Back in the 1800's people used canals to transport goods, but they found it to be unreliable on time and was unable to use year round. The need for the railroad arose in this time period in Pennsylvania to carry freight around the state. Thomas Leiper built one of the very first railroads in 1800 to carry stone from his quarry near Swarthmore, it was only less than a mile in length, hardly considered a railroad.
The discovery of the value of anthracite coal really gave birth to the railroad and the anthracite region in Pennsylvania properly called the "Birthplace of American Railroading."
