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Pennsylvania Railroad

Definition

The Pennsylvania Railroad was a major railroad company established in 1846 that operated primarily in the Northeast and Midwest United States. It was known for its innovation, efficiency, and profitability.

Analogy

Think of the Pennsylvania Railroad as the Amazon of its time. Just like how Amazon revolutionized retail by providing an efficient platform to deliver goods across the country, the Pennsylvania Railroad transformed transportation by offering a reliable and fast way to move people and products across states.

Related terms

Transcontinental Railroad: A network of railroad trackage that crosses a continental land mass with terminals at different oceans or continental borders.

Union Pacific Railroad: One of the first railroads to be chartered by Congress during Abraham Lincoln's presidency, it played a crucial role in connecting Eastern and Western coasts of America.

Railroad Monopoly: This refers to when one company has exclusive control over a commodity or service in a particular market. In this context, it often refers to large railroad companies that dominated certain regions.

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© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.