Development of Railroads By Peter Vuong 1830 Liverpool and Manchester Railroad: George Stephenson. The locomotives: Stephenson and his son Robert Period: 1901 to 2000 Switch from steam power to internal combustion and electricity. Period: 1901 to 2000 Railroads continued globally, but mostly in China, Canada, and Soviet Union. 1970 Railroads were revived after being diminished by developed countries, because of creation of high speed transportation in Europe and Japan. 2008 India mountain's railway got a UNESCO World Heritage site.