16th-18th
Centuries |
 18th
century
Transportation by water, on trails,
or through wilderness |
| 1776-99 |
1794
Lancaster Turnpike opened, first
successful toll road |
| 1800 |
1800-30
The era of turnpike building (toll
roads) improved communication and commerce between settlements
1807
Robert Fulton
demonstrated practicability of steamboats
 |
| 1810 |
1815-20
Steamboats
became important in western trade |
| 1820 |
1825
Erie Canal finished
1825-40
Era of canal building |
| 1830 |
1830
Peter Cooper's railroad steam engine,
the Tom Thumb, ran 13 miles
1830's
Beginning of railroad era |
| 1840 |
1840
3,000 miles of railroad track had
been constructed
1845-57
Plank road movement |
| 1850 |
1850's
Major railroad trunk lines from
eastern cities crossed the Appalachian Mountains
1850's
Steam and clipper ships improved
overseas transportation |
| 1860 |
1860
30,000 miles of railroad track had
been laid
1869
Illinois passed first designated
"Granger" law regulating railroads
1869
Union Pacific, first transcontinental
railroad, completed |
| 1870 |
1870's
Refrigerator railroad cars introduced,
increasing national markets for fruits and vegetables
 |
| 1880 |
1880
160,506 miles of railroad in operation
1887
Interstate Commerce Act |
| 1890 |
1893-1905
Period of railroad consolidation |
| 1900 |
1909
The Wrights demonstrated the airplane |
| 1910 |
1910-25
Period of road building accompanied
increased use of automobiles
1916
Railroad network peaks at 254,000
miles
1916
Rural Post Roads Act began regular
Federal subsidies to road building
1917-20
Federal Government operates railroads
during war emergency |
| 1920 |
1920's
Truckers began to capture trade
in perishables and dairy products
1921
Federal Government gave more aid
for farm-to-market roads
1925
Hoch-Smith Resolution required the
Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to consider agricultural conditions
in making railroad rates |
| 1930 |
1930's
Farm-to-market roads emphasized
in Federal roadbuilding
1935
Motor Carrier Act brought trucking
under ICC regulation |
| 1940 |
1942
Office of Defence Transportation
established to coordinate wartime transport needs |
| 1950 |
1950's
Trucks and barges competed successfully
for agricultural products as railroad rates rose
1956
Interstate Highway Act |
| 1960 |
1960's
Financial condition of northeastern
railroads deteriorated; rail abandonments accelerated
1960's
Agricultural shipments by all-cargo
planes increased, especially shipments of strawberries and cut flowers |
| 1970 |
1972-74
Russian grain sale caused massive
tieups in rail system |
| 1980-90 |
1980
Railroad and trucking industries
were deregulated
|
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