Geography: The Great Lakes form a natural transportation route, connecting the Midwest to the East Coast and Canada. This made it easy for railroads to transport goods and people between these regions.
Industry: The Great Lakes region was home to a number of industries, such as steel, automobiles, and manufacturing. These industries relied on railroads to transport their goods to market.
Population: The Great Lakes region was also home to a large population, which provided a demand for rail transportation.
Competition: The Great Lakes region was also home to a number of competing railroads, which helped to keep prices low and service high.
Overall, the Great Lakes region was an ideal location for railroad construction, and this is why a number of railroad lines were built along the lakes.