Hunter


 * __Transportation in the Gilded Age (1860-1900)__**

When did transportation advance? 1860's In 1860 over 30,000 miles of railroad track had been laid down. In 1860 Illinois passed first designated "Granger" law regulating railroads. Also during 1869 the Union Pacific, first trans continental railroad completed.

1870's In the 1870's refrigarator railroad cars were introduced, increasing national markets for fruits and vegatables. (refrigarator cars)

1880's During 1880 160,506 miles of railroad were in operation. In 1887 the Interstate Commerce Act was passed.

1890's 1893-1905 was the period of railroad consolidation.

1900's in 1909 the Wright brothers demonstrated the airplane.

What was the main means of transportation? There were no forms of motorized transportation. Transport technology was mainly limited to harnesing animals for land travel.

Emergence of modern transportationsystems (1870-1920) By the end of the 19th century, international transportation undertook a new growth phase, especially with improvements in **engine propulsion technology** and a gradual shift from coal to oil in the 1870s. Although oil has been known for centuries for its combustion properties, its commercial use was only applied in the early 19th century. Inventors started experimenting with engines that could use the cheap new fuel. Oil increased the speed and the capacity of maritime transport. It also permitted to reduce the energy consumption of ships by a factor of 90% relatively to coal, the main source of energy for steam engines prior to this innovation. An equal size oil-powered ship could transport more freight than a coal-powered ship, reducing operation costs considerably and extending range. Also, coal refueling stages along trade routes could be bypassed. Global maritime circulation was also dramatically improved when infrastructures to reduce intercontinental distances, such as the Suez (1869) and the Panama(1914) canals, were constructed. With the Suez Canal, the far reaches of Asia and Australia became more accessible.

work cited: The geography of transport systems