Roads to Rails Lesson Plan: Locomotion: From the Horse to the Iron Horse
Locomotion: From the Horse to the Iron Horse
The earliest days of railroading were
pioneering days. Much of the
technology that we recognize today
came in to being through trial and
error, after years of refinement and
experimentation. The Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad (B&O) was one of the
premier outdoor laboratories and
many of its innovations would gain
acceptance across the country, earning the B&O the nickname “the Railroad University of
America”. This is especially true with regard to the development and experimentation in how
trains would be pulled.
Many of the locomotives in the B&O Museum’s collection date from the earliest days of
railroading and help tell the story of the transition from the first horse powered cars to steam
engines. Early horse drawn vehicles were designed for many purposes, from the stagecoach to
the flour barrel car, and they did not disappear with the development of the steam locomotive.
Just like canals and steamboats, they continued to function as part of an integrated transportation
system linking the cities of the east to the expanding western frontier. But the future of domestic
freight and passenger travel was riding on those rough looking rails that carried the first
American built steam locomotive, Peter Cooper’s diminutive Tom Thumb, a few miles to the
west of Baltimore in 1830 on the B&O’s line.
Slowly at first, but accelerating quickly, our country was pulled into the industrial age by the
steam engine.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Getting Started: Inquiry Question
Setting the Stage: Historical Context
Locating the Site: Maps
1. Map 1: The First 13 Miles of the B&O
2. Map 2: Major Railroad Lines, 1870-1890
RELATED INFORMATION
How to Use a TwHP Lesson
Lessons on Related Topics
B&O Railroad Museum website
TwHP Home
National Register Home
Determining the Facts: Readings
1. Reading 1: “The Race”
2. Reading 2: Bigger and Faster
Locomotives!
Visual Evidence: Images
1. Image 1: Grasshopper
2. Image 2: William Mason
3. Image 3: #123 Camel
Putting it All Together: Activities
1. Activity 1:Which job would you choose?
2. Activity 2: Meet the Locomotives!
About the National Register
How the National Register Helps
Teachers
Contact TwHP
B&O Railroad Museum website
This lesson is based on the B&O Railroad
Museum, one of thousands of properties
listed in the National Register of Historic
Places.
Supplementary Resources
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About this Lesson
This lesson is based on the National Register of Historic Places registration files, “Baltimore &
Ohio Transportation Museum and Mount Clare Station,” “Thomas Viaduct, Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad,” “Carrollton Viaduct,” “Ellicott City Station,” and other source materials on the
development of 19th century transportation. TwHP is sponsored, in part, by the Cultural
Resources Training Initiative and Parks as Classrooms programs of the National Park Service.
This lesson is one in a series that brings the important stories of historic places into classrooms
across the country.
Where it fits into the curriculum
Topics: This lesson is useful for units aimed at teaching about the process of westward expansion
and industrialization during the 19th century. It also relates to the important role played by
technological developments and their impact on American culture.
Time Period: 19th century
Relevant United States History Standards
Grades K-4
Topic One: Living and Working Together in Families and Communities, Now and Long
Ago
Standard 2A: The student understands the history of his or her local community.
Topic Two: The History of the Students' Own State or Region
Standard 3D: The student understands the interactions among all these groups
throughout the history of his or her state.
Standard 3E: The student understands the ideas that were significant in the
development of the state and that helped to forge its unique identity.
Grades 5-12
Era 4: Expansion and Reform (1801-1861)
STANDARD 2: How the industrial revolution, increasing immigration, the rapid
expansion of slavery, and the westward movement changed the lives of
Americans and led toward regional tensions.
Standard 2A: The student understands how the factory system and the
transportation and market revolutions shaped regional patterns of
economic development.
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Relevant Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum Standards for Social Studies
Grade 3
Standard 3.0 Geography: Students will use geographic concepts and processes to
examine the role of culture, technology, and the environment in the location and
distribution of human activities and spatial connections throughout time.
3.0C. Movement of People, Goods and Ideas
Indicator 1. Describe how transportation and communication networks
link places through the movement of people, goods, and ideas
3.0D. Modifying and Adapting to the Environment
Indicator 1. Explain how people modify, protect and adapt to their
environment
Standard 4.0 Economics: Students will develop economic reasoning to understand the
historical development and current status of economic principles, institutions, and
processes needed to be effective citizens, consumers, and workers participating in local
communities, the nation, and the world.
