• Have you ever traveled by train?

• Do you think railroads are as important now as they were in the 1800’s? Why or why not?

YesNo

Why Are There Time Zones?Our system of time zones is a result of

the railroad boom of the 1800’s.

At that time, many towns kept their own time. When the sun was highest over the town, it was noon. 100 miles west, where the sun was still rising, the time was a few minutes before noon. For example, there were 27 local times in Illinois, 23 in Indiana, and 38 in Wisconsin.

What time is it ?

To simplify train schedules, railroads established their own uniform time standard. On November 18, 1883, all railway clocks were set to the new standard. In 1918, Congress enacted the Standard Time Act, which was based on time zones in use by railroads.

Why was the old system of keeping time risky for railroad passengers?Keeping track of time under the old system increased the likelihood that passengers would miss their trains, not to mention the increased possibility of collisions.

Another impact of the railroads…Some cities began where two railroad lines intersected. Others grew rapidly after becoming train stops.

Are there any towns around us that developed because of railroads?

Read page 615 – Riding the Rails

• The Standard Gauge

• Secret Rebates

• Big Business…