On the right track? Railways and population dynamics in Spain, 1860–1930.

This article investigates how the expansion of 19th century railways influenced population dynamics in Spain during the Bourbon Restoration period. Using a novel dataset covering 7,755 municipalities from 1860 to 1930 and an instrumental variable strategy based on least-cost paths (LCPs) between key economic and administrative nodes, the study finds that municipalities with direct access to the broad-gauge railway network experienced significantly higher population growth. This effect was heterogeneous, being strongest in larger, densely populated, and industrializing municipalities, as well as in valleys and coastal areas, but also present in agrarian and high-altitude regions. The findings suggest that railways facilitated factor mobility and agglomeration economies, thereby fueling modern economic growth, while simultaneously reinforcing existing spatial hierarchies and exacerbating regional population inequalities in Spain.