Back East in August of 1830 a race was held to prove that steam engines were faster than horse pulled trains. Peter Cooper challenged a horse and buggy to a 10 mile race. The horse pulled 1 carriage with 3 people in it while Tom Thumb (the steam engine) pulled 3 railcars with 20 people total. Cooper gave the horse a head start, then sped down the tracks sending ashes all over the people. Ladies put their umbrellas up to protect them, but tossed them overboard when they caught on fire. Tom Thumb won leaving the horse a mile behind. After that, people knew that steam engine travel was the way of the future.
Trains reached
After The Civil War, (1861-1865) Railroads were all over states west of the Mississippi River, including Missouri. Orphan Trains passed through Missouri with orphans (mostly whose parents died during the war) hoping to find a home and a family.