Global Dataset on the Length of Railways in Operation (1825-2021)
LI Yongling1YU Yonghao*1CAI Jun1
1 School of Architecture and Fine Arts，Dalian University of Technology，Dalian 116023，China
DOI:10.3974/geodb.2025.08.07.V1
Published:Aug. 2025
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Key Words：
global,length of railways in operation,stage division,evolution trajectory,regional differentiation
Abstract：
This study systematically integrates global data on the length of railways in operation from 1825 to 2021. The dataset was developed based on International Historical Statistics, 1750-2010, supplemented with data from multiple sources, including the World Bank, the International Union of Railways, and national statistical agencies. Approximately 17.07% of the historical data records are missing. Depending on the pattern of missing data, 3 types are identified: (1) mid-series gaps: missing data for certain years or consecutive periods, with available data both before and after the gap; (2) end-series gaps: missing data concentrated at the end of the time series, necessitating trend extrapolation for completion; (3) gaps due to national boundary adjustments, where changes in national borders necessitate the reallocation and reconstruction of relevant indicators based on current boundaries in conjunction with historical data. To address different types of missing data, methods such as linear interpolation, linear regression forecasting, and static/dynamic weight decomposition were used for completion and optimization. The dataset covers 133 countries and regions across the 5 continents of the world, including the following items: (1) length of railways in operation; (2) growth rate of the length of railways in operation. The dataset is archived in .xlsx format, and consists of one file with data size of 1.43 MB.
Foundation Item：
Data Citation：
LI Yongling, YU Yonghao*, CAI Jun. Global Dataset on the Length of Railways in Operation (1825-2021)[J/DB/OL]. Digital Journal of Global Change Data Repository, 2025. https://doi.org/10.3974/geodb.2025.08.07.V1.
References：
[1] Mitchell, B. R. International Historical Statistics: 1750-2010 [M]. 4th ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013.
[2] Cohen, J. Private capital, public credit and the decline of American railways, 1840–1940 [J]. The Journal of Transport History, 2010, 31(1): 42-68.
[3] Satya, L. D. British imperial railways in nineteenth century South Asia [M] // The railways in colonial South Asia. London: Routledge, 2021: 85-113.
[4] Li, C. J. The great achievements and future prospects of railway development in China [J]. State-owned Assets Report, 2019(6): 26-29.
[5] Scott, M. A. Transcontinentalism: technology, geopolitics, and the Baghdad and Cape–Cairo railway projects, c. 1880 [D]. Newcastle: Newcastle University, 2018.
Data Product:
| ID |
Data Name |
Data Size |
Operation |
| 1 |
Railway1825-2021.xlsx |
1467.67KB |
|