Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Portraits of American Railroading: Gustavus F. Swift
Read a brief biography of Gustavus Swift, who was at the forefront of developing the refrigerato rail car that revolutionized shipment of meat from the Midwest to the East.
PBS
Pbs: American Experience: Made in Chicago: The Refrigerated Rail Car
This brief description explains how the refrigerated rail car worked and why it was so important to the shipment of meat products from the Midewest to the east.
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum
Cprr: Car Builder's Dictionary: Pullman Palace Sleeping Car
Shows detailed floor plans of Pullman Palace Sleeping Car and Drawing Room/Parlor car.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Binding the Nation by Rail
Read about the explosive growth of railroad track across the United States after the Civil War. Find out about the building of the Transcontinental Railroad, the men who made fortunes from the railroads, and the first American regulatory...
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: Traveling by Car
Learn how the Model T automobile changed public transportation and how the national highway system was the rest of the story about America's love affair with the automobile.
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Momentum/collisions: Diesel Engine and Flatcar Collision
This animation portrays the inelastic collision between a very massive diesel and a less massive flatcar. After the collision, both move together with the same velocity. Students can figure out the after-collision velocity of the two...
Other
Dictionary of Unitarian and Universalist Biography: George Pullman
This biography of George Pullman outlines his business acumen in the development of the Pullman railroad sleeper car, which offered luxury on long train trips. Read the description of the company town he developed in Illinois to house...
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: The Iron Horse: The Town of Pullman
From a lengthy essay on the history of the railroad in the United States. This section describes how George Pullman amassed a fortune making specialized rail cars. He then decided to build a town for his labor force, one that was very...
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: The Iron Horse: The Pullman Boycott
From a lengthy essay on the history of the railroad in the United States. This section provides a good description of the events of 1893-1894, including the reasons for the boycott of Pullman cars, the people involved, and how the...
Curated OER
Emigrant Sleeping Car Berths
Provides biographical information on Lewis Metzler Clement, the chief engineer for the Central Pacific Railroad, who both designed much of the route and supervised construction of the railroad.
Curated OER
Etc: Maps Etc: Southern Portion of New York City, 1903
A map from 1903 of the southern portion of New York City showing streets, rivers, parks, railroads, elevated railroads, Broadway cable road, and horse cars. Some features indicated on the map are Madison Square Garden, Bellevue Hospital,...
Curated OER
Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Maps Etc: Lynn Business District, 1919
A road map detailing the business district of Lynn, Massachusetts, from the Official Automobile Blue Book (1919), showing the streets, railroads, street car lines, and the suggested Blue Book route.
Curated OER
Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Maps Etc: Lowell Business District, 1919
A road map detailing the business district of Lowell, Massachusetts, from the Official Automobile Blue Book (1919), showing the streets, railroads, street car lines, and the suggested Blue Book route.
Curated OER
Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Maps Etc: Lawrence Business District, 1919
A road map detailing the business district of Lawrence, Massachusetts, from the Official Automobile Blue Book (1919), showing the Merrimac River, major roads, railroads, street car lines, and the suggested Blue Book route.
Curated OER
Etc: Maps Etc: Fall River Business District, 1919
A road map of the business district of Fall River, Massachusetts, from the Official Automobile Blue Book (1919), showing the major roads, railroads and street car lines, major landmarks, and the suggested Blue Book route.
Curated OER
Etc: Maps Etc: Springfield Business District, 1919
A road map detailing the business district of Springfield, Massachusetts, from the Official Automobile Blue Book (1919), showing the streets, railroads, street car lines, and the suggested Blue Book route.
Curated OER
Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Maps Etc: Nevada, 1904
A map from 1904 of Nevada showing the capital of Carson City, major cities and towns, railroads, mountains, lakes, and rivers. "Nevada (Sage Hen State) - Created a Territory in 1861, declared a state in 1864. The real growth of the State...
Curated OER
Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Maps Etc: Albany, New York, 1920
A street map of the business district of Albany from the 1920 Automobile Club of Rochester, showing the Hudson River, streets and street names, the suggested Blue Book routes through the area, railroad and street car lines, and major...
Curated OER
Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Clip Art Etc: George M. Pullman
He developed the Pullman sleeper, a railroad sleeping car.