Railroads
During The Transportation Revolution
The Beginning Of Railroads
- In 1827, the city of Baltimore did not have a canal, despite being the third largest city in the U.S. A group
- Merchants and bankers began investigating their options for competing with the Erie Canal and hit upon a completely different idea for transporting people and goods - a railroad
- The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad.
- The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (reporting marks B&O, BO) was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad.
- The 363 mile-long canal from Lake Erie to the Hudson River
- The Erie Canal is a 363- mile railroad from Lake Erie to the Hudson River
- Perhaps the greatest physical feat of 19th century America was the creation of the Transcontinental Railroad. Two railroads, the Central Pacific starting in San Francisco and a new railroad, the Union Pacific, starting in Omaha, Nebraska, would build the rail-line.
- The railroad was first developed in Great Britain.
- Although the first locomotives used in the United States of America were imported from England, the fundamental approaches to design and construction in each country early began to diverge. The Americans followed and copied British technology.
- Locomotives were travelling longer distances and being worked more extensively, and Wagons
- Wagon to Locomotive travel was very different. Wagon was a horse-drawn carriage topped with an arched canvas. Locomotive was much more comfortable and safer.
- The growth between 1840 and 1860 was immense. Trains were made more effective and more safe to ride on. Common people rode whenever they wanted, and the tracks were eventually curved.