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About This Quiz
With the early development of the steam engine and subsequent creation of the steam-powered locomotive, the railroad system transformed both the United States and the world during the early 19th century. George Stephenson was a British inventor who aimed to improve a steam-powered boiler on wheels, which he saw carrying coal out of the mines. After making several modifications over a few year periods, he was able to create a highly efficient locomotive that ran along steel tracks. In 1825, railroad transportation was born in Britain. The passengers were carried by one of Stephenson's locomotives.Â
A few short years after the United States established railroads on the East Coast, the economy was flourishing due to the connectivity of cities. In 1869, the U.S. finished the Transcontinental Railroad, which is considered by some historians to be among the country's greatest technological achievements. The entire U.S. was now connected from New York to San Francisco with rails. With this advance in transportation, the opportunities for growth were boundless. So, get on the right track and test your knowledge of railroad history!
What is the term used to describe the distance between railroad tracks?
Space
Gauge
The distance between the tracks of a railroad is known as the gauge. There are traditionally three different gauges of railroad tracks: narrow, standard and broad. Different manufacturers of locomotives often determined the size of the gauge.
Meter
Furlong
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The Transcontinental Railroad did not pass through one of the following states. Which state is it?
Utah
Nevada
Montana
Montana was not a state that the Transcontinental Railroad passed through. With starting points in Omaha and San Francisco, the Transcontinental Railroad met in Utah and was completed in 1869 with the final golden spike.
Nebraska
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What post-Civil War scandal involved a construction company for the Union Pacific Railroad?
Goldbugs
Crédit Mobilier
In the early railroad days, construction of the rails was more profitable than running an actual railroad company. Crédit Mobilier took advantage of this and offered themselves construction contracts on behalf of the Union Pacific railroad.
Danbury Hatters
Greenback Party
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Who famously died from exhaustion after competing with his hammer against a mechanical steam hammer to build track?
Big Bill Broonzy
Casey Jones
John Henry
John Henry is a folklore hero in the annals of railroad construction. Thousands of men worked to construct railroads. John Henry challenged a steam-powered drill to the work of drilling a tunnel. His superhuman effort beat the machine, but it cost him his life as he died of exhaustion.
Big John Stud
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What is the name of the material consisting of gravel and cinders on which the railroad track was placed?
Ballast
A combination of materials was spread out on the ground in order to create drainage and a stable surface for railroad tracks. The material is called ballast. The ingredients of ballast often included gravel, cinder, slag and sand.
Track Pan
Featherbed
Railhead
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What was the name of the first locomotive that ran in the United States?
Tom Thumb
The first locomotive that ran in the United States was called Tom Thumb. It ran on a short piece of track near Baltimore, MD in 1830. The locomotive was designed to carry a few passengers for a short distance as a demonstration of what a steam locomotive could do.
Argus
General
Big Iron
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The last train car on a freight train is know as what?
Caboose
The last train car on a large freight train is known as the caboose. The caboose was originally designed as a shelter for the crew members aboard a train. In pop culture, the word is also used as a slang reference to a person's behind.
Scullery
Cookroom
Wagon Car
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What country developed the bullet train?
England
France
China
Japan
Japan is responsible for developing the first bullet trains. Known as "Shinkansen" in Japan, these trains can travel at speeds over 185 miles per hour. The high speed rail system was developed in time for the 1964 Olympics, which were held in Tokyo.
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Which president signed the Pacific Railroad Act into law?
Andrew Johnson
John Tyler
Abraham Lincoln
In 1862, the Pacific Railroad Act was signed by Congress under President Abraham Lincoln. This act allowed the government to provide subsidies in funds and land to help construct the Transcontinental Railroad, which was completed in 1869.
James K. Polk
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Which railroad company started the Transcontinental Railroad in the west and began working east?
Wastern Coast Railroad
Central Pacific Railroad
The Central Pacific Railroad was tasked with starting tracks in the west and eventually meeting the tracks that had started in Omaha. The tracks finally converged in Utah in 1869, which completed the Transcontinental Railroad.
Burlington Northern Railroad
Sacramento Railroad
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Companies who built the railroads were paid how?
Per year
By the hour
By the day
By the miles of track completed
The companies building the Transcontinental Railroad were paid by the mile of track laid down. This caused a competition of sorts to create the most miles of track. The companies would constantly set new records with how much track they could put down in a day.
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The railroads employed thousands of immigrants to help with construction. Which of these countries had a large number of immigrants who worked on the rails?
Africa
Italy
Russia
Ireland
A large portion of immigrants who worked on the railroads were Irish, and this was particularly true for the Transcontinental Railroad project. Of the two companies working on this project, the Union Pacific company relied mainly on Irish workers.
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How many miles long was the original Transcontinental Railroad?
689 miles
1154 miles
1776 miles
The number of miles that connected the Transcontinental Railroad totaled 1,776 miles that stretched from Sacramento, CA to Omaha, NE. Central Pacific Railroad completed 690 miles and Union Pacific Railroad completed 1,086 miles.
2988 miles
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What is the record for miles of railroad track laid in one day during the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad?
2
10
The world record for laying railroad track is just over 10 miles. This was completed a small army of workers, most of whom were Chinese. It was achieved during a 12-hour day and just a few miles from the meeting of the tracks at Promontory, UT.
19
6
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In which country was the locomotive invented?
United States
England
The locomotive was first created in England by inventor George Stephenson. He employed a steam-powered engine to move along the steel tracks. He created the first locomotive in 1825. It was then introduced and manufactured in other countries, including the United States, by 1830.
France
Canada
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How did Eli H. Janney contribute to the history of railroads?
Patented a train car coupler
Eli Janney was a famous woodworker and whittler who improved the method by which train cars were connected. The early way was a link and pin system. He improved upon this with what is known as a knuckle system.
