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A '''railroad''' (British: '''railway''') is a form of [[transport]] in which vehicles, usually coupled together in groups, travel on [[railway track|rails]] along fixed routes.

A '''railroad''' (British: '''railway''') is a form of [[transport]] in which trains are pulled on [[railway track|rails]] along fixed routes carrying freight or passengers. Emerging from small-scale horse-drawn operations combined with the steam engine, railroads were developed in Britain after 1830 to become the iron workhorse of the [[Industrial Revolution]].  Steel came after 18790, making railways more efficient as more powerful locomotives pulled longer trains at higher speed. Thanks to safety measures and signals, accident rates were kept low. Diesel and electric engines in the 20th century improved efficiency, bit the railroads lost most of their traffic to trucks, buses and other new forms (such as airplanes and pipelines) in the 20th century. Today railroads mostly handle bulk freight, such as coal and containers. It is cheaper to move coal by rail to electric power plants than to burn the coal near the mines and move the electricity.

[[Image:Csx_railroad.jpg|thumb|300px|A CSX freight train]]

[[Image:Csx_railroad.jpg|thumb|300px|A CSX freight train]]

===Pre-locomotive===

===Pre-locomotive===

The use of rails to guide carts, or to provide a smooth roadway, goes back many centuries. In these early railways, waggons were pulled along wooden rails by [[horse]]s or humans; the main purpose was to move coal (or mineral ores) from [[mine]]s to navigable [[waterway]]s.

The use of rails to guide carts, or to provide a smooth roadway, goes back many centuries. In these early railways, wagons were pulled along wooden rails by horses or mules; the main purpose was to move coal (or mineral ores) from mines to navigable waterways, where cheap transportation by boat was possible.

Because wooden rails wore away quickly, they were replaced by wooden rails with [[iron]] plates attached, and later by rails of iron. Cast iron track began to be used in the eighteenth century, although the brittle nature of cast iron meant that such railways could not carry very heavy loads. This consideration also acted against the use of [[steam engine]]s for motive power. 

Because wooden rails wore away quickly, they were covered with [[iron]] plates, then replaced by all-iron rails. Cast iron rails were first used, but they were too brittle to handle heavy loads.  

===Steam power===

===Steam power===

The first steam railway [[locomotive]] was designed by [[Richard Trevithick]] (1771-1833), a mining [[engineer]] from [[Cornwall]], who in 1804 built a locomotive for the Penydarren iron works in south [[Wales]]. This proved too heavy for the iron tracks and was converted to a [[stationary engine]]. A similar locomotive built by Trevithick for Wylam Colliery in [[Northumberland]] also proved too heavy to be of practical use.

The first steam railway [[locomotive]] was designed by [[Richard Trevithick]] (1771-1833), a mining [[engineer]] from [[Cornwall]], who in 1804 built a locomotive for the Penydarren iron works in south [[Wales]]; it proved impractical.  

William Hedley (1779-1843) aided by another colliery engineer, Timothy Hackworth, built three steam locomotives between 1813 and 1815. These worked successfully until 1828-29, when they were replaced by two more innovative locomotives, including the famous ''[[Puffing Billy]]''. Wylam was a true nursery of railway talent.  

William Hedley (1779-1843) built three steam locomotives between 1813 and 1815. These worked successfully until 1828-29, when they were replaced by two more innovative locomotives, including the famous ''[[Puffing Billy]]''. Wylam was a true nursery of railway talent.  

[[George Stephenson]] (1781-1848) was 'the father of the railways'. Although he neither invented railways nor steam locomotion, he made huge improvements to the technology of the latter and was a pioneer in the field of civil engineering for large railway projects. An illiterate miner's son, born in a cottage next to the Wylam colliery railway (as a child, his first job was keeping the line clear of stray animals), he learned to read as a young adult at night classes, obtained a post as engineer at Killingworth Colliery, Northumberland, and there built a number of improved locomotives. He designed the Hetton Railway in [[County Durham]] in the early 1820s, at that time the longest railway line in the world, linking a colliery to loading staiths (short piers for pouring coal from wagons on to waiting ships) on the River Wear, and then was appointed engineer to the [[Stockton and Darlington Railway]]. The S&DR, which opened in 1825, was the world's first public steam-operated railway, linking the coalfields of SW [[County Durham]] to the [[River Tees]] at [[Stockton on Tees]]. This was not purely a colliery line, but allowed other freight, and even passengers, to be carried. Initially it used both locomotive and horse-drawn trains, though later was converted to steam haulage only.

[[George Stephenson]] (1781-1848) was 'the father of the railways'. Although he neither invented railways nor steam locomotion, he made huge improvements to the technology of the latter and was a pioneer in the field of civil engineering for large railway projects. An illiterate miner's son, born in a cottage next to the Wylam colliery railway (as a child, his first job was keeping the line clear of stray animals), he learned to read as a young adult at night classes, obtained a post as engineer at Killingworth Colliery, Northumberland, and there built a number of improved locomotives. He designed the Hetton Railway in [[County Durham]] in the early 1820s, at that time the longest railway line in the world, linking a colliery to loading staiths (short piers for pouring coal from wagons on to waiting ships) on the River Wear, and then was appointed engineer to the [[Stockton and Darlington Railway]]. The S&DR, which opened in 1825, was the world's first public steam-operated railway, linking the coalfields of SW County Durham to the River Tees. This was not purely a colliery line, but allowed other freight, and even passengers, to be carried. Initially it used both locomotive and horse-drawn trains, though later was converted to steam haulage only.

Stephenson's most famous achievement was the Liverpool & Manchester Railway, opened in 1830 and linking two of the fastest-growing cities of [[Industrial Revolution]] [[England]]. Although this crossed largely flat terrain, the route involved considerable engineering difficulties, including the crossing of the Chat Moss marshland west of  [[Manchester]]. Stephenson spent much time, money and effort pouring earth and stone into the marsh to create a firm footing for the railway, without success. He decided instead to build the line upon hurdles of brushwood floating on the bog. The line is still in use.

Stephenson's most famous achievement was the Liverpool & Manchester Railway, opened in 1830 and linking two of the fastest-growing cities of [[Industrial Revolution]] [[England]]. Although this crossed largely flat terrain, the route involved considerable engineering difficulties, including the crossing of the Chat Moss marshland west of  [[Manchester]]. Stephenson spent much time, money and effort pouring earth and stone into the marsh to create a firm footing for the railway, without success. He decided instead to build the line upon hurdles of brushwood floating on the bog. The line is still in use.