Train

In all, it takes about 3 hours for the hardworking crew to make a locomotive get up enough steam to move.

At first, equipment was made in Britain. Each country started to modify the designs and soon began to build its own equipment. By the mid-1830s, the US was exporting steam locomotives to Europe. The railroads had a great impact on all aspects of life in many countries, from trade to travel. In the US, for example, they spanned the vast distances that had been a barrier to opening up the continent.

Far more work goes into building a railroad than might be expected. Since trains cannot climb very steep hills, the shortest distance between two places may not be the easiest. Trains often have to follow longer, less hilly routs. To keep the railroad route as level as possible, embankments and cuts have to be made, and bridges and tunnels built.