Railroads

  • First Steam Railway Locomotive Is Built

    First Steam Railway Locomotive Is Built
    The first steam railway locomotive was built by inventor and explorer Richard Trevithick in the Welsh mining town of Merthyr Tydfil.
  • T-Rail is Invented

    John Stevens invents T-rail, a train that uses rods for rails that resemble the letter “T”.
  • The First Railroad is Chartered in The United States

    The first railroad, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, was chartered in the United States.
  • Trains Dispatched by Telegraph

    Trains were starting to have the ability to be dispatched by telegraph, meaning that they could change details at the last minute for the trip.
  • Pacific Railway Act

    Pacific Railway Act
    The congress passed the Pacific Railway Act, which authorized the construction of transcontinental railroads. The passing of this also created the Pacific Railroad Company.
  • Cable Pulled Railways

    Cable Pulled Railways
    The first cable-pulled elevated railways is demonstrated by Charles T Harvey in New York.
  • Railway Strikes

    Railway Strikes
    1. July 14th, 1877- The railroads are forced to decrease pay because of the depression. This is followed by strikes, labor unrest, and violence.
  • Federal Control Over Railroads

    Federal Control Over Railroads
    President Roosevelt issues Federal control over the railroads to prevent a shutdown from labor. The railroads are controlled by the army until early 1944.