In 1813, three essential elements were in place for effective use of railroads and steam engines: a permanent support structure and roadbed, specialized wheels to keep the train on the track, and a practical steam locomotive. The 1^st railroad to operate with a steam engine and on a schedule was the Stockton & Darlington, in England.  The Baltimore & Ohio, the first westward heading railroad in the United States, was started July 4, 1828.  It linked the westward agriculture to the ports and cities in the east. Railroads expanded very rapidly during the middle of the 19^th century.  In 1830, there was only 23 miles, but by 1860 there was over 30,000. The Mississippi was bridged by railroad in 1856, and the first track in Michigan was laid in 1836.  Railroads effectively leveled the playing field between rural agriculturalists, as they could now sell their crops to a much wider population.  Railroads provided a major employment opportunity for immigrants and unskilled laborers, as well as greatly increasing the speed and ease in which people and information could travel to the west.

*Pictures from Encarta Encyclopedia and http://www.ehistory.com/USCW/pic_data.cfm?id=3285

Sources:

Houk, Randy. “Railroad History: Important milestones in English and American railway development”  21 Mar 2003 <http://www.sdrm.org/history/timeline/> 

• This website gives a timeline of important events in railroad and locomotive history

Bellis, Mary.  The History of Railroad Innovations.  About.com

• This website provides a basic description of the invention of the steam locomotive

National Railroad Museum.  Accessed February 2, 2004. Copyright 2003 National Railroad Museum.  (Online) <http://www.nationalrrmuseum.org>

• This website is devoted to providing lots of historical information about railroads.  It also serves as a home page for the physical museum, which exists for the same purpose.

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