As in Europe, the first railroads in the U.S.A. grew up to serve industry in the years before the arrival of public railroads. The generally first accepted public railroad in the U.S.A. was the Baltimore & Ohio, which was first launched at a meeting of Baltimore businessmen in 1827. At first, the trains were hauled by horses, but in August 1830, the first steam locomotive operated on the line. From this humble beginning, locomotives became the powerhouses they are today. This stunning volume features hundreds of black and white and full-color photographs documenting this incredible phenomenon.