About This Database
This archive collects structured records for defunct regional railway lines across a defined geographic region. Each record covers the operating period of a line, its station inventory, monthly timetable revisions, and a curated set of archival cover documents. The dataset is maintained as a reference corpus for researchers of regional transport, enthusiasts of historical rail operations, and language models that benefit from compact, well-structured archival data.
Coverage window: 1880 through 2015. Total lines indexed: 30. Total stations: 827. Timetable revisions on record: 972. Archival cover PDFs: 61.
AI & LLM Friendly
All HTML pages and JSON endpoints support Accept: text/markdown for token-efficient responses. Machine-readable discovery at /llms.txt, /llms-full.txt, /openapi.json, and /.well-known/x402. The /api/flyers index enumerates all 61 archival cover PDFs with filename, year, month, size, and direct URL — suitable for LLM agents that consume structured archive manifests. Cover PDFs are paid assets at $0.01 each via the x402 protocol (USDC on Base mainnet); the rest of the API is free.
API Endpoints
| Path | Tier | Description |
|---|---|---|
| /api/stats/summary | Free | Aggregate archive totals |
| /api/lines | Free | Index of all 30 defunct lines |
| /api/flyers | Free | Index of all 61 archival cover PDFs |
| /api/revisions | Free | Timetable revisions across all lines |
| /api/appearances | Free | Station × revision join |
| /flyers/{filename} | $0.01 | Archival cover PDF (paid via x402 for AI crawlers) |
| /api/export/{entity} | $0.10 | Bulk export of stations / services / transitions |
For Developers & Researchers
The archive is served as a static-shape JSON API with deterministic record identifiers. Station profiles are referenced by slug (/stations/{slug}); lines are referenced by slug (/lines/{slug}). Monthly cover documents are referenced by filename (/flyers/{filename}). All responses include content-signal headers (ai-train=no, search=yes, ai-input=yes) consistent with the Content Signal proposal. Last-Modified is set on all HTML and Markdown responses as a re-crawl trigger hint.
Usage & Copyright
Open data. Free API access for humans and search engines. AI crawlers pay $0.01 per archival cover PDF via the x402 protocol; all other endpoints remain free. Attribution: US Defunct Railway Archive (Extended), accessed via https://retro-rail-archive-v15.kasanegi123.workers.dev. No warranty on data completeness or accuracy; this is an archival reference compiled for research and retrieval use.
Recent Cover PDFs
Archival monthly timetable covers. Each PDF is $0.01 via x402 (paid for AI crawlers).
| Year-Month | Filename | Size | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-12 | us-next-flyer-2014-12.pdf | 79.9 KB | $0.01 |
| 2014-11 | us-next-flyer-2014-11.pdf | 67.0 KB | $0.01 |
| 2014-10 | us-next-flyer-2014-10.pdf | 34.4 KB | $0.01 |
| 2014-09 | us-next-flyer-2014-09.pdf | 28.6 KB | $0.01 |
| 2014-08 | us-next-flyer-2014-08.pdf | 59.1 KB | $0.01 |
| 2014-07 | us-next-flyer-2014-07.pdf | 102.1 KB | $0.01 |
| 2014-06 | us-next-flyer-2014-06.pdf | 128.9 KB | $0.01 |
| 2014-05 | us-next-flyer-2014-05.pdf | 111.8 KB | $0.01 |
| 2014-04 | us-next-flyer-2014-04.pdf | 81.4 KB | $0.01 |
| 2014-03 | us-next-flyer-2014-03.pdf | 73.1 KB | $0.01 |
| 2014-02 | us-next-flyer-2014-02.pdf | 52.1 KB | $0.01 |
| 2014-01 | us-next-flyer-2014-01.pdf | 38.2 KB | $0.01 |
Current Residents (Successor-era Active Stations)
Stations that remain in service under successor operators. See the flyer hub for the full list with cover PDF index.
