The cataloguing of certificates depends on the names of railroad companies. The very first step, many years ago, was to try to compile the most extensive list of company names possible. Since that time, thousands of new names have emerged. New company names are now getting hard to find, but a few are still being added every month.

This page displays a nearly complete list of the sources where I have found names of railroads, railways, and other companies closely related to railroading. (Personal communication sources are not listed here.)

In general, sources of names fall into two main categories: historical references and existing documents.

Historical references include books, magazines, and security-related publications such as Moody's, Poor's and the Interstate Commerce Commision. Certain kinds of web sites are also valuable including those maintained by states, railroad companies and historical societies. (Web sources, like many displayed below, are notoriously transient. Please consider that EVERY web site in the world is only one button click from going dark.)

Existing documents encompass all sorts of document that bear company names. Documents may include stocks, bonds, receipts, passes, tickets, paper money, and bills of lading. They may also include artifacts such as locomotices, cars, china, lanterns, calendars, photographs, and so forth. Unfortunately, these kinds of primary sources only offer one or two new names at a time and finding them is completely random.

The online database currently holds over 26,20 company names. However, there are many, many additional sources I may never have time to examine. If you have references that include company names I have missed, please let me know.