Philadelphia Railroads

Reviews with Integrated Context

Books You May Like

Philadelphia Railroads

Author: Allen Meyers, Joel Spivak
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Copyright: 2010
Pages: 128
Cover Price: $ 21.99

Enter a word or phrase in the box below


Philadelphia became the railroad capital of the world in the 1830's when 12 distinct lines opened within a 100-mile radius of the city to carry people and freight. The railroad boom in the 19th century was made possible by the development of rural communities surrounding the city, the Industrial Revolution, excellent access to raw materials, and an influx of European immigrants. Philadelphia manufactured locomotives, railroad track, and other rail components and exported them around the world.

The ability to move agricultural goods, manufactured products, and people commuting from home to work helped to unite the 27 boroughs, districts, and townships into one metropolis by 1854. Philadelphia Railroads features many seldom seen images and rare photographs documenting the leaders of Philadelphia's transportation world.

Background Information

Philadelphia was founded by William Penn and has many of the iconic monuments of the American Revolution. The First Industrial Revolution introduced the use of power, from falling water and steam, as the motive force behind large-scale machinery in factories. Railroads became the fastest transportation for people and the most economical for goods during the 19th century.