Trains from the Past

Railroad history in the United States is nearly as old as the country itself, dating back to the mid-1820s. As we know, this great nation would not have grown and prospered as it did without the railroads, which brought together the young country and allowed for unprecedented prosperity. The "Golden Age" lasted from roughly the 1880s until the 1920s, at which time other modes (automobiles and airplanes) slowly eroded the railroads' transportation monopoly.  In addition, stifling government regulation beginning in the early 20th century eventually choked them to the point of desperation.  Unable to set their own freight rates, abandon unprofitable routes, or rid themselves of money-losing passenger trains many were on the brink of collapse by the 1970s; names like the Penn Central, Rock Island, Milwaukee Road, Reading, Jersey Central, and others.  Following deregulation in 1980 the industry made a comeback and today is witnessing a renaissance. In this section we will look at the history of our country's involvement with trains from its earliest beginnings in the 1820s through today.