4.0A. Scarcity and Economic Decision-making
Indicator 1. Explain that people must make choices because resources are
limited relative to unlimited wants for goods and services
Indicator 3. Examine how technology affects the way people, live, work,
and play
4.0B. Economic Systems and the Role of the Government in the Economy
Indicator 1. Describe different types of markets
Indicator 3. Describe how consumers acquire goods and services
Standard 5.0 History: Students will Examine significant ideas, beliefs, and themes;
organize patterns and events; and analyze how individuals and societies have changed
over time in Maryland, the United States and around the world.
5.0A. Individuals and Societies Change Over Time
Indicator 1. Examine differences between past and present time
Indicator 2. Investigate how people lived in the past using a variety of
sources
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Grade 4
Standard 3.0 Geography: Students will use geographic concepts and processes to
examine the role of culture, technology, and the environment in the location and
distribution of human activities and spatial connections throughout time.
3.0A. Using Geographic Tools
Indicator 1. Use geographic tools to locate places and describe the human
and physical characteristics of those places
3.0B.Geographic Characteristics of Places and Regions
Indicator 1. Describe similarities and differences of regions by using
geographic characteristics
3.0C. Movement of People, Goods and Ideas
Indicator 1. Describe and analyze population growth, migration, and
settlement patterns in Maryland and regions of the United States
3.0 D. Modifying and Adapting to the Environment
Indicator 1. Describe how people adapt to, modify and impact the natural
environment
Standard 4.0 Economics: Students will develop economic reasoning to understand the
historical development and current status of economic principles, institutions, and
processes needed to be effective citizens, consumers, and workers participating in local
communities, the nation, and the world.
4.0A. Scarcity and Economic Decision-making
Indicator 1. Explain that people must make choices because resources are
limited relative to economic wants for goods and services in Maryland,
past and present.
Indicator 2. Explain how limited economic resources are used to produce
goods and services to satisfy economic wants in Maryland.
Indicator 3. Examine how technological changes have affected production
and consumption in Maryland
4.0B. Economic Systems and the Role of the Government in the Economy
Indicator 1. Describe the types of economic systems in Maryland
Indicator 2. Describe the role of government in regulating economic
activity and providing goods and services
Standard 5.0 History: Students will examine significant ideas, beliefs, and themes;
organize patterns and events; and analyze how individuals and societies have changed
over time in Maryland and the United States.
5.0C. Conflict between Ideas and Institutions
Indicator 2. Explain the political, cultural, economic and social changes in
Maryland during the early 1800s
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Grade 5
Standard 3.0 Geography: Students will use geographic concepts and processes to
examine the role of culture, technology, and the environment in the location and
distribution of human activities and spatial connections throughout time.
3.0A. Using Geographic Tools
Indicator 1. Use geographic tools to locate places and describe human and
physical characteristics in Colonial America
3.0B. Geographic Characteristics of Places and Regions
Indicator 1. Examine the similarities and differences of regions in Colonial
America
3.0C. Movement of People, Goods and Ideas
Indicator 1. Describe and analyze population growth, migration, and
settlement patterns in Colonial America
3.0D. Modifying and Adapting to the Environment
Indicator 1. Explain why and how people adapt to and modify the natural
environment and the impact of those modifications
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Grades 3-5
Standard 6.0 Social Studies Skills and Processes: Students shall use reading, writing,
and thinking processes and skills to gain knowledge and understanding of political,
historical, and current events using chronological and spatial thinking, economic
reasoning, and historical interpretation, by framing and evaluating questions from
primary and secondary sources.
