The Significance of the Railroad

Sante Fe Springs Railroad Inspection

About 100 years before the first car was invented, iron was being used to deliver goods across the country in ways that had never really been seen before. The beginnings of the modern railroads actually originated in Germany with wagonways. As early as 1550, primitive railroads consisted of wooden rails that horse-drawn wagons or carts moved over. The carts could move over the land with greater ease than over dirt roads. The railroad went on to be a crucial element of the industrial revolution and later the Civil War. Railroads are so significant that they continue to be used today, crisscrossing the nation delivering goods and people. Our railroad inspection team provides oversight for railroads from Los Angeles to San Bernardino, including Sante Fe Springs.

Railroad Construction Anaheim

Railroads played an instrumental role in the formation of our nation. The third largest city in the nation in 1827 was Baltimore, which also had the advantage of a port, but had not yet invested in a canal. They did, however, have a leg up on New York in that they were 200 miles closer to the frontier. Once they realized a railway would make the city more competitive in transporting people and goods to the west, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was born. It was the first railroad charted in the United States, with the first spadeful of earth turned over on July 4, 1828.

The Civil War: Railroad Use

The railroad was a major contributor to both sides during the Civil War. When April of 1961 came around and the two sides hunkered down, the railroad was the main supplier to the front lines of soldiers. An army could only be sustained for so long without supplies, and the railroads served that need. In addition, the trains were sometimes used in combat scenarios. A general could send a train to do reconnaissance and learn about enemy troop movement. The trains were so effective at this because they could reverse at high speeds and get away before the cavalry managed to chase them down. Trains were also used to shuttle in the armies right to the location of the enemy, giving soldiers the opportunity to rest their legs in anticipation of battle.

Los Angeles Railroad Construction

Today, railroads continue to be an important part of society, and Sharp and Fellows Inc. is at the center of that here in southern California. If you are in need of a project design or simply would like your track inspected, you’ve come to the right company.