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Show AMERICAN RULROI\DS RULROI DS RAILROADS RAILROADSThe R ILROIDS ILROIDSThe \ The ) } scar car 1930 marked the 100th anniversary annhersary of ofthe ofthe of-the of the -the the - - . first .first regularly operated steam railroad raflroad in the theUnited theUnited theUnited United States , the Baltimore and Ohio , which whJch In 1830 1830v 1830was 1830was was v . * only 13 miles mules long Oher construction constructlon under v.ay vay way v.aybrought waybrought . waybrought brought the total totnl for the country to 23 miles in that thatyear thatyear thatyear year . B BS ) } 1840 the mileage mUeage had inireased increased to 2 2818 818 and andextensions andextensions andextensions extensions ' were 'Were made with Increasing rapidits rapidIt rapidity dur- dur during during dur during - - ing the suhcceding suhceeding } sears ears When the railroad . was v.as vas 50 50Y 50years 50ycara Y years 1II ' : old . , In 1880 , the United States had 93,671 93671 , milesThe miles m1les milesThe The ten } sears e < \ \rs rs ers ears between 1880 and 1890 v . was as thegreatest the thegreatest thegreatest greatest period of railroad building American roads roadsbuilt roadsimilt . : bu.f1t buf1t built . during dunng that decade totalled 71 71983 983 miles Thegreatest The Thegreatest Thegreatest greatest railroad rafuood mileage mUeage . was v.as vas reached In 1916 , when when254,251 when254251 254,251 254251 , , mile miles . were v.ere vere in operation . . . Since Smce 1916 , owing Ov.ing Oving . to the abandonment abandonment of a anumber anumber anumber number of unprofitable short lines lmes , , the mileage has hasbeen hasbeen hasbeen been actually 13.duaIJy 13duaIJy . reduced , , being bemg now nov . about 249,300 249300 249,304 249304 , miles miles.At milesAt . At present present'new presentnew csent ' new construction is almost entirely entuely limitedto limited limitedto limited--to limited to --to to - -to to - - - addfng adding adl ng ( a second , third or even fourth track to toexIStfng toexrstfng toexisting exIStfng exrstfng linesOne lines linesOne One of the most striking developments de\elopments de elopments deelopments \ % in m ralI- ralI rail- rail ralIroa.ds railroads rail-i-oads rail i oads - -roa.ds roa.ds roads - . - has been the Increase in the size of locomohves locomotives locomohvesFrom locomotivesFrom locomotives'From locomotivesFrom From ' a weight of less thP thap ? than fiv five fons tons 100 } sears ears ago agothey , they have ha\e ha e ha'e hae \ ' been built bunt larger lalter lamer and . larger 1a.rger 1arger until today todaymany todaymany todaymany many passenger locomotives weigh v.eIgh veIgh neigh . 150 tons or more morewhile , wh11e while those used in freight transporatlon transporatton transporation range M & Mbigh a ahigh -high high - bigh high as 220 tons or more . A few special specml types exceed exceedt4Qo exceedi4QO t4Qo ; 4Q0 tons , , . With With the growing groVwing competition of tho the automobiIe automobile automobilet automobiletuck , muck ( -uck uck - ck and airplane . , It is 1s impossible to predict predJct what whatthe whatthe whatthe the next century of railroading ralIroading may bring forth . . It Itis Itis Itis is safe to sa say } ' , however hov.ever hovever . , that for heavy freight trans- trans trans"portaUon trans'ortatfon trans-"portatlon trans "portatlon portatlon - ' " "portaUon portaUon " 'ortatfon ortatfon ' the railroad rallroad will hold first place for many manyyeATS manyyears manyyears yeATS years to come |