Inventions and Improvements of the Transportation system during the Industrial Revolution Cars, Trains, and Ferries are some of the common transportation vehicle used today. All of these things had been invented during the industrial revolution, and has improved to this day. Inventions of engines, and new ideas and innovation changed and impacted the world. Industrial revolution impacted the society with new inventions and factory systems. One of the factors that affected the society was the new improvements and inventions of the transportation system. Transportation through new inventions greatly expanded the trading and market systems, as well as allowed people to locate to other places. It helped develop the industry and factory systems, and made it possible for mass production to develop. ​
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Ret:Nov.26; Transportation,Source:​
Thing Link The steam engine was one of the biggest innovation and Invention during the industrial revolution. The steam engine was used for steam locomotives. Steam locomotives were powered by fossil fuels, mostly coal, and used the steam from boiling water, to create mechanical motion. The burned coal or wood would be used to boil the water, and the steam will rise and create pressure and force​
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This force moves the piston, which is connected to the wheel .The movement of the piston will create a spinning motion, which will turn the wheel and moves the vehicle forward. Thomas Savery invented the steam engine in 1698 (Palemo, 2014). Savery’s steam engine had no pistons, and it used the pressure of the steam to push the water through the vessel, and create movement. However, this type of steam engine was not efficient for long­term usage. During the industrial revolution, James Watt, greatly improved the steam engine. Savery’s steam engine cooled during every stroke, and re­heated again. This wasted the energy from fossil fuels, and it was very costly, and still inefficient. James Watt made a separate condenser to keep the energy inside the engine, so it wouldn’t cool down. This way, the condensation process could take place and steam cylinder could still evacuate while remaining hot. This greatly improved the efficiency, and reduced the amount of fossil fuel being used to power the steam engine. After the Watt Steam Engine, steam engine was used for transporting vehicles. Steam Locomotive, Steam Boat, a Cars used steam engine, and those were the main innovation through individual transportation, and improvement of bartering and market system. Another transportation system was by using water. During the Industrial revolution, boats using streams, and construction of canals developed and became popular, and river traffic significantly improved. Even before the Industrial revolution, people used river to travel down stream. This was the easiest way to transport huge amount of goods. However, they were not able to travel upstream, so transporting goods back and forth was not possible. Keelboats were invented during the industrial revolution, to make transportation upstream possible. Keelboat used sails to catch wind, and poles to row upstream. The invention of keelboats overall made transportation through river more dependable. However, keel boats were very dependent on the river current and the wind. It was often very slow, and inconsistent. To have a constant rate of speed and more stable transportation option, steamboats were invented. John Fitch invented steamboat in 1787. However, “they were so expensive and unsuccessful”(NA/ND). John Fitch’s steamboat was very costly to build and operate, so the first successful steamboat build was by Robert Fulton in 1807(NA/ND). His steamboat greatly changed and played a huge role in the industrial revolution. Many places in the 1800s were only accessible to horseback, and wagons. Some roads were available to use, but it still meant hours of uncomfortable ride on horsebacks. Steep hills and lack of roads stopped wagons, and made them a difficult way to travel. Fulton’s steamboat provided a trip downstream and upstream, that traveled about 5 miles per hour in average (NA/2015). It was a comfortable ride with constant rate of movement. Another water transportation system was the canals. Canals are man made channels of water used for transportation navigations. The canals and waterways connected cities by water, and during the industrial revolution, canals and waterways expended. By 1840, there were more than 4500 miles of canals (TheHistoryOfLearningSite/2015). It connected and linked major industries and markets. Canals were used for transportation of heavy products, and it was very inexpensive to use. Normally on land, it would be 100 dollars to transport one ton of a product, but by using canals, it would only take 8 dollars. This allowed transportation of goods, and the growth market systems and increased trading. Because the transportation was less expensive, traders could lower the price of their products. ​
“Price of coal fell in Manchester by 50% therefore making it cheaper and the cheaper it was the more was sold”​
(TheHistoryOfLearningSite/2015)​
. Trading and marketing were significantly expended, connected, and improved through canals. ​
The use of steamboats, canals, and became popular to passengers and marketers, and it greatly impacted and forward the development of industrial revolution. Construction of roads and railways were widely spread, and increased during the industrial revolution. Before the industrial revolution, there were very few roads that connected markets and cities. Also, the roads were very unsecure, and were often in bad conditions. Traveling by wagons were dangerous, time taking, and unreliable. Roads were muddy, and flooded, so wagon tires often got stuck and slowed down the trip. During the industrial revolution, transportation of goods became important and popular. To respond to this situation, “In 1817, congress authorized of the construction of the National Road, also known as the Cumberland Road” (Poddar/ND). The road was made of crushed stones, and it was overall easier to travel. It was not very advanced, but it would not get muddy, or flooded, so wagons could travel under many natural conditions. Roads made transportation and traveling by wagons faster, easier, and more reliable. Another construction that increased during the industrial revolution was the railroads. George Stephenson created a successful steam locomotive using the steam technology in 1814 (NA/2015). Construction of railroads started small, carrying goods and products over short distances. After the construction and activation of steam locomotive, inventors and engineers wanted to create longer and larger scale on­land transportation. By 1830, railroads covered 30,000 miles of land in Britain. It was a huge success of transporting passengers and goods for longer distances. “Railroads cut travel time by 90% and dramatically reduced freight costs with three important economic results” (NA/2007). It benefited the passengers by making traveling possible safe and short. “In 1869 the first transcontinental railroad across North America was completed, transforming an arduous and dangerous journey of months into an easy trip of a few days” (NA/2007). Like this, traders and passengers were able to stay linked with other cities, and could travel between them fast. Increase of railroads and roads also populated and improved the transportation systems, as well as increased the connectivity and help further develop the market system. During the industrial revolution, factories and market systems increased and greatly populated. The development of the industrial revolution was always supported by the transportation system. Connection of markets and major cities increased the trading and marketing of goods. Also, Individuals were able to travel and locate much faster, and easier. New inventions led to inexpensive transportation of goods, being able to carry huge amounts. Because of the improvement in the transportation system, Industrial revolution was able to impact the world with its increase in population, factory system, and growth on the country.