USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -The need for continental time zones stemmed directly from the problems of moving passengers and freight over the thousands of miles of rail line that covered North America by the 1880s. Since human beings had first begun keeping track of time, they set their clocks to the local movement of the sun.

Detailed explanation-2: -Each time zone is set one hour apart, which allowed the railroads to coordinate train schedules across the entire country.

Detailed explanation-3: -Due to this lack of time standardization, schedules on the same tracks often could not be coordinated, resulting in collisions. The major railroad companies as a result began to operate on a coordinated system of four time zones starting in 1883.

Detailed explanation-4: -It made commerce possible on a vast scale. In addition to transporting western food crops and raw materials to East Coast markets and manufactured goods from East Coast cities to the West Coast, the railroad also facilitated international trade.

Detailed explanation-5: -History. In 1883, U.S. and Canadian railroads adopted a four-zone system to govern their operations and reduce the confusion resulting from some 100 conflicting locally established “sun times” observed in terminals across the country.