps Dodge	1970s-1999	Line served Hidalgo Smelter
Antelope	New Mexico New Mexico New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...	4510 ft (1,375 m)	El Paso and Southwestern Railroad El Paso and Southwestern Railroad The El Paso and Southwestern Railroad was a short-line American railway company which operated in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, with line extensions across the international border into Mexico. The railroad was known as the Arizona and South Eastern Railroad from 1888 to 1902.-Founding:James...	Southern Pacific Railroad Southern Pacific Railroad The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....	1902-1961

Mexico

Location	State(s)	Elevation	Built by	Currently	Years of operation	Notes
Divisadero	Chihuahua	2270 m (7,448 ft)	Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México, was Mexico's state owned railroad company from 1938 to 1998, and prior to 1938 a major railroad controlled by the government that linked Mexico City to the major cities of Nuevo Laredo and Ciudad Juárez on the U.S. border...	Ferromex Ferromex Ferromex is a private rail consortium that operates the largest railroad in Mexico.-Description:...	1961-present
Francisco I. Madero Francisco I. Madero, Durango Francisco I. Madero is a city and seat of the Pánuco de Coronado, in the state of Durango, north-western Mexico....	Durango Durango Durango officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Durango is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is located in Northwest Mexico. With a population of 1,632,934, it has Mexico's second-lowest population density, after Baja...	2000 m (6,562 ft)		Ferrocarril Coahuila Durango Linea Coahuila Durango The Línea Coahuila Durango is a short-line railroad company operating between the states of Durango and Coahuila in Mexico. It was created as a freight railroad company when the Ferrocarriles Nacionales de Mexico was privatized between 1997 and 1998. It started operations on 27 April 1998...	1892-present
Niza Conejo Chivela Pass Chivela Pass The Chivela Pass is a narrow mountain pass in the Sierra Madre Mountains that funnels cooler drier air from the North American continent, through southern Mexico, into the Pacific...	Oaxaca Oaxaca Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...	224 m (735 ft)	Ferrocarril Nacional de Tehuantepec	Ferroistmo	1894-present

Central America

Location	Elevation	Built by	Current or last operator	Years of operation	Notes
Chato Guatemala Guatemala Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...		International Railways of Central America (div. of United Fruit)	FEGUA	1908–1996
Ochomogo Pass Costa Rica Costa Rica Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....	1500 metres (4,921.3 ft)		Incofer	1870s–1991	9.898637°N 83.945031°W
Culebra Cut Panama Panama Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...	80.4 metres (263.8 ft)	Panama Railroad Company	Panama Canal Railway Company (div. of Kansas City Southern Railway Kansas City Southern Railway The Kansas City Southern Railway , owned by Kansas City Southern Industries, is the smallest and second-oldest Class I railroad company still in operation. KCS was founded in 1887 and is currently operating in a region consisting of ten central U.S. states... )	1855–present

The Ecocanal

Ecocanal

The Nicaraguan Ecocanal is a project under construction in Nicaragua to build deepwater port facilities on the Atlantic Ocean coast, to link to the existing seaport of Corinto on the Pacific Ocean. They would be connected by a rail system to transport containerized and bulk cargo overland...

 is a proposal to build a rail line across Nicaragua

Nicaragua

Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...

 from Monkey Point

Monkey Point

Monkey Point is a village in Región Autónoma del Atlántico Sur, Nicaragua, south of Bluefields. It is located near the site of a planned $US 350 million seaport, to be financed by Iran and Venezuela. More recently American and South Korean investors have expressed interest in developing a...

 on the Caribbean to Corinto

Corinto, Nicaragua

Corinto is a town of 17,000 on the northwest Pacific coast of Nicaragua in the province of Chinandega. The municipality was founded in 1863 and was named in honour of the Greek city of Corinth.- Economy :...

 on the Pacific. If built, the rail line will cross the continental divide in Nicaragua, likely at a point north of Lake Nicaragua

Lake Nicaragua

Lake Nicaragua or Cocibolca or Granada or is a vast freshwater lake in Nicaragua of tectonic origin. With an area of , it is the largest lake in Central America, the 19th largest lake in the world and the 9th largest in the Americas. It is slightly smaller than Lake Titicaca. With an elevation...

.