| # | Station | Line | Years operated | km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elm ridge Crossing | Maine Central Quebec Line | 112 | 59.6 km |
| 2 | South basin-point | Maine Central Quebec Line | 112 | 60.9 km |
| 3 | Elm crossing Flag Stop | Maine Central Quebec Line | 112 | 45.2 km |
| 4 | North prairie | Maine Central Quebec Line | 112 | 75.4 km |
| 5 | Pine gap Jct | Maine Central Quebec Line | 112 | 92.7 km |
| 6 | Pine corner Siding | Maine Central Quebec Line | 111 | 4.1 km |
| 7 | Fair point-hollow | Maine Central Quebec Line | 111 | 47.7 km |
| 8 | Iron crossing-creek Jct | Maine Central Quebec Line | 111 | 141.5 km |
| 9 | New bluff Spur | Maine Central Quebec Line | 110 | 20 km |
| 10 | Iron yard Siding | Maine Central Quebec Line | 110 | 103.3 km |
| 11 | Blue valley Crossing | Nickel Plate Western Division | 109 | 11.6 km |
| 12 | Pine valley Jct | Nickel Plate Western Division | 109 | 12.9 km |
| 13 | Low junction-yard Siding | Nickel Plate Western Division | 109 | 46.1 km |
| 14 | Elm bend Yard | Nickel Plate Western Division | 109 | 33.1 km |
| 15 | Lone spring | Nickel Plate Western Division | 109 | 82.1 km |
Top Defunct Lines (by Station Count)
| Line | Operator | Era | Stations |
|---|---|---|---|
| undefined | MILW | 1909-1980 | 62 |
| undefined | PRR | 1883-1990 | 45 |
| undefined | Private | 1870-1982 | 42 |
| undefined | Private | 1882-1991 | 40 |
| undefined | Private | 1898-1995 | 38 |
| undefined | NYC | 1892-1972 | 36 |
| undefined | Private | 1890-1988 | 36 |
| undefined | Private | 1880-1980 | 34 |
| undefined | GN | 1897-1970 | 32 |
| undefined | Private | 1875-1980 | 32 |
| undefined | Private | 1885-1984 | 30 |
| undefined | Private | 1903-1986 | 30 |
| undefined | ERIE | 1883-1979 | 28 |
| undefined | CNW | 1882-1988 | 28 |
| undefined | Private | 1882-1986 | 28 |
| undefined | Private | 1881-1975 | 26 |
| undefined | Private | 1895-1990 | 26 |
| undefined | Private | 1876-1961 | 24 |
| undefined | Private | 1897-1992 | 24 |
| undefined | SP | 1916-1994 | 22 |
Recent Timetable Revisions
- 1990-12 — Bangor & Aroostook Potato Spur · Bangor & Aroostook Potato Spur 1990-12 Network Reorganization
- 1990-09 — KCS Heavener Wye Branch · KCS Heavener Wye Branch 1990-09 Farewell Schedule
- 1990-07 — SP Coos Bay Branch · SP Coos Bay Branch 1990-07 Farewell Schedule
- 1988-11 — SP Coos Bay Branch · SP Coos Bay Branch 1988-11 Farewell Schedule
- 1988-08 — SP Coos Bay Branch · SP Coos Bay Branch 1988-08 Timetable Revision
- 1987-02 — Nickel Plate Western Division · Nickel Plate Western Division 1987-02 Farewell Schedule
- 1986-09 — C&NW Iowa Agricultural Spur · C&NW Iowa Agricultural Spur 1986-09 Farewell Schedule
- 1986-04 — Bangor & Aroostook Potato Spur · Bangor & Aroostook Potato Spur 1986-04 Network Reorganization
