Wagon train, caravan of wagons organized by settlers in the United States for emigration to the West during the late 18th and most of the 19th centuries. Composed of up to 100 Conestoga wagons (q.v.; sometimes called prairie schooners), wagon trains soon
guides and protection to help them make the often treacherous journey.Wagon Trainswere formed to allow groups to reduce the dangers associated with the long journey west.Wagon Trainsgave pioneers the advantage of strength in numbers along with a mobile “fort” capability when wagons were circled t...
6 inches, which later became recognized as narrow-gauge, it handled coal from a mine near Mauch Chunk (Jim Thorpe). Its first 9 miles utilized an old wagon road and operated on a gravity system with mules for power.
The Baltimore & Ohio's classic wagontops was a custom design the railroad manufactured itself during the height of the depression in the 1930s to not only reduce expenses but also increase the car's strength in the way it was manufactured (by using a "U"-shaped design). Ultimately, three...
In 1866, six all-Black cavalry and infantry regiments were created after Congress passed the Army Organization Act. Their main tasks were to help control the Native Americans of the Plains, capture cattle rustlers and thieves and protect settlers, stagecoaches, wagon trains and railroad crews ...
imagine how frightening—even godforsaken—its sheer rock faces and barren deserts seemed to our forebears.\n__Hard Road West__ brings their perspective vividly to life, weaving together the epic overland journey of the covered wagon trains and the compelling story of the landscape they ...
Rough terrain, harsh winter weather, food shortages, disease and violence made wagon travel dangerous for the half-million people crossing the trails in the 19th century, with estimates marking tens of thousands of deaths in the region. Conflicts also erupted between travelers and Native Americans ...
John Bidwell, pioneer, farmer, soldier, politician, prohibitionist, philanthropist and founder of Chico died in Chico at age 80. Helead one of the first wagon trains, the Bartleson-Bidwell Party, to California. Accidents in 1986 An explosion in San Francisco’s Bayview District leveled nearly th...
He improved on that engine so it would run on petroleum, attached it to a three-wheeled wagon and traveled 50 miles. 1873: American engineer George Brayton developed a two-stroke kerosene engine. It is considered to be the first safe and practical oil engine. 1876: Nikolaus August Otto ...
The company's many struggles led to numerous, unpopular nicknames like the Tired, Poor & Weary; Two Pony & Wagon; and Tired, Proven & Willing. A more modern title was the Tee-Pee Willie. At the turn of the 20th century the TP&W embarked on a major infrastructure improvement program ...