The Locomotive's Travel Through Time and Innovations

Wagon Roads

Jan 1, 1630

Beaumont designs and builds wagon roads constructed for horses pulling carts and wagons. This was the processor of the Railroad.

First Steam Engine

Jul 5, 1753

First steam engine arrives in the colonies from England.

First Steam Engine Installation

Mar 12, 1755

First steam engine installed in America is installed to pump water from a mine.

"Modern" Stationary Steam Engine

Nov 1, 1774

Scotsman James Watt builds first "modern" stationary steam engine.

Murdoch' s Steam Engine

Jan 21, 1784

Murdoch (Watt associate) patents a steam engine that runs 6 to 8 mph

Flanged Wheeled Wagons

Nov 5, 1789

Englishman William Jessup designs first wagons with flanged wheels.

Non-Condensing High Pressure Stationary Steam Engine & 40 PSI Steam Locomotive

Dec 5, 1800

Oliver Evans (American) creates earliest sucessful non-condensing high pressure stationary steam-engine. Richard Trevithick of Cornwall builds 40 psi steam locomotive for the Welsh Penydarran.

Steam Locomotive that Runs on Timber Rails

Feb 21, 1804

Matthew Murray of Leeds (England) invents a steam locomotive which runs on timber rails.

First Passenger Train

Mar 25, 1807

The very first passenger train ran from Swansea to Mumbles

50 PSI Railroad Locomotive

Jul 25, 1814

Englishman William Hedley builds and patents 50 psi railroad locomotive which could haul 10 coal wagons at 5 mph, equal to 10 horses.

George Stephenson's 8 Ton Locomotive

Apr 25, 1825

George Stephenson builds an 8 ton locomotive that pulls 90 tons at 15 mph for Stockton& Darlington RR.

Stourbridge Lion, The "Tread" Wheel, and the Vertical Boiler

Aug 8, 1829

First steam locomotive used in America, the English-built, Stourbridge Lion, put to work in Delaware and Hudson. Peter Cooper builds vertical boiler with 1.4 HP; it hauled 38 passengers at 18 mph. James Wright invents cone "tread" of wheel which prevents wear of flanges and reduce resistance.

3.5 De Witt Clinton & Isaac Dripps' Locomotive

Aug 9, 1831

3.5 ton De Witt Clinton hauls five stage coaches at 25 mph. The engine was lightly and had retired 2 years later. Isaac Dripps made the first locomotive fitted with a bell, headlight, and cowcatcher which the design remained until 1866.

Phineas Davis locomotive & John B. Jervis locomotive

Oct 15, 1832

American No.1 first train capable of reaching speeds of 60 mph. Train designed by Chief Engineer John B. Jervis.The Atlantic Locomotive capable of hauling 50 tons at a distance of 40 miles at 12-15 mph. Designed by Phineas Davis and assisted by Ross Williams.

George Stephenson's steam brake

Dec 1, 1833

George Stephenson applies a small steam brake cylinder to operate brake shoes on driving wheels of locomotives.

Nehemiah Hodge's locomotive vacuum brake

Jun 12, 1860

Railway mechanic Nehemiah Hodge patents locomotive vacuum brake. An innovation that helped trains brake at high aptitudes.

Railroad Expansion in the United States

Jul 1, 1862

President Abraham Lincoln expands railroad across United States.

Eli Janney's Knuckle Coupler

Apr 1, 1868

Major Eli Janney invents the Knuckle Coupler (links cart together) which replaces the "link and pin" coupler. This innovation drastically reduced injuries of railroad workers.

The Straight Air Brake

Jan 23, 1869

George Westinghouse develops the straight air brake.

The Automatic Air Brake

Mar 5, 1872

George Westinghouse patents the first automatic air brake which is the basis of today's locomotive brake.

First Mainline Electrification

May 12, 1893

The first mainline electrification was in Baltimore; 675 VDC was used and successfully hauled 96 ton 4 axle, 4 motor locomotives. This carried 1800 ton trains a 1.25 radius.

"Cannon Ball"

Apr 30, 1900

Casey Jones invents the "Cannon Ball".

The Internal Combustion Engine Locomotive.

Jun 1, 1913

First commercially successful internal combustion engine locomotive in the U.S. built by Dan Patch Line. (1913)

Beginning of the Gas-Electric Rail Cars

Dec 1, 1923

The Electro-Motive Engineering Corporation, headed by H.I. Hamilton begins building gas-electric railcars in Cleaveland, Ohio.

Diesel-Electric Locomotive

Feb 18, 1925

ALCO builds first diesel-electric locomotive. This design had many improvements in technology which stayed in use in the Bronx until 1957.

First Diesel-Electric Passenger Locomotive

Mar 31, 1928

First diesel-electric passenger locomotive built in N. America (1330 HP and max safe speed 63 mph).

The Steamliner & Steamlined Electric Locomotives

Dec 14, 1934

First steamliner in U.S. had V12 600 HP and capable of 110 mph. It was designed by Richard Dilworth. First steamlined electric locomotives begin which pulled high-speed passenger trains between NYC and Washington, D.C. (8500 HP) Production continued in 1943 and was used until the 1980's.

Dick Dilworth's Diesel-Electric Passenger Locomotives

Apr 13, 1935

EMC builds self-contained Diesel-electric passenger locomotives in the U.S. Designs by Dick Dilworth and two draftsmen. This design retires in 1956.

Romancar 3000 Launched in Tokyo

Dec 28, 1957

The Romancecar was used in Japan; it was a narrow gauge train (a narrower area than 4 feet [1.4 m] across between the railroad’s rails) and set a world speed record for its ability to travel 90 mph (145 km/h).

Japanese Bullet Train

Apr 22, 1964

The Tokaido Shinkansen, connecting Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka, was inaugurated in 1964 as the first shinkansen line and the world's first high speed train service. At that time the trains already ran at about 200 km/h.

Rail Passenger Service Act

May 1, 1971

Congress passes Rail Passenger Service Act creating AMTRAK, which serves more than 20 million customers annually nationwide.

France and Britain are Linked

Feb 22, 1986

Eurostar makes a tunnel to provide a cross-channel link between Britain and France for trains.

First EuroStar Train Travels the English Channel

Jun 20, 1993

Eurostar's high-speed rail service between Britain, France and Belgium via the Channel Tunnel. It was originally able to operate on the UK third rail network, and has extensive fireproofing in case of fire in the tunnel. This is both the longest—394 metres (1,290 ft)—and fastest train in regular UK passenger service.

MetroRail Lite is Established

Jan 1, 2004

MetroRail Lite is created and is currently in use in Houston. Plans of expansion of MetroRail Lite is already being enacted as where four more lines are being added and shall be completed by 2012.

New Bullet Trains In Japan

Jun 16, 2009

Japan test runs their new eco-friendly bullet train and reaches a record breaking speed of 223 mph.