<Li> 1829 - George and Robert Stephenson's locomotive, Rocket, sets a speed record of 47 km / h (29 mph) at the Rainhill Trials held near Liverpool . </Li> <Li> 1830 - The Canterbury and Whitstable Railway opened in Kent, England on 3 May, three months before the Liverpool and Manchester Railway . Engineered by George Stephenson, a 53⁄4 mile line running from Canterbury to the small port and fishing town of Whitstable, approximately 55 miles east of London . Traction was provided by three Stationary Winding Engines, and "Invicta"; Invicta was an 0 - 4 - 0 Loco, built by the Stephenson company, but only operated on a level section of track because she produced a meagre 9 hp . </Li> <Li> 1830 - The first public railway in the United States, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O), opened with 23 miles of track, with mostly hardwood rail topped with iron . The steam locomotive, Tom Thumb (locomotive), was designed and built by Peter Cooper for the B&O--the first American - built steam locomotive . Trials of the locomotive began on the B&O that year . </Li> <Li> 1830 - The Liverpool and Manchester Railway opened, and the first steam passenger service, primarily locomotive - hauled, began . The line proved the viability of rail transport . Large scale railway construction started in Britain, then spread throughout the world, beginning the Railway Age . </Li>

When was the first public railroad in the us started