Westward Rails

From BoardGameGeek:

Westward Rails is a stock-holding and route-building game about western expansion in the United States. Three-to-five players will bid on shares in five historical railroads, use that money to build routes, connect specific cities to satisfy demands, and develop important metropolitan areas, all with the aim of securing bigger and bigger dividends for the companies in which they are invested. Westward Rails is played on a point-to-point map, sprawling out west by connecting cities to make major profit. On your turn, you choose to build, auction, or upgrade. This continues around the table until all demands have been met or companies run out of track. Most money wins the game.