I. Reference text

American Railways

Railroad is one of the most important means of transportation. Every day thousands of passenger and freight trains speed along railroad tracks throughout the world. Only ships carry heavier__cargoes for longer distances. And only airplanes provide a faster means of public transportation than the railroads do.

The first public railroads began in England in the 20s-30s of the 18^th century. But by the mid of the 1800s other countries also had steam powered railroads. Interest in railroads in the United States developed almost as soon as in England. In the early 19th century, most of the USA's eight million people lived in widely scattered settlements along the coastal belts, divided by rivers and with mountains, prairies or deserts further inland. Early American settlers, seeking to improve transport, concentrated on making roads or canals; early American steam enthusiasts usually put their engines in the many boats that travelled the rivers, lakes and canals.

When, in 1813, Oliver Evans suggested a railway from New York to Philadelphia, no one took him seriously. He had to make do with building a steam carriage. In 1830 the owners of the recently opened Baltimore and Ohio Line allowed a wealthy glue-maker, Peter Cooper, to race his tiny locomotive Tom Thumb against one of their horse-drawn trains. Cooper's engine was unluckily beaten in the race when a belt-drive in its workings slipped. However, steam engines gradually took over on the route. In 1829, Horatio Alien became Chief Engineer to the new South Carolina Railroad linking Charleston on the coast to the riverside town of Hamburg, opposite the expanding settlement of Augusta. For his new line, Alien ordered four engines to be built locally at the West Point Foundry. On 2nd November 1830, the first Best Friend of Charleston steamed successfully along and was soon managing speeds of 20 miles an hour. On 15th January 1831, the USA's first public-service steam railroad opened for business, hauling a train that contained not only a brass band, but also a party of soldiers with a light field-gun firing blanks.

In the 1850s railroad construction in the USA was on even larger scale than in Britain when more than 21, 000 route miles were built. The major thrust of American

pailroad development was westward. The first locomotive in Chicago made its first run on October 25, 1848.The first railroad reached the Mississippi from Chicagd^: in 1854. The first railroad across the North America was completed in 1869 and so helped to open the American West to settlers.

Over the years railroads have-faced the increasing competition from other forms, of transportation. In most countries in the same conditions the central government supports the railroads. But U. S. railroads get little government aid. In the 1970s a number of U.S. railroads faced serious financial difficulties and some went into bankruptcy. Financial, conditions improved somewhat in the 1980s. However, profits in the railroad industry remain lower than those in almost 'every other major industry.

In spite of this we can say railways always played the most important part in the development of the USA. Today we can call the USA a great railway power. The Speeds of 250 km/h are now practical for the express trains in the USA. Railroads in the United States operate more than 21, 000 locomotives; almost all are diesel-electric. Only a few U.S. railroads use electric locomotives, and none uses steam locomotives in regular service. Many railroads in the United States are replacing the Old short-length rails with new ones, most of which measure about 1/4 mile long. Workers weld together rails' lengths of 39 feet (12 metres) or longer to make the 1/4 mile rails' lengths. Welded rails have fewer gaps and so produce a smoother running than do rails joined in many places. Welded rail is also easier for railroad work crews to maintain. The United States as well as Canada and most European countries have a standard gauge of 4 feet 8 І/2 inches (1, 44 metres).

The United States have about 500 railroad companies. All of the major railroad companies except one are owned by private investors or by ''conglomerates'-corporations that control a number of firms in various fields. The exception is the Alaska Railroad, which is owned by the Alaska state government. The main railroad companies are: the Conrail (Consolidated Rail Corporation); the Burlington Northern Inc.; the CSX Corporation; the Norfolk Southern Corporation; the Atchison, Topeca

and Santa-Fe Railway Company; the Union Pacific Railroad Corporation; the Southern Pacific Transportation Company; etc.

The U.S. government classifies railroads according to operating revenue (money earned from operations). Companies with operating revenue of $88 millions -or more a year -are the Class I railroads, with the operating revenue of $ 18-88 millions -are, the Class II railroads, with the operating revenue less than 18 millions a year -are the Class III railroads.

Many new railroads.have been formed since 1980.They include short-line railroads (of some miles only) and much larger companies (they often are called regional railroads). One regional railroad, the Wisconsin Central Ltd., has about 2, 000miles(3, 200km) of track. Most of the new railroads are line-segments sold by larger companies because they were unprofitable.