6.0A. Read to Learn and Construct Meaning about Social Studies
Indicator 1. Use appropriate strategies and opportunities to increase
understandings of social studies vocabulary
Indicator 2. Use strategies to prepare for reading (before reading)
Indicator 3. Use strategies to monitor understanding and derive meaning
from text and portions of text (during reading)
Indicator 4. Use strategies to demonstrate understanding of the text (after
reading)
6.0B. Write to Learn and Communicate Social Studies Understandings
Indicator 1. Use informal writing strategies, such as journal writing, note
taking, quick writes, and graphic organizers to clarify, organize, remember
and/or express new understandings
Indicator 2. Use formal writing, such as multi-paragraph essays, historical
investigations, research reports, letters and summaries to inform
Indicator 3. Use formal writing, such as multi-paragraph essays, historical
investigations, editorials, and letters to persuade
Indicator 4. Use timed, on-demand writing to demonstrate understanding
on assessments (Constructed Responses)
6.0C. Ask Social Studies Questions
Indicator 1. Identify a topic that requires further study
Indicator 2. Identify a problem/situation that requires further study
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6.0D. Acquire Social Studies Information
1. Identify primary and secondary sources of information that relate to the
topic/situation/problem being studied
2. Engage in field work that relates to the topic/ situation/ problem being
studied
6.0E. Organize Social Studies Information
1. Organize information from non-print sources
2. Organize information from print sources
6.0F. Analyze Social Studies Information
1. Interpret information from primary and secondary sources
2. Evaluate information from a variety of sources
3. Synthesize information from a variety of sources
6.0G. Answer Social Studies Questions
1. Describe how the country has changed over time and how people have
contributed to its change, drawing from maps, photographs, newspapers,
and other sources
2. Use historic contexts to answer questions
3. Use current events/issues to answer questions
Objectives for students
1. To describe the development of the B&O Railroad as the nation’s first commercial
railroad.
2. To explain the impact the railroad industry had on the American way of life.
3. To compare and contrast notable locomotives in the B&O Railroad Museum collection.
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Visiting the site
B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland
Comprised of the oldest and most comprehensive collection of railroad artifacts in the Western
Hemisphere, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum, Inc. is a unique cultural and educational
asset for the city and the region. An unparalleled roster of the 19th and 20th century railroad
equipment, original shop buildings, and surviving tracks at the historic Mt. Clare site provide an
integrated resource to present virtually every aspect of American railroad development and its
impact on our society, culture, and economy. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum is
administered by a private non-profit foundation. It is located at 901 West Pratt Street in the city
of Baltimore, Maryland. The current 40-acre urban campus is the site of the original B&O rightof-way and Mt. Clare Shops complex. It is also the site of the first common carrier railroad, that
is, a commercial enterprise open to the public for passenger as well as freight transport. Train
rides are offered periodically at this site throughout the year. Please inquire about the train ride
schedule before your visit. The B& O Museum is approximately ten minutes from Baltimore's
popular Inner Harbor area and is easily accessible from Interstate 95 and the Baltimore Beltway,
I-695. Entrance to the Museum grounds is located at the intersection of West Pratt Street and
Poppleton Street. Free on-site parking is available for all visitors.
Address: 901 West Pratt Street Baltimore, MD 21223
Phone: 410-752-2490
Website: www.borail.org
B&O Railroad Museum: Ellicott City Station in Howard County, Maryland
The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum: Ellicott City Station is the oldest surviving railroad
station in America, and was the original terminus of the first 13 miles of commercial railroad in
the country. The site features the Main Depot building, constructed in 1830-31; the freight house,
designed by E. Francis Baldwin and built in 1885; a replica of the first horse-drawn passenger
rail car, the Pioneer; and a 1927 "I-5" Caboose. Housed in the freight house is a 40-foot HOgauge model train layout showing the original thirteen miles of commercial rail track stretching
from Baltimore to Ellicott’s Mills. The operating layout features an introductory video and light
show. Living historians tell the story of the development of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, the
nation’s first common carrier railroad, and its impact on Ellicott City between 1827 and 1868.
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum in Ellicott City is administered by the same private
non-profit foundation as the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore. Located at 2711 Maryland
Avenue in Ellicott City, MD, the station is adjacent to Main Street in the historic district of
Ellicott City, and is easily accessible from Interstate 95 and the Baltimore Beltway, I-695. Onsite parking is not available, and street parking is limited, but there are paid and free parking lots
nearby.
Address: 2711 Maryland Avenue Ellicott City, MD 21043
Phone: 410-461-1945
Website: www.ecborail.org
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Getting Started
INQUIRY QUESTION
The Race. Oil on Canvas by Herbert Stitt, 1927. From the collections of the B&O Railroad Museum.
