Planes, Trains and

Automobiles:
Before every other form of transportation, humans traveled on
foot. Can you imagine walking from New York City to Los Angeles?
Fortunately, human beings learned to use animals such as
donkeys, horses and camels for transportation from 4000 BC to
3000 BC. In 3500 BC, the wheel was invented in Iraq and the first
wheel was made from wood. Initially, a canoe-like structure was
used for water transportation, which was built by burning logs and
digging out the burned wood. In 3100BC, the sailing boat was
invented by Egyptians while the Romans built roads across Europe.
During the Industrial Revolution, the first modern highway was
developed by John Loudon McAdam.

In the 17th and 18th century, many new modes of transportation

were invented such as bicycles, trains, motor cars, trucks,
airplanes, and trams. In 1906, the first car was developed with an
internal combustion engine. Many types of transportation systems
such as boats, trains, airplanes, and automobiles were based on
the internal combustion engine.

The three leading automobile companies in the US in the 1920s

were General Motors, Chrysler, and Ford. Furthermore, several
styles of automobiles were produced such as the two doors, small,
large, sports cars, and luxury cars. Presently, the latest car models
have integrated improved standardization, computer aided
systems, and platform sharing. The modern railroad system uses
remote control for traffic lights and movement of traffic, capable of
speeds of more than 570 km/hr.

 America on the Move

 From Foot to Flight
 Early Transportation
 Transportation Timeline (PDF)
 Navigating the Globe & Beyond
 Vehicles Collection at London Transport Museum
 Invention of the Wheel
 Roman Roads
 History of the Bicycle
 Pictures of Cars, Trucks, & Roadways
 John Loudon McAdam
 Sea History for Kids
 The History of Navigation
 Fun Facts about Bikes
 History of Airplanes

The Wright Brothers were the first to develop a sustained and

powered aircraft in 1902. Earlier, an unmanned helicopter powered
by a steam engine was developed in 1877 by Enrico Forlanini.
Later, bomber aircrafts such as Lancaster and B-29 were designed,
and the first commercial jet airline was flown by British pilot De
Havilland Comet. Today, commercial aircrafts can fly at the speed
of 960 km/hr, transporting people at a lower cost in less time.
Currently, unmanned remote controlled aircraft such as Global
Hawk is used in military operations.

 History of Flight
 Wright Flight
 History of Planes Thinkquest
 Aviation History Timeline
 The Wright Family
 Parts of a Plane
 How We Made the First Flight
 Enrico Forlanini

History of Trains

Trains are connected vehicles which run on rails. They are powered
by steam, electricity or diesel. The steam engine is mostly fueled
by coal, wood or oil. The first steam powered engine to be used in
trains was introduced by James Watt, a Scottish inventor. The first
rail transportation was used to move coal from mines to rivers.

The modern rail system was developed in England in 1820,

progressing to steam locomotives. In 1825, Stockton and
Darlington Railways opened and underground railway was first
built in 1863 in London. In 1880, electric trains and the trams
were developed. Today, most of the steam locomotives have been
replaced by diesel. The fastest commercial High Speed Rail trains
which use magnetic levitation technology can go up to 431 km/hr.

 Steam Train History

 Timeline of Railroad History
 Central Pacific Railroad
 James Watt Biography
 Age of Steam
 New England Railroad Picture Archive
 Old Railroad Pictures
 Transcontinental Railroad Personalities

History of Automobiles
 Automobiles based on internal combustion engine were first
patented by Jean Lenoir of France in 1860. The first gasoline
powered automobile was developed by Gottlieb Daimler and Karl
Benz in 1885. Modern automobiles were first developed in 1890s
in Germany and France. In 1891, William Morrison introduced
electric powered automobiles in the US, which were an
improvement over the steam engines.

In 1893, the first automobile for sale was made by Charles and J.
Frank Duryea in Springfield, Massachusetts in the United States. It
led to the development of gasoline and petrol based automobiles.
Henry Ford introduced the Model T Ford in 1903, which was
successfully launched. Mass production of the Model T, priced in
the range of $825 to $17000, started in 1908. In 1923, Alfred
Sloan became the president of General Motors. Under his
leadership, the company launched a plethora of new models during
this time. These automobiles made transportation faster, more
affordable, and more flexible for people. 

Today, the automobile industry produces more than 70 million

vehicles across the world and a rapid rise in price of oil and
gasoline has led to the development of various green cars such as
hybrid cars, battery operated cars, hydrogen cars, and cars
running on alternative fuels.

 History of Cars Timeline

 What Was the First Car?
 The Life of Henry Ford
 History of Chrysler
 Jean Lenoir
 Gottlieb Daimler
 Karl Benz
 The Model T

Article by
Matt Robertson
Matt is the Managing Partner at Leland-West Insurance Brokers, Inc. He started with the firm while still
a college student, way back in 1984. According to Matt his only remaining hobby is Motorsport ...
because its all he can afford ("will work for tires"). Reach him at matt@lelandwest.com