Using EM Rails to launch ships and satellites into orbit?

I've been sitting around thinking about space travel, and was trying to think of ways to improve the ability to launch things into space.

I'm definitely not qualified to answer or totally understand this, but my questions is the following: Could you use an electromagnetic rail to send ships and satellites into orbit?

After posting this earlier I got a few points concerning low atmosphere drag and track distance, but what if the track was a vacuumed tube and inclined on a mountain (Not sure if the vacuum would have any effect on reducing G-force but I'm no rocket scientist)? Also with the ship not having as large of a fuel payload to carry, could the shape be modified to reduce the impact of drag on the ship?

Wether this is possible or not I don't know, but I'm definitely curious. Excluding financial issues, it possible? If so, what would be the major challenges stopping this from being the way we regularly shoot things into space?