1. Identify the participants in the action portrayed in this painting?
2. What appears to be happening in this painting?
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Setting the Stage
Historical Context
The B&O received its name from its point of origin, Baltimore, and its intended destination, the
Ohio River. The B&O’s projected route to the west would cross the mountains of western
Maryland and wind along the Potomac River Valley. It was steep, rugged, and included many
sharp curves. This led many to believe that existing steam engines like those being used in
England could not handle this rough terrain and, initially, horses were used to pull the trains.
However, the B&O quickly moved to steam power to pull its trains. These new machines would
eventually become some of the most recognized locomotives in American history.
It was not difficult for the managers of the B&O Railroad to see that using horses to pull trains
was not a realistic long term plan. They were satisfactory for the first thirteen miles of track
between Baltimore and Ellicott’s Mills, including a change of horses at the halfway point in the
town of Relay. But their ambitious plan was to build a railroad through terrain that was difficult
for mounted horsemen to traverse. The goal was to lay track from Baltimore to the western
frontier, over rivers and mountains. Horses could not pull a train nearly 379 miles to the banks
of the Ohio River, the projected terminus of the original main line of the B&O. But there were
reports of promising tests with steam locomotives in England. Encouraged by such news, the
B&O began testing a locomotive of its own.
Peter Cooper was a New York inventor and businessman who built the Tom Thumb for the B&O
in 1829. Initial problems were overcome, and by August of 1830 the little engine completed a
round trip between Baltimore and Ellicott’s Mills, carrying 23 passengers at the unheard of speed
of up to 18 miles per hour. The now famous race between the Tom Thumb and a horse-drawn car
resulted in a loss for the locomotive due to a mechanical problem. However, the advocates of the
steam locomotive were convinced that it was possible to use this mode of transportation to carry
people and freight through the wilderness that lay between them and the Ohio River. While the
Tom Thumb was not practical for this task, the experiment prompted efforts to build something
bigger and better.
To accomplish this, the B&O proposed a contest. In January of 1831, a prize of $4000 was
offered for the best steam locomotive built according to contest specifications. They were
looking for a coal burning engine weighing less than 3.5 tons with the power to pull a 15-ton
load at 15 miles per hour. The winning entry was built by Phineas Davis, a watchmaker from
Pennsylvania, who called his invention the York, after his hometown. The engine was an answer
to the prayers of the B&O directors, capable of negotiating sharp curves and attaining speeds of
up to 30 miles an hour on the straight away. In addition, the York cost about $16.00 a day to
operate, compared to $33.00 for a horse powered train.
The Ohio River was still a long way off in 1831. The tracks of the B&O would not reach their
destination until Christmas Eve of 1852. But the first steps had been taken, and the age of steam
was upon us.
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Source: The Great Road, the Building Of The Baltimore & Ohio, the Nation’s First Railroad,
1828-1855 by James D. Dilts
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Locating the Site
Map 1: The First 13 Miles of the B&O between Baltimore
and Ellicott’s Mills (Ellicott City) 1830.
Questions for Map 1
1. Identify the major transportation routes between Baltimore and Ellicott’s Mills (now
known as Ellicott City).
2. Identify the major waterway on this map and explain how it may have impacted the route
of the railroad.
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Determining the Facts
Reading 1: The Race
The first steam engine used on the B&O's line was an experimental engine now known as the
Tom Thumb. The engine’s inaugural journey carried the directors of the B&O from Baltimore to
Ellicott's Mills on August 28, 1830. Built at the Mt. Clare shops, the engine really did not have
a name when first used and was often called the Teakettle. Designed by Peter Cooper, the Tom
Thumb was the first American built locomotive to operate on a railroad and it proved steam
power could work on the B&O's line.
Legend has it that on a return trip from Ellicott’s Mills a horse drawn rail car came upon a rail
car pulled by the Tom Thumb and an historic race ensued. Many people today still debate
whether or not the race took place at all. The first account of the race was detailed in a speech
given by John Latrobe at the Maryland Institute on March 23, 1868.
