The invention of the electric train was an evolutionary process involving several key pioneers, but Ernst Werner von Siemens is generally credited with presenting the first successful electric passenger train in 1879. His demonstration in Berlin, Germany, featured a small locomotive pulling three cars along a circular track, reaching speeds of about 13 km/h. This system used a third rail to supply direct current (DC) electricity. However, earlier groundwork was laid by others; in 1837, Scottish chemist Robert Davidson built a battery-powered locomotive named Galvani, which was impressive but impractical due to the high cost and limited power of early batteries. Later, in the United States, Frank J. Sprague made significant advancements by developing the multiple-unit control system and improved motors, which revolutionized urban transit in the late 1880s. While Siemens proved the concept was viable for passengers, Sprague's engineering helped turn electric rail into the reliable, high-capacity system used in subways and trams globally.