1830 - The Railroad Arrives

In 1830, The B & O Railroad built the "Old Main Line" to the town from Baltimore. Originally, transportation on the rails consisted of horse drawn cars. The initial trip to Ellicott's Mills aboard horse drawn cars was May 24, 1830. There was much interest in steam power and how it could be harnessed for the railroad. Then, a remarkable event occurred, an impromptu race between a horse drawn car and Peter Cooper's invention, The Tom Thumb. The Tom Thumb was in the vicinity of Relay and on it's way back to Baltimore with a load of dignitaries. The horse drawn car was a Stotton & Stocks Company car. After initially gaining a lead over the horse, a band blew off the boiler and by the time it was replaced the other car was too far ahead to be overtaken. It is belived that Peter Cooper suffered damage to his hands trying to replace the band. The Tom Thumb lost the race, but was a hint of things to come in the way of steam power. The initial trip to Ellicott's Mills by steam engine was made on August 30, 1830.