“But the triumph of this Tom Thumb engine was not altogether without a
drawback. The great stage proprietors of the day were Stockton & Stokes;
and on this occasion a gallant gray of great beauty and power was driven
by them from town, attached to another car on the second track - for the
Company had begun by making two tracks to the Mills and met the engine
at the Relay House on its way back. From this point it was determined to
have a race home; and, the start being even, away went horse and engine,
the snort of the one and the puff of the other keep in time and tune. At
first the gray had the best of it, for his steam would be applied to the
greatest advantage on the instant, while the engine had to wait until the
rotation of the wheels set the blower to work. The horse was perhaps a
quarter of a mile ahead when the safety valve of the engine lifted and the
thin blue vapor issuing from it showed an excess of steam. The blower
whistled, the steam blew off in vapory clouds, the pace increased, the
passengers shouted, the engine gained on the horse, soon it lapped him –
the silk was plied - the race was neck and neck, nose and nose - then the
engine passed the horse, and a great hurrah hailed the victory. But it was
not repeated; for just at this time, when the gray's master was about giving
up, the band which drove the pulley, which drove the blower, slipped from
the drum, the safety valve ceased to scream, and the engine for want of
breath began to wheeze and pant. In vain Mr. Cooper, who was his own
engineman and fireman, lacerated his hands in attempting to replace the
band upon the wheel: in vain he tried to urge the fire with light wood; the
horse gained on the machine, and passed it; and although the band was
presently replaced, and steam again did its best, the horse was too far
ahead to be overtaken, and came in the winner of the race. But the real
victory was with Mr. Cooper, notwithstanding. He had held fast to the
faith that was in him, and had demonstrated its truth beyond peradventure. All honor to his name.”
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Questions for Reading 1
1. Why did the Tom Thumb lose the race?
2. Why do you think the author believed Peter Cooper can be credited with a victory?
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Determining the Facts
Reading 2: Bigger and Faster Locomotives Lead the Railroad West!
The B&O needed to transition to locomotives for a very practical reason: bigger and faster
locomotives could pull heavier loads, which translated into higher profits for the railroad. Freight
traffic soon became the major source of revenue. Flour and coal began flowing into the city of
Baltimore on longer trains pulled by newer, more powerful locomotives. In 1850, the B&O still
had over 200 horses and mules on its roster of equipment, in part to comply with the laws
prohibiting steam locomotives in Baltimore’s downtown from going beyond the current location
of the museum and into the center of the city. This was due to concern for the safety of
pedestrians and wagons, the risk of fire, and fear of the locomotives scaring horses. For these
reasons, horses were still providing the power for the final leg of the trip into downtown
Baltimore as late as the Civil War.
Regular passenger service was introduced on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad on May 24, 1830.
An early engine known as the York, built by inventor Phineas Davis, could pull as many as five
cars filled with passengers. By 1835 the B&O was running seven locomotives, forty-four
passenger cars, and almost eleven hundred freight cars and carried 97,844 passengers. Gradually,
the power and speed of the locomotives grew as the tracks of the B&O edged westward during
the 1830’s and 40’s, as did the profits earned from freight and passenger traffic.
The number of locomotives increased from a dozen in 1836 to fifty-seven in 1848. There was
also a greater variety in the types of locomotives being produced in the B&O’s Mount Clare
shops located in Baltimore. The small, four-wheeled steam locomotives were known as
“Grasshoppers and Crabs,” based upon the movement of their rods and unique design and
horizontal boilers. But more power and stability were required. This prompted the B&O to
purchase several new designs known as “One-Armed Billys”, after their designer William Norris
and for the single rod that moved the pistons and turned the wheels. These engines were part of
the B&O’s active locomotives for many years, pulling passenger trains between Baltimore and
Washington.
The next step up the ladder in terms of design and power was the “Camel”, a hulking engine
weighing over 20 tons built in 1848. It was designed for power and efficiency, not for comfort.
The large cab actually sat above the boiler, thus producing intolerably hot conditions for the
engineer. More than a hundred of these locomotives were built for the B&O by 1857.
The period between 1830 to about 1855 saw the locomotive develop from “a squat little boileron-wheels” to elegant, well-proportioned machines. The pattern created by mid-century was so
satisfactory that it underwent little change in the following twenty-five years.
Questions for Reading 2
1. Why was it still necessary for the B&O to maintain a stable of horses even after trains
were being pulled by steam locomotives?
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2. What general trends can you see occurring with regard to the B&O railroad during the
1830’s and 40’s?
