In 1830, the first steam-powered train, the "Best Friend of Charleston", was built for the Charlston & Hamburg Railroad. On its maiden trip the train carried 141 people six miles. Due to an unfortunate boiler explosion, it only provided service for one year but paved the way for establishing major railways. across the country.By the end of the 1880s, over 70,000 miles of train track existed in the United States.
Rail travel dropped early in the Great Depression but in 1934, Burlington, Chicago and Quincy produced a diesel-powered Zephyr and Union Pacific Railroad released its gasoline-powered M-10,000. Both were huge technological advances. World War II increased inter-city passenger travel and freight volume. Automobile production problems toward the end of the war kept the railroads busy.
In the second half of the 20th century automobiles and airplanes were more convenient passenger movers and the rail industry had financial troubles. Amtrak began in 1971 to reduce road traffic congestion. It now provides inter-city travel all over the country. In the Northeast Corridor, passengers can travel up to 150 miles per hour on Amtrak's Acela Express trains.