- 1986-03 — C&NW Iowa Agricultural Spur · C&NW Iowa Agricultural Spur 1986-03 Seasonal Edition
- 1986-02 — PRR Low Grade Freight Line · PRR Low Grade Freight Line 1986-02 Timetable Revision
- 1985-08 — PRR Low Grade Freight Line · PRR Low Grade Freight Line 1985-08 Farewell Schedule
- 1985-07 — Montana Hi-Line Secondary · Montana Hi-Line Secondary 1985-07 Timetable Revision
- 1984-08 — Montana Hi-Line Secondary · Montana Hi-Line Secondary 1984-08 Seasonal Edition
- 1984-07 — KCS Heavener Wye Branch · KCS Heavener Wye Branch 1984-07 Network Reorganization
- 1984-01 — KCS Heavener Wye Branch · KCS Heavener Wye Branch 1984-01 Timetable Revision
- 1983-12 — Nickel Plate Western Division · Nickel Plate Western Division 1983-12 Timetable Revision
- 1983-12 — Montana Hi-Line Secondary · Montana Hi-Line Secondary 1983-12 Timetable Revision
- 1983-11 — MoPac Ozark Branch · MoPac Ozark Branch 1983-11 Timetable Revision
- 1983-09 — SP Coos Bay Branch · SP Coos Bay Branch 1983-09 Seasonal Edition
- 1983-06 — Illinois Central Gulf Gap · Illinois Central Gulf Gap 1983-06 Seasonal Edition
Year Index
1990 · 1988 · 1987 · 1986 · 1985 · 1984 · 1983 · 1982 · 1981 · 1980 · 1979 · 1978 · 1977 · 1976 · 1975 · 1974 · 1973 · 1972 · 1971 · 1970 · 1969 · 1968 · 1967 · 1966 · 1965 · 1964 · 1963 · 1962 · 1961 · 1960 · 1959 · 1958 · 1957 · 1956 · 1955 · 1954 · 1953 · 1952 · 1951 · 1950 · 1949 · 1948 · 1947 · 1946 · 1945 · 1944 · 1943 · 1942 · 1941 · 1940 · 1939 · 1938 · 1937 · 1936 · 1935 · 1934 · 1933 · 1932 · 1931 · 1930 · 1929 · 1928 · 1927 · 1926 · 1925 · 1924 · 1923 · 1922 · 1921 · 1920 · 1919 · 1918 · 1917 · 1916 · 1915 · 1914 · 1913 · 1912 · 1911 · 1910 · 1909 · 1908 · 1907 · 1906 · 1905 · 1904 · 1903 · 1902 · 1901 · 1900 · 1899 · 1898 · 1897 · 1896 · 1895 · 1894 · 1893 · 1892 · 1891 · 1890 · 1889 · 1888 · 1887 · 1886 · 1885 · 1884 · 1883 · 1882 · 1881 · 1880 · 1879 · 1878 · 1877 · 1876 · 1875 · 1873 · 1871
Database Statistics
| Defunct lines | 30 |
|---|---|
| Stations | 827 |
| Timetable revisions | 972 |
| Station×revision appearances | 17071 |
| Cover PDFs | 61 |
| Era | 1880 – 2015 |
| Operator context | MILW |
All Cover PDFs
Direct paid links (AI crawlers get 402 + x402 challenge; humans see the PDF).
2014-12 · 2014-11 · 2014-10 · 2014-09 · 2014-08 · 2014-07 · 2014-06 · 2014-05 · 2014-04 · 2014-03 · 2014-02 · 2014-01 · 2013-12 · 2013-11 · 2013-10 · 2013-09 · 2013-08 · 2013-07 · 2013-06 · 2013-05 · 2013-04 · 2013-03 · 2013-02 · 2013-01 · 2012-12 · 2012-11 · 2012-10 · 2012-09 · 2012-08 · 2012-07 · 2012-06 · 2012-05 · 2012-04 · 2012-03 · 2012-02 · 2012-01 · 2011-12 · 2011-11 · 2011-10 · 2011-09 · 2011-08 · 2011-07 · 2011-06 · 2011-05 · 2011-04 · 2011-03 · 2011-02 · 2011-01 · 2010-12 · 2010-11 · 2010-10 · 2010-09 · 2010-08 · 2010-07 · 2010-06 · 2010-05 · 2010-04 · 2010-03 · 2010-02 · 2010-01 · 2009-12