| Home | TRAIN WORLD TIMELINE 1712: First steam engine built by Thomas Newcomen. 1804: First steam railroad locomotive built by Richard Trevithick of Cornwall, England. 1825: The first public railroad opens in England. John Stevens builds the first North America steam locomotive . 1829: George and Robert Stephenson's Rocket wins the Rainhill Trials. It was one of the first locomotives on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, the worlds first intercity line. 1830: The South Carolina railroad offers the first service in North America. 1831: The four-wheel boogie is invented in North America. The John Bull was reconsructed by Issac Zepps. 1863: First under-ground railroad operated by steam opens in London. 1869: The world's first transcontinental railroad is opened in the United States 1879: DC electric motor invented in Germany, making electric trains possible 1881: First public electric railroad opens near Berlin, Germany 1890: First electric underground train opens in London 1913. The first diesel locomotive was built in Germany 1938: Mallard sets the world steam speed record of 126 m.p.h. 1940: Diesel locomotives begin to replace steam. They could travel longer distances in less time because they did not need to stop so often for refueling. 1941 Big Boy became the largest locomotive produced in the United States for the Union Pacific Railroad: 1964: The first monorail line opens in Tokyo. 1994: The Channel between England and France opens 1996: Maglev train opens at Disney World in Florida running at 248 m.p.h. If you have any questions or comments, please E-Mail the Webmaster |