README for “North American Rail Network (NARN) 1995-Present” dataset. U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA); U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) [distributor] 2025-05-29 ---------------------------------------------------------------- LINKS TO DATASET ---------------------------------------------------------------- A. Dataset archive link: https://doi.org/10.21949/1519373 B. NTAD catalog dataset link (Current Year): https://doi.org/10.21949/1519415 ---------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY OF DATASET ---------------------------------------------------------------- The North American Rail Network (NARN) 1995-Present dataset, formerly known as Rail Network, is from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)/Bureau of Transportation Statistics’s (BTS's) National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD). The NARN is a comprehensive database that provides ownership, trackage rights, type, passenger, STRACNET, and geographic reference for North America's railway system at 1:24,000 or better within the United States. The data set covers all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Mexico, and Canada. Datasets will be listed as they become available. ---------------------------------------------------------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS ---------------------------------------------------------------- A. General Information B. Sharing/Access & Policies Information C. Data and Related File Overview D. Methodological Information E. Data-Specific Information for: North American Rail Network (NARN) 1995-Present [datasets] F. Update Log ---------------------------------------------------------------- A. GENERAL INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------------------------- 0. Title of Dataset: North American Rail Network (NARN) 1995-Present [dataset] 1. Description of Dataset: The North American Rail Network (NARN) 1995-Present dataset, formerly known as Rail Network, is from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)/Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ (BTS's) National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD). The NARN is a comprehensive database that provides ownership, trackage rights, type, passenger, STRACNET, and geographic reference for North America's railway system at 1:24,000 or better within the United States. The data set covers all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Mexico, and Canada. Datasets will be listed as they become available. 2. Dataset archive link: https://doi.org/10.21949/1519373 3. Authorship Information: Principal Data Creator or Data Manager Contact Information Institution: U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Address: 1200 New Jersey Ave SE, Washington D.C. 20590 Contact: frapa@dot.gov Data Distributor Contact Information Name: National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD) Institution: U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Office of Spatial Analysis and Visualization (OSAV) Address: 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, Washington D.C. 20590 Email: ntad@dot.gov 4. Date of data collection and update interval: This dataset is updated as needed. 5. Geographic location of data collection: United States of America 6. Information about funding sources that supported the collection of the data: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) ---------------------------------------------------------------- B. SHARING/ACCESS & POLICIES INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------------------------- 0. Recommended citation for the data: U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) [distributor]. North American Rail Network (NARN) 1995-Present [datasets]. https://doi.org/10.21949/1519373 1. Licenses/restrictions placed on the data: These data are in the Public Domain. 2. Was data derived from another source?: Yes. The North American Rail Network was created using the preexisting FRA network 1:100k, the FRA Automated Track Inspection Program (ATIP) data, and the data provided to NGA by ORNL. The source data of the spatial features was based on FRA’s ATIP foot by foot coordinates, where it existed, and the NGA/ORNL spatial content. 3.This document was created to meet the requirements enumerated in the U.S. Department of Transportation's 'Plan to Increase Public Access to the Results of Federally-Funded Scientific Research' Version 1.1 << https://doi.org/10.21949/1520559 >> and guidelines suggested by the DOT Public Access website << https://doi.org/10.21949/1503647 >>, in effect and current as of December 03, 2020. ---------------------------------------------------------------- C. DATA & RELATED FILE OVERVIEW ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1. File List for the North American Rail Network (NARN) 1995-Present dataset A. Filename: NARN_NTAD1995_Present.zip Short description: Compressed file folders containing the geospatial data for North American Rail Network (NARN) 1995-Present dataset. File folders are classified by NTAD publication year and data vintage year or date respectively. B. Filename: bts_NTAD_NARN_DMP_20250529.pdf Short description: A PDF file containing the Data Management Plan that was created for current and future management of the data and associated files. C. Filename: bts_NTAD_NARN_README_20250529.txt Short description: The README.txt file that includes human-readable information about the data, variable definitions, contact information, and other contextual information. The file you are reading now. 2. File List for the NARN_NTAD1995_Present.zip collection. A. Filename: NTADXXXX_SHP_Final_NARN_XXXX*.zip or NTADXXXX_GDB_Final_NARN_XXXX_XX_XX.zip Short description: Compressed file folders containing the geospatial data for North American Rail Network (NARN) 1995-Present dataset. File folders are classified by NTAD publication year and data vintage year respectively. 3a. File List for the NTADXXXX_SHP_Final_NARN_XXXX*.zip collection. A. Filename: rail100k.shp and rail2m.shp, or rail_lines*.shp and rail_nodes*.shp, or NARN_Lines*.shp and NARN_Nodes*.shp Short description: A shapefile containing the geospatial data for North American Rail Network (NARN) 1995-Present dataset. This includes associated files with extensions .prj, .dbf, .sbn, .sbx, .shx. B. Filename: rail100k.htm, rail100k.txt, rail2m.htm, and rail2m.txt, or rail_lines.txt, rail_lines*.shp.xml rail_nodes.txt, and rail_nodes*.shp.xml, or NARN_Lines*.shp.xml and NARN_Nodes*.shp.xml Short description: Text files containing key metadata and documentation information such as methodology, procedures, data dictionary, etc. 3b. File List for the NTADXXXX_GDB_Final_NARN_XXXX_XX_XX.zip collection A. Filename: NTADXXXX_GDB_Final_NARN_XXXX_XX_XX.gdb.zip Short description: A file geodatabase containing the geospatial data for North American Rail Network (NARN) 1995-Present dataset. Geodatabase (GDB) folders contain all the necessary components to view and otherwise interact with their data. B. Filename: NARN_Lines.xml and NARN_Nodes.xml, or NARN_Rail_Lines.xml and NARN_Rail_Nodes.xml Short description: Text files containing key metadata and documentation information such as methodology, procedures, etc. C. Filename: NARN.xlsx and Rail_Node.xlsx, or North_American_Rail_Network_Lines.xlsx and North_American_Railroad_Network_Nodes.xlsx Short description: Excel spreadsheet containing the dataset's data dictionary. ---------------------------------------------------------------- D. METHODOLOGICAL INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Description of methods used for collection/generation of data: The North American Rail Network was created using the preexisting FRA network 1:100k, the FRA Automated Track Inspection Program (ATIP) data, and the data provided to NGA by ORNL.  The source data of the spatial features was based on FRA’s ATIP foot by foot coordinates, where it existed, and the NGA/ORNL spatial content. 2. Instrument- or software-specific information needed to interpret the data: The data and documentation files can be opened with Esri ArcMap and any GIS software package. ---------------------------------------------------------------- E. DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1. North American Rail Network (NARN) data table This dataset is updated as needed. Dataset Manager is contacted to verify changes to data resulting in NTAD update. The metadata is updated in the same manner. For the most recent data, please visit the NTAD catalog at https://doi.org/10.21949/1519415 A. Number of variables (columns): The data dictionary found in (PDF documentation) provides definitions for the variables B. Data Dictionary/Variable List: Because of the large number of variables, please refer to the Data Dictionary found within the file NARN.txt for names, definitions, and formats of variables. C. Missing data codes: None ---------------------------------------------------------------- F. UPDATE LOG ---------------------------------------------------------------- This bts_NARN_20250529_README.txt file was originally created on 2021-08-03 by Dominic Menegus, Geographer, dominic.menegus@dot.gov [Note changes or update to the readme.txt file, e.g.:] 2021-08-03: Original file created 2021-08-11: Update to README content to reflect data reorganization and review 2024-11-19: Update to README content to reflect data reorganization. 2025-05-29: Revised document, including data descriptions and file organization.