This is a lushly colored map of the legendary Mexican Central Railway's route during the 1890s. The Mexican Central Railway was the most important railroad of its time. From 1880 to 1884, a forceful railroad-building program enabled the company to lay track up the Central Valley of Mexico, creating a direct link between Mexico City and the northern border. By April 1884, the Mexican Central Railway's route included 1,224 miles of rails running from Mexico City over to Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, Chihuahua, and the border towns of Paso del Norte and El Paso, Texas. During the Mexican Central Railway's early years, the company was controlled by the powerful Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad, a mighty corporation that dominated international entry into the western United States. The construction of the modern rail network system in Mexico commenced in 1877 under President Porfirio Díaz. Díaz hoped the new railroads would help Mexico export its natural resources to the United States and generate foreign capital to sponsor more internal improvements. The railroads also helped Díaz consolidate his political control over the entire country. By the turn-of-the-century railroads like the Mexican Central Railway enabled countless Mexicans to immigrate to or seek employment in the United States. Image: 25.6"W x 21.5"H. Condition: (Excellent) Dimensions: Frame: 36 - 3/4" x 2" x 33".