3. Why do you think railroads built larger engines?
Reading adapted from: History of Baltimore and Ohio Railroad by John F. Stover
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Visual Evidence
Image 1: B&O Atlantic, Grasshopper Locomotive
In 1832, Phineas Davis and Israel Gartner developed their first "Grasshopper" type locomotive,
the No. 2 "Atlantic," in the Mt. Clare shops. These locomotives were called "Grasshoppers"
because the long vertical rods resembled enlarged mechanical insect legs when in motion. They
comprised the B&O's first operational fleet of steam locomotives. Although the "Grasshopper"
design was short lived, a number of these locomotives were used well into the second half of the
19th century. The original "Atlantic" was scrapped in 1835. Andrew Jackson, the first sitting
president to use a railroad, rode behind the "Atlantic" in 1833.
The "Andrew Jackson" was completed at the Mt. Clare shops in 1836 by Ross Winans and
George Gillingham. The "Andrew Jackson" operated until 1892 when it was altered to resemble
the original No. 2 for an exhibition at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The
"Andrew Jackson" has been known as the "Atlantic" ever since the 1893 World's Columbian
Exposition. The cab and side rods were removed to represent the Atlantic of 1832 and it was
renumbered as the "No.2" in January of 1884.
Questions for Image 1
1. Why was this kind of locomotive nicknamed a “grasshopper”?
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2. What might be some of the drawbacks of being the engineer or fireman on this
locomotive?
3. How is the locomotive different from locomotives operating today?
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Visual Evidence
Image 2: B&O Locomotive #25, the William Mason
The most popular passenger locomotive in the 19th century was the "American" type 4-4-0 (after
the number and function of the wheels on the locomotive). In 1856, the B&O ordered two
"American" type locomotives from Mason Machine Works in Taunton, Massachusetts; one of
which was the No. 25. William Mason, the founder of the Mason Machine Works, introduced the
idea of turning out locomotives of beauty as well as utility.
The No. 25 was used extensively during the Civil War to transport Union troops and supplies.
B&O President John Garrett understood the financial and political benefits of siding with the
Union, despite his personal ties to the South. In 1927, the railroad named the locomotive the
"William Mason" to honor its builder. The "William Mason" follows the general form of the
original No. 25; however it has been rebuilt and modified as an exhibition locomotive.
Questions for Image 2
1. What differences can you see between this locomotive and the Atlantic in image #1?
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2. Which of the locomotives in Images #1, #2, and #3 looks as if it would have been the
most comfortable for the engineer? Why?
3. Describe some of the engine’s features and speculate about what they may have been
used for?
4. What important safety features do you see on this locomotive?
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Visual Evidence
Image 3: B&O Camel Locomotive #123
The "Camel" locomotives, which were named for their unique shape and cab location, became a
trademark of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (B&O) during the mid-19th century. The "Camel"
became one of the first coal-burning locomotives produced in large quantities. Ross Winans,
known as a somewhat eccentric builder, created the original design of the locomotive in 1848.
Challenged to design a locomotive that would burn coal more efficiently, Winans' solution was
to construct a large firebox behind the locomotive's mainframe, forcing the engineer's cab to be
positioned above the boiler. The "Camel" was designed for productivity rather than for crew
comfort. The engineer was often too hot as he sat above the boiler, and faced slim survival
chances during a derailment. The fireman was also uncomfortable, as there was little shelter to
protect him from the weather. A more critical problem the crew faced was a lack of
communication resulting from their separated positions.
Questions for Image 3
1. What aspects of this locomotive make it different from the Atlantic and the William
Mason?
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2. Which engine do you think was easier to operate and more comfortable for the
engineer?
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Putting it All Together
The earliest trains may seem like relics of a time that has little relevance to the lives of
Americans in the 21st century. To reach such a conclusion would be a mistake. They allow us to
see, and marvel, at the ingenuity and determination of those who helped to launch the industrial
age in America. They are tangible evidence of the machines they built to meet and overcome the
“impossible challenge” of building a railroad through the wilderness. The roots of the prosperity
that Americans continue to enjoy can be traced, in part, to those little engines that chugged west
out of Baltimore during the 1830’s. The following activities are designed to encourage students
to look more closely at the “railroad era” and to express themselves on issues related to both the
expansion of the railroad and the preservation of its heritage.
Activity 1: Which job would you choose?
