In 1879, when the railroad reached New Mexico, people stopped using the Santa Fe Trail. The Santa Fe Trail had been established in 1821 by traders, with the goal of connecting Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and transporting goods (fur, primarily) and people (settlers). It eventually transported other goods, such as mail, as well as other people, such as soldiers and emigrants. This highway, the first in American history, was, however, demised by the arrival of the Santa Fe Railway Company train, which provided a much faster and potent service, and which would become one of the largest in the country. Whereas the Santa Fe Trail covered a distance of 900 miles, the Santa Fe Railway covered a distance of about 11,000 miles.
