The National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum
Classic Railroad Locomotives

The first steam locomotive appeared in the United States in 1830, with the successful launch of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad’s Tom Thumb. There was another locomotive, the Stourbridge Lion, which ran in 1829 near Scranton, PA, but it ran as a demonstration of the power of steam rather than as a commercial locomotive. Many early examples were imported from England, as the industry was further developed and tested, including the Stourbridge Lion. However, a domestic industry was soon established, signaling advances in the American industry to come.