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Thomas Savery
Thomas Savery patents the very first atmospheric steam engine. It was designed during a time where mining was becoming increasingly popular in Europe. The design had some fatal flaws and though patented it was never put into use. -
Thomas Newcomen
Thomas Newcomen is credited with the creation of the first practical steam water pumping engine. He supposedly worked with Thomas Savery and expanded on his ideas. The Machine was used by steam filling a cylinder and being compressed and then expanding operating the hydraulics. -
James Watt
James Watt was born in Scotland in 1736. Watt is credited with the development and use of steam technology for a variety of uses. Watt supposedly made the first copying machine. It could copy drawing and artwork as well as writing. It was of course powered by steam. James Watt designed the first "modern" steam engine. It was a large wheel with multiple pistons on either side of the wheel. It was much more practical and increased the fuel efficiency of it. -
Wililam Murdoch Steam Locomotive
William Murdoch, a scottish engineer, designed the first prototype operating locomotive. The locomotive was called a road locomotive. The locomotive was not designed to be run on tracks. It was supposed to be used on roads. The design worked but it wore out its wheels after not to long on the road. This weakness gave rise to John Fitch creating a locomotive that is run on tracks in 1790. This design was worked on until in 1813 until it was perfected by George Stephenson. -
John Fitch
John Fitch, in the presence of the Continental Congress, launched a 60 foot steamboat down the Deleware river. This was the largest and first completley opertable steam boat in the world. -
Robert Fulton
Robert Fulton was the first major American steam engineer and designer. Fulton speacilized in the aquatic uses of Steam engines. He is credited with making the first steam powered submarine for Napoleon in 1800. he focused on making steam boats cheaper, faster and more efficient. He was pursued by France, America and The British Empire as the designer of steam boats. In 1804 he defected to England and helped build Englands vast steeamboat navy. -
First Commerical Steam transportation
Steam Engines were adopted ona previously horse drawn carriage track in Leeds England. This railway is now known as the Middleton railway, the worlds oldest operating railway. -
The heyday of Steamboats
Steamboats were hitting their peak as the best mode of transportation up and down bodies of water. There were over 727 commericial steam boats on the Missisipi alone. The ships could operate in a "heavy dew" or at around 22 inches. After this steamboats only declined. -
The Stanley Steamer
The Stanley steamer was the most popular steam powered vehicle or device. It operated on a smaller more efiicient version of the steam engine in old river steamers. This was one of the first more practical automobiles. It was still a car for the very upper middle class. Several thousand were sold over 20 years that it was in production -
The End of Steam Powered Trains
Though steam powered cars lived on for a few more years Steam powere trains were largely phased out by 1920. the reason being the Diesel engine designed by Adolphus Bush.
