Women have played important roles in the railroad industry since its earliest days in the 1840s. Many worked at stations in the late nineteenth century, including Iowa’s own Kate Shelley. There is no question that by 1900 women had become an integral part of the railroad’s labor force. During World Wars I and II, women expanded their roles and worked in shops, on trains, and repairing track. This program also includes profiles of the women holding government offices and high corporate positions in the industry in more recent years. *Photos will accompany the presentation when projector facilities are available.