First Iron Rails
Danville, Montour County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
The first rolling mill built to make the iron T railroad rails was nearby. T rails were first rolled Oct. 8, 1845. The first 30 foot rails made on order in the U.S. were rolled here in 1859 for the Sunbury and Erie Railroad.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
Near this spot in Danville stood the rolling mill where the iron T-rail—the flanged profile that became the standard for American railroads—was first rolled on October 8, 1845. The site kept making history: in 1859 it produced the first thirty-foot rails rolled on order in the United States, for the Sunbury and Erie Railroad. In the age of iron, this Susquehanna Valley mill town helped lay the literal foundation of the nation's rail network.
Why it matters
The T-rail perfected here became the backbone of American railroading, and its birthplace marks a decisive moment in the industrial rise of the United States.
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Related events
- · First iron T-rails rolled (1845)
Themes & tags
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