In 1556 Georgius Agricola's book, "De re Metallica", mentioned the first idea of a railroad. It was a very primitive, mining railway that operated using wooden poles as tracks and small carts to move soil. Similar systems of operation were used in factories and lumber mills until they were replaced by cast-iron rails and the development of a locomotive capable of hauling heavy loads, by Richard Trevithick in 1804. However, it wasn't until 1825 with the development of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in England during the start of the Industrial Revolution, that steam-powered freight and passenger service really started to become a major factor in industrial development.
             Like so much of present-day society, the railroad, as we know it, was a product of the industrial revolution. This revolution depended on a source of power for the new machines being developed. Initially, running water was used to turn paddlewheel, but as factories became larger and more numerous, more power was needed and new sources of power became necessary. As a result, steam became more widely used. With the invention of Thomas Newcomen's steam-powered pump developed for removing water from mines and James Watt's greatly improved Newcomen's engine, a new, powerful steam engine was born.
             Although it is sometimes suggested by historians that the railroad was developed in America due to many other inventions which came about during the same time period, the railroad was really a result of an industrial need. In 1804, Richard Trevithick, a reputable engine builder, developed a vehicle driven by a steam-powered engine. The vehicle was primitive but utilized many innovations that are still in use today. As the industrial revolution went on, America began to refine the steam locomotive. Eventually, they became the leaders of the railroad world.
             Most of the first industrial transportation in Russia took place using it's river system. The river system in Russi...