The railroad by 1860 was playing a steadily more important role in carrying freight. Between 1853 and 1860 the Pennsylvania RailRoad moved over 800,000 tons of freight to Philadelphia. The Philadelphia and Reading was carrying anthractie to the Seaboard in increasing tonnage. Indicative of the freight moved by the railroad the Cumberland Valley line in 1853 moved iron, pig iron, blooms, casting grains, and cattle and horses eastward to Harrisburg and Philadelphia, thus serving both industry and agriculture. Pennsylvania on the eve of the Cicil War led all other states in railroad mileage as well as capitol invested in railroads. The states railroad system had grown to 2,598 miles.