He invented the caboose
He drove in the golden spike at Promontory, UT
He wrote famous railroad songs
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Which person is responsible for encouraging investors to build the Transcontinental Railroad?
Greenville Dodge
John Henry
Theodore Judah
Theodore Judah was a railroad and civil engineer from Connecticut. He was involved in starting the Central Pacific Railroad in Sacramento, CA. He encouraged others to invest in a railroad that would connect the east and west coasts of the U.S.
Abraham Lincoln
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What is the name of the high-speed train in France?
FTD
TGV
France's rail service, the fastest in the world, is called the TGV. The trains can travel at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour! These aerodynamic trains were created to minimize the environmental impact of the system.
FBT
SBD
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"Hell on Wheels" is a term that refers to what?
Unruly train passengers
A really fast locomotive
Lawless towns along the railroads
"Hell on Wheels" refers to the small towns and villages that usually accompanied the railroads as they were being built. These towns were infamous for lawlessness. They were hotbeds for drinking, gambling and prostitution.
Group of train robbers
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Which famous discovery increased the urgency to complete the Transcontinental Railroad?
Sierra Nevada Mountains
Grand Canyon
Gold
In 1849, the discovery of gold in the hills of California sparked a frenzy of westward migration. This sudden demand for faster transportation served as the catalyst for new railroads that were built to bring people and supplies out west.
Pacific Ocean
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Who was known as the Big Four?
Four western territories of the U.S.
Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, Roosevelt
Four original railroad companies
Central Pacifc Railroad original investors
The "Big Four" refers to the four original investors of the Central Pacific Railroad. They were Leland Stanford, Collis P. Huntington, Mark Hopkins and Charles Crocker, and were all brought together by Theodore Judah.
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Which railroad featured a passenger car named Paul Revere?
Baltimore and Ohio
Burlington Northern
Boston Central
New York Central
The New York Central Railroad ran primarily in the Great Lakes area. It connected New York and Boston with areas such as Chicago, Detroit and St. Louis. The track featured a train car named after the famous American, Paul Revere.
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Before trains, what was the fastest mode of passenger transportation?
Car
Stagecoach
The fastest mode of transportation before the train was the horse-drawn stagecoach, which averaged about seven miles per hour. The car and the airplane were both invented after the train. The train would shorten a months-long cross-country journey into a trip lasting several days.
Boat
Airplane
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How are current metro train systems powered?
Steam
Electricity
Most modern train systems, including both above ground and subway systems, run on electric power. Earlier locomotives were steam-powered by burning wood and coal. Many modern train systems carry passengers long distances using diesel-powered engines.
Coal
Diesel
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Which kind of train is able to climb steep hills?
Cog-and-rack trains
Cog-and-rack trains are able to climb steep hills using a toothed wheel that catches on a toothed rail, which pulls it up the slope. These trains are often found in the steep mountains of Europe.
Steam powered trains
Electric trains
Freight Trains
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What was the name of the world's first intercity train used to transport passengers?
Northern Starlight
Orient Express
Rocket
George Stephenson, who invented the first steam-powered locomotive, created the Rocket. The Rocket, located England, was known as the first intercity passenger train. It ran between Liverpool and Manchester around 1829.
Empire Builder
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What is the name of the fastest steam-powered locomotive?
Silver Link
Mallard
The Mallard was an English-built locomotive that reached a speed of 126 miles per hour in 1930. The record has never been matched by another steam-powered locomotive. The train maintained this speed for a couple of minutes.
Tahoe
Deltic
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Which city built the first underground train system?
Paris
New York
London
London was the first city to build an underground metro railway system. The system was created in 1863 to relieve traffic congestion and is known today as the Underground or Tube system.
Rome
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How do freight trains pull such long and heavy loads?
Slow movement
Steam power
By only using downhill tracks
Multiple engines
In order for a freight train to pull a heavy load, multiple engines are attached together to act as one. For long freights with hilly routes, up to eight engines may be required to pull the heavy loads.
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Which country has the longest system of railways?
United States
The United States has the longest railway system in the world. There are over 150,000 miles of rail track spanning the nation. About 80 percent of those railways are used by freight lines, and the other 20 percent are for passenger trains.
China
Russia
India
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Which famous passenger train, now out of service, ran from Paris to Istanbul?
Super Chief
The Orient Express
The Orient Express is the famous passenger train that ran from Paris to Istanbul from 1883-1977. It was known for its luxury and service. It has a place in pop culture lore as the setting for Agatha Christie's famous murder mystery novel, "Murder on the Orient Express."
Flying Scotsman
The Golden Arrow
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Which of the following is the longest continuous railway ride in the world?
China-Europe Block Train
The China-Europe Block Train is the longest continuous ride on rails in the world. You can take a train from Spain all the way to Yiwu, China, a distance of 8,077 miles! The trip covers all of Europe and Asia.
New York-Los Angeles Continental Train
Transsiberian Train
Moscow-Beijing Train
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What is the name of the system where trains operate on a single rail?
Single speed
Narrow Gauge
Monorail
Some trains operate on a single rail system known as a monorail. The track looks like a beam, and the train moves along the top. The monorail system is popular for trains operating in Japan.
Broad rail
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India has one of largest rail systems in the world. When did train service begin in India?
1890
1853
India has the fourth largest railway system in the world with half of its railway tracks operating on an electric system. The railway service in India began operation in 1853. Today, they have over 75,000 miles of railways.
1927
1886
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What is the name of the oldest steam locomotive still in operation?
Puffing Billy
The John Bull
Starlight Express
Fairy Queen
The Fairy Queen is the oldest steam-powered locomotive still in operation. The locomotive was built in England but started operation in Calcutta in 1855. The locomotive wasn't named the Fairy Queen until 1895.
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