This article addresses the somewhat neglected issue of railroads in the management and development of the nation's coastal resources. Historic patterns of settlement and ease of terrain dictated where tracks were laid. Now in place, sometimes abandoned, and often suffering from lack of maintenance, railroads present specialized and challenging management problems at all levels of government. Problems associated with toxic and hazardous waste cargoes, derailments, and the federal government's involvement in railroad regulation, subsidies, and other support forms are discussed. Real estate and recreational opportunities associated with abandoned railroads are also discussed, in addition to suggestions for both planners and managers to consider in relation to coastal railroad problems. The article uses the coastal port of Pensacola in North‐West Florida as a case study exemplar of many of the problems involved with railroads in the nation's coastal zone.