The Railway Track, North Dakota 1936

Wouter Cool captured this photograph of a railway track in North Dakota, sometime during his career as a photographer. The image evokes the complex relationship between expansion and exploitation in the American West. Railroads facilitated the transportation of goods and people, but also played a role in displacing indigenous populations and exploiting natural resources. The railway track is depicted as a solitary element stretching into the seemingly endless horizon, but the human cost is absent from the frame. The stark, industrial structure cutting through the prairie prompts reflection on the cultural and environmental impact of American expansion. Railroads were essential for economic growth, but they also altered landscapes and disrupted existing ways of life. Consider how this photograph invites us to consider the multifaceted narratives of progress, displacement, and the changing American landscape.