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The text on this
awesome art print reads: INITIATIVE: Nothing can stop the power
of persistence.
Interesting Facts
About Trains
The steam locomotive was invented in England in 1797.
In 1827, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, the first
railroad in North America, is chartered by Baltimore
merchants.
The first regularly scheduled steam-powered rail
passenger service in the U.S. began operation in 1830,
in South Carolina, utilizing the U.S.-built locomotive
"The Best Friend of Charleston".
The Civil War (1861-1865) was the first major conflict
in which railroads play a major role, as both sides used
trains to move troops and supplies.
In1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Pacific
Railroad Act for the construction of the
transcontinental railroad that will ultimately link
California with the rest of the nation. On May 10, 1869,
at Promontory, in Utah Territory, the "Golden Spike"
joined the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads,
marking completion of the first transcontinental
railroad.
The "golden age" of railroads began in 1865. For nearly
half a century, no other mode of transportation
challenged railroads. During these years, the rail
network grows from 35,000 to a peak of 254,000 miles in
1916.
In 1917, the federal government seized control of the
railroads for the duration of World War I. By the time
they were returned to private ownership in 1920, they
were in seriously run-down condition and in need of
substantial maintenance and improvement.
Railroads remained
under private control during World War II, and moved on
average twice the monthly volume of both freight and
passengers as during World War I.
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