USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -The first regular carrier of passengers and freight was the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, completed on February 28, 1827. It was not until Christmas Day, 1830, when the South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company completed the first mechanical passenger train, that the modern railroad industry was born.

Detailed explanation-2: -The railroad was first developed in Great Britain. A man named George Stephenson successfully applied the steam technology of the day and created the world’s first successful locomotive. The first engines used in the United States were purchased from the Stephenson Works in England.

Detailed explanation-3: -Investors hoped a railroad would allow Baltimore, the second largest U.S. city at the time, to successfully compete with New York for western trade. The first railroad track in the United States was only 13 miles long, but it caused a lot of excitement when it opened in 1830.

Detailed explanation-4: -1865: The “golden age” of railroads begins. For nearly half a century, no other mode of transportation challenges railroads. During these years, the rail network grew from 35, 000 miles to a peak of around 254, 000 miles in 1916.