Vintage railroad timetables are a popular and affordable paper collectible. There are two types: passenger timetables distributed to the public in a fold-up pocket-sized format, and employee timetables, often produced in a larger 8 by 14 inch format dubbed the "horseblanket."

Passenger timetables are valued for their graphics, vignettes, and general information about various railroads. Employee timetables were for the exclusive use of railroad employees, and often contained detailed information on physical plant, locomotives, schedules of regular trains, and other logistical information. They therefore paint a very detailed picture of a railroad's operation during a given time period.