Trivia: What was the name of the first American-built steam locomotive?
Rocky Mountaineer
Mallard
Tom Thumb
Big Boy
The correct answer is Tom Thumb
So why is this answer correct? : Built in 1829, Tom Thumb was America’s first steam-powered locomotive. It was designed by inventor and businessman Peter Cooper, and built specifically for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad’s (B&O) tracks. Before this, the rail company used horses to pull its passenger and freight trains. According to a famous legend, Tom Thumb entered a race with a horse-drawn carriage and was far in the lead until the blower belt fell off, causing it to “run out of steam.” Although the locomotive malfunctioned, its performance impressed the railroad directors into committing to steam engines, a legend that supports the timeline of the Industrial Revolution.