Locomotives Date Only From 1829

Article from 1916 newspaper

FIRST AMERICAN LOCOMOTIVE THEN HAD INITIAL RUN

On Tracks Entirely of Wood It Attained a Speed of Ten Miles an Hour — Introduction of "Grasshopper" Type

The first locomotive looked more like a huge grasshopper than anything else. There was no cabin on it, and the engineer had to stand up while it was in operation.

The astonishing performance of "The Rocket" in England led to the introduction of steam engines in this country. In 1829 Horatio Allen operated the first locomotive tried out in America; it ran on tracks made entirely of wood. Spectators at the trial were afraid to venture on the engine, and many of them urged the daring Allen to give up the experiment, as it was bound to end in disaster. Allen laughed at their fears, and, pulling the throttle wide open, he dashed off at the terrific speed of ten miles an hour.

In 1831 Phineas David of Pennsylvania, designed an engine for the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. It was the first of the grasshopper type, and did good work for many years. Three or these grasshopper engines designed by Davis for the same railroad were in active service for over fifty years — a remarkable record.

In 1831 Matthew Baldwin, founder of the Baldwin Locomotive works, designed an engine called "Old Ironsides." It was tried out on the Philadelphia & Morristown railroad and made a speed of 30 miles an hour. It weighed something over five tons. It was used only in fair weather, and when it rained horses were used to draw the cars.

From this date rapid improvement was made in the construction of the locomotive. The railroads were beginning to handle a large business, but their methods of management were so crude that many fearful wrecks resulted.