The U.S. enters World War I. In order to
increase wartime efficiency, the federal
government forms the the United States
Railroad Administration and takes over
operations of the nation’s railroads.
Construction begins on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, America's
first common carrier railroad. It allowed the growing port city of
Baltimore to compete with the newly-constructed Erie Canal as an
avenue for transporting freight and passengers to western states.
The first railroad sleeping car,
designed by George Pullman,
appears in the United States.
1828
1861
1865
The Civil War begins. It is the first war in which railroads play
a key role in transporting soldiers, heavy equipment and
supplies. Railroads play a key strategic role as well, as when
Union General Ulysees Grant besieged railroads in Petersburg,
strangling the supply line to the Southern capital in Richmond.
©2010 National Railroad Passenger Corporation
1868
The movie The Silver
Streak premiers,
capitalizing on
the country's newfound love affair with
train travel. The
Burlington Zephyr
plays a leading roll,
racing to deliver an
iron lung to an ailing
polio patient before
its too late.
In Promontory Summit, Utah, the “golden spike”
is driven into the final tie joining 1,776 miles of
Central Pacific and Union Pacific rail, creating the
nation‘s first transcontinental railroad.
1869
Eli Janney invents
the Janney coupler,
the device with a
knuckle-style design
that does the job of
attaching train cars
together. Janney’s
design greatly
improves safety for
railroad workers by
replacing the more
dangerous link and
pin system.
1869
1917
1934
1935
Congress creates the National Railroad Passenger
Corporation (NRPC) to preserve the many regional
rail lines servicing different parts of the U.S. One year
later, the NRPC adopts the name Amtrak and
begins service.
1945
1970
America’s first diesel-powered streamliner, the
Burlington Zephyr completes its inaugural nonstop
“Dawn to Dusk" trip from Denver, Colorado to
Chicago, Illinois. Traveling at an average speed of
77.6 miles per hour, with a top speed of 104 miles
per hour, it collects several world speed records.
George Westinghouse
receives a patent for the air brake,
which allows trains to stop safely
and accurately.
The U.S. relies heavily on railroads during World War II.
It is the only long-distance transportation system that
can handle large numbers of soldiers and heavy
machinery like jeeps and tanks.