Daily Passport: What Was the Golden Age of Train Travel Like?

 


What Was the Golden Age of Train Travel Like?

By Nicole Villeneuve

Before the age of cars and planes, trains ruled America’s landscape. During the golden age of rail travel, which spanned from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century, the journey itself was as important as the destination. Trains at the time were more than just a means of transportation — they symbolized progress and adventure, moving and connecting freight and people like never before. Take a glimpse into what train travel in America was like during the heyday of the rails.

The Dawn of Rail Travel

Historical photograph of construction workers on the Transcontinental Railroad

Credit: ClassicStock/ Archive Photos via Getty Images 

The first passenger and freight railroad in the U.S. opened in 1830. The steam locomotives on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad didn’t go very far or get there very fast — the initial track was just 13 miles long, and trains traveled between 10 and 14 mph. In the early days of U.S. trains, there also were no distinctions in class. All passengers shared the same utilitarian experience, which was often crowded, noisy, dusty, and uncomfortable.

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