It is 1869, the Civil War is over and the railroad industry is looking for new employees. The first
transcontinental railroad has just been completed. Your uncle, who works as a mechanic for the
B&O at Mt. Clare Shops is encouraging you to enter the railroad work force. There are hundreds
of possibilities, although many of the jobs require training and experience to obtain. Choose a
job from the list below, or come up with a job that is not on the list. Assume that you would
have training available that would allow you to work your way up to any job you choose. Be
prepared to explain why the job is attractive to you. Also, list some aspects of the job that would
make it challenging for you. Finally, choose an area of the country where you would like to live
while you pursue your railroad career (remember, large portions of the country are still unsettled
at this point in our history).
Locomotive engineer
Fireman
Brakeman
Conductor
Porter
Company Vice-President
Track Worker
Railroad Car Design engineer
Telegraph Operator
Engine mechanic
Timepiece repairman
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Activity 2: Meet the Locomotives at the B &O
Schedule a visit to the museum and examine the locomotives profiled in the “Visual Evidence”
section of this lesson plan. One alternative is to arrange a visit for a group of students and have
them examine and record detailed information about each locomotive. You may also want to
take photos of these locomotives and other pieces of the museum collection for a display
illustrating advances in motive power. Students may also be encouraged to visit the museum on
their own and complete this as an extra credit assignment.
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LOCOMOTION: FROM THE HORSE TO THE IRON HORSE
Supplemental Resources
Published Sources
Dilts, James D. The Great Road: The Building of the Baltimore and Ohio, the Nation’s First
Railroad, 1828-1853. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1993.
Harwood, Herbert H. Jr.. Impossible Challenge II: Baltimore to Washington and Harpers Ferry
from 1828 to 1994. Baltimore, MD: Barnard, Roberts, and Co., Inc., 1994.
Shackelford, Dave. Two Centuries on Main Street: An Interpretive Manual for the Ellicott City
B&O Railroad Station Museum. Ellicott City, MD: The Ellicott City B&O Railroad
Station Museum & Historic Ellicott City, Inc. 1999.
Stover, John F.. History of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. West Lafayette, IN: Purdue
University Press, 1987.
Internet
“American Notes: Traveling in America, 1750-1929.” American Memory Project, Library of
Congress. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/lhtnhtml/lhtnhome.html
“Railroad Maps, 1828-1900.” American Memory Project, Library of Congress.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/rrhtml/rrhome.html
“The First American West: The Ohio River Valley, 1750-1820.” American Memory Project,
Library of Congress. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award99/icuhtml/fawhome.html
Museums and Historic Sites
B&O Railroad Museum, www.borail.org
B&O Railroad Museum: Ellicott City Station. www.ecborail.org
National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. http://americanhistory.si.edu/
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Visiting the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore
Road to Rails Worksheet
1. Locate the National Road exhibit panels in the front parking lot of the Museum. Pratt
Street was once part of the National Road. How do you think Pratt Street has changed
since the mid-nineteenth century?
2. Locate the B&O’s Railroad’s First Stone in the Museum. What does the inscription say
on top of the First Stone?
3. Locate vehicles in the Museum’s roundhouse which would have run on dirt roads instead
of railroads. How many can you find? Describe each one.
4. Locate the B&O Railroad’s first passenger car. What was it called? Why do you think it
was called by that name? Look closely at the wheels of this car. How are these wheels
different from the wheels on vehicles which ran over dirt roads? What makes railroad
cars stay on the tracks?
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Visiting the B&O Railroad Museum in Ellicott City
Road to Rails - Building the B&O Worksheet
The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum: Ellicott City Station is the oldest surviving railroad
station in America, and was the original terminus of the first 13 miles of commercial railroad in
the country.
1. Before you enter the museum and while you are outside behind the museum during your
visit, take note of your surroundings. Describe the geographic features you notice around
the railroad station. What does the landscape look like? Based on what you have learned
about the B&O’s road construction and early years, what impact did these factors have on
the railroad?
2. What types of materials were used to construct the station? Why?
3. Building the railroad was a difficult task. Who did the railroad employ to survey and
construct the line?
4. How long did it take and how much did it cost the railroad to reach its goal of getting to
Wheeling, Virginia?
5. What types of tools were used by the railroad’s surveyors and construction workers to
build the railroad line?
6. Look at the “Rivals” painting in the ladies waiting room. Why do you think this painting
is entitled “Rivals?” How would you describe the scene?
7. Look at the strap rail on display in the car house. Compare it to the modern rail just
outside the station. How are these rails different? How are they similar?
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