the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad, the first
public railway in the United
States, licensed in 1827 to carry both freight and passengers, and planned to stretch from Baltimore,
Maryland to the
Ohio River. Construction began in 1828 and the first
section of
track opened in 1830. The B&O steadily expanded and by 1852 had reached the
Ohio River and many
major cities throughout the US. The railroad was the first to publish a timetable, to
use engines powered by
electricity, and to have specialized
baggage and dining cars, as well as fully air-conditioned trains. By the mid-twentieth century it had become mainly a freight
carrier. It was taken over by another
company and most of the B&O's long-distance passenger
services were discontinued.