rautatiehistorian

A railway historian, or rautatiehistorian in Finnish, is a researcher who studies the history of railways and rail transport. The work can be academic, but many historians work in museums, archives, or as independent researchers. Their aim is to understand how railways developed, how technologies evolved, and what social, economic, and cultural effects railways had on societies.

Topics commonly examined include the construction and expansion of railway networks, locomotive and rolling stock technology, timetable development, safety practices, company and labor history, passenger experience, freight flows, policy and regulation, and the interaction of railways with urban and regional development.

Methodologically, railway historians rely on a range of sources: primary materials such as company records, timetables, engineering drawings, maps, photographs, newspapers, and oral histories; plus secondary literature and museums' collections. They may produce scholarly articles, books, catalogue exhibitions, or digital archives, and collaborate with engineers, archivists, and curators.

In Finland and other countries, rautatiehistorian work supports public memory of rail heritage, informs preservation projects, and helps interpret transport history for visitors at museums and in educational programs.