Railroad+Development

__Railroad Development__

Roads of rails called Wagonways were being used in Germany as early as 1550. These early forms of railed roads consisted of wooden rails, which horse-drawn wagons or carts moved with greater ease than over dirt roads. These Wagonways are considered the beginning of railroad development. By 1776, iron had replaced the wood in the rails and wheels on the carts. Thomas Savery built the first crude steam powered machine in 1698, and is accredited to finding a practical use for steam. Thomas Newcomen improved on Savery's inefficient steam powered pump. Neither Savery nor Newcomen had any other purpose in mind for their machines than pumping water out of coalmines.The invention of the steam engine was critical to the invention of the modern railroad and trains. In 1803, Samuel Homfray chose to fund Richard Trevithick (1771-1833), development of a steam-powered vehicle to replace the horse-drawn carts. It was the first steam engine tramway locomotive that was put into effect for the first time on February 22, 1804.

George Stephenson is given credit as the inventor of the first steam locomotive engine for railways. Unlike Richard Trevithick's invention, which was a tramway locomotive designed for roads, Stephenson’s was intended for railroads. Experiments with electrical railways were started by Robert Davidson in 1838. He completed a battery-powered carriage capable of going 4 mph.

These inventors were all necessary not only for the development of the steam engine and railroads, but also for ushering in the industrial revolution, which spurred a more modern and technological age.

media type="youtube" key="ptjTxhSq8PU" height="342" width="423"< This is a VERY interesting video showing a variety of trains traveling on contemporary railroads. EnJoY! =]

media type="youtube" key="DrV0GnuHvzI" height="344" width="425" ^And if the first video wasn't enough of a thrill, this popular kid's cartoon captures the very essence of railroad systems and locomotives :]

**//SOURCES **// · //**//** [|http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blrailroad.ht]

[|http://www.psrm.org/history/timeline]

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