The railroad built America. When the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads met at Promontory Summit, Utah on May 10, 1869, the golden spike ceremony marked the completion of the first transcontinental railroad — and the true unification of the continental United States. Before that moment, traveling from New York to California took months by wagon or ship. The railroad cut it to days, transforming commerce, migration, and the American sense of possibility.

Today, America's passenger rail system centers on Amtrak, which operates over 500 destinations in 46 states. Penn Station in New York is the busiest station, handling hundreds of thousands of passengers daily. Chicago's Union Station serves as the hub for long-distance routes across the Midwest and West. The Acela corridor between Boston and Washington, D.C. is the closest thing America has to high-speed rail, though it maxes out at 150 mph — modest by European and Asian standards.

The freight railroad system tells a different story entirely. Texas has the most railroad track mileage of any state, and American freight railroads move roughly 40% of the nation's cargo. The system is one of the most efficient in the world, moving goods at a fraction of the cost and environmental impact of trucking. Meanwhile, historic tourist railroads like Colorado's Durango & Silverton and New Hampshire's Mount Washington Cog Railway keep the romance of rail travel alive.

This quiz covers America's railroad history from the golden spike to Brightline — the new high-speed rail project connecting Las Vegas to Southern California. Whether you're a rail enthusiast or a casual traveler, these questions map out the tracks that built and continue to move America.