The railroad opened the way for the settlement of the West, provided new economic opportunities, stimulated the development of town and communities, and generally tied the country together.
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The railroad became a way for companies to ship to each other from across the country, transport raw materials to factories, and send final products to consumers. Not only did the railway system grow due to the flourishing businesses, but corporations expanded as well due to the growth of the railway system.
Trains kicked off a massive change in the way that we do things as a civilization, and they continue to evolve as technology develops. Before trains, it took months to cross a country. When they were introduced, it took days. Goods could be transported across states quicker than ever before.
A Brief HistoryArguably no other technological innovation or form of transportation has had an impact as large as the railroad. The economic, social, and cultural doors that were opened by trains transformed the world, connecting towns and cutting through mountains.
It made travel more affordable.In the 1860s, a six-month stagecoach trip across the U.S. cost $1,000 (about $20,000 in today's dollars), according to the University of Houston's Digital History website. But once the railroad was built, the cost of a coast-to-coast trip became 85 percent less expensive.
On November 18, 1883, the railroads moved forward with the adoption of four U.S. time zones, an idea that had been proposed 11 years earlier by Charles Dowd, a Yale-educated school principal. The time zones, Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific, are still in place today.
Railroads provided fresh supplies of arms, men, equipment, horses, and medical supplies on a direct route to where armies were camped. The railroad was also put to use for medical evacuations, transporting wounded soldiers to better medical care.
By transporting goods and materials across the country, freight railroads help businesses produce their goods and services much more efficiently. This increased production leads to more jobs and a stronger economy.
The railway allowed people to flock to cities and allowed people to travel newer places as well. Business boomed due to the railway with the mass increase of people and goods. All in all, the railway was a major success in all aspects of the Industrial Revolution especially in time and distance.
Stimulated CommerceNot only did the railways provide greater opportunity through extending markets, but they also stimulated more people to start businesses and thereby enter the markets. An extended marketplace provided a greater number of individuals the opportunity to produce and sell goods.
When Britain declared war on Germany in 1914, trains efficiently moved huge numbers of troops and equipment between the Home Front and France. Trains also transported rations, water and coal across Britain and continental Europe in a way not previously possible during conflict.
As a result, although rail transport has advantages such as high carrying capacity, economy, reliability and environmental impact, it also has some disadvantages such as limited flexibility, operating costs, necessity of intermodal connections and delivery time.
'Train' comes from a French verb that meant to draw; drag. It originally referred to the part of a gown that trailed behind the wearer. The word train has been part of English since the 14th century—since its Middle English days.