Otis Singleton
The first electric train was called the 'Galvani' and was built by Scottish inventor Robert Davidson in 1842. It was a four-wheeled machine, 16 feet long, and powered by Davidson's batteries. The locomotive was tested on the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway in Scotland, where it ran at 6.5km/h (4mph). However, it did not carry any passengers or goods, and the batteries were not rechargeable, making it impractical for widespread use. The first electric train to carry passengers was presented by Werner von Siemens in Berlin in 1879.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the first electric train | Siemens & Halske |
| Date of first electric train | 1882 |
| Place | Zaukerode mine in Saxony |
| First electric locomotive built | 1837 by Robert Davidson |
| First electric railway | Made by Thomas Davenport in 1835 |
| First public electric railway | Opened on 12 May 1881 at Lichterfelde near Berlin, Germany |
| First electric passenger train | Presented by Werner von Siemens in Berlin in 1879 |
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What You'll Learn
Werner von Siemens' electric train
The first electric passenger train was presented by Werner von Siemens in Berlin on May 31, 1879. The train was driven by a 2.2 kW, series-wound motor and consisted of a locomotive and three cars. During its four months of operation, the train carried 90,000 passengers on a 300-metre-long (980-foot) circular track, reaching a speed of 13 km/h. The electricity (150 V DC) was supplied through an insulated third rail between the tracks, with a contact roller used to collect the electricity.
Werner von Siemens, a German engineer, is credited with building the first practical electric railway. His innovation laid one of the cornerstones for electrifying rail transportation. The world's first electric tram line opened in Lichterfelde near Berlin, Germany, in 1881, and was also built by von Siemens. This tram line was 2.5 km (1.5 miles) long, ran on 100V current, and carried 26 passengers at a speed of 48 km/h (30 mph).
While von Siemens' electric railway was a groundbreaking innovation, earlier attempts at electric railways had been made. For example, in 1835, Thomas Davenport, a blacksmith in Vermont, USA, created a small railway powered by a miniature electric motor. In 1842, Robert Davidson made the first serious attempt at electric power on a railway, testing a five-ton battery locomotive on the Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway in Scotland. However, it was von Siemens' successful demonstration of the electric railway in 1879 that marked a significant milestone in the history of electric locomotion.
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Thomas Davenport's 1835 railway
Thomas Davenport was an American blacksmith and inventor who created the first small-scale electric railway in 1835. He was born in 1802 in Vermont and had very little formal education. Davenport was self-taught and had a keen interest in electricity and magnetism. In 1834, he invented the first DC electrical motor, which he later used to power shop machinery, demonstrating the practical application of his electric motor.
In 1835, Davenport constructed a small-scale electric railway model, marking the beginning of electric locomotion. This invention was a significant milestone, as it was the first time electricity was used to power a railway system. While it was a rudimentary design, it laid the foundation for future developments in electric transportation. Davenport's innovation inspired subsequent pioneers, such as Robert Davidson, who, in 1842, tested a battery-powered locomotive on the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway in Scotland.
Davenport's contributions to the field of electricity extended beyond his railway invention. In 1837, he received the first American patent for an electric machine, U.S. Patent No. 132, which he shared with his wife, Emily, and colleague, Orange Smalley. Davenport was also a pioneer in the field of publishing. In 1840, he printed "The Electro-Magnetic and Mechanics Intelligencer," a magazine focused on electromagnetism, using a large motor he had built. This publication was a significant step forward, as it was the first magazine printed using electricity.
Davenport's legacy is that of a visionary who recognised the potential of electricity and sought to harness its power for practical applications. His work in the field of electric locomotion, specifically his creation of the first small-scale electric railway, paved the way for future innovations in electric transportation. While the world would later witness the achievements of pioneers like Werner von Siemens, who presented the first electric railway in Berlin in 1879, it was Davenport's early experiments that set the stage for these advancements.
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Robert Davidson's battery locomotive
The first electric locomotive was built by Robert Davidson, a Scottish inventor, in 1837. Davidson was a chemist and dyer from Aberdeen, Scotland, and he built a battery locomotive that could be powered by zinc-acid batteries.
Davidson's early interest in electricity and electromagnetism led him to design his own chemical batteries and a rudimentary electric motor. By 1839, he had already designed a printing press, a turning lathe, and a four-wheeled car, all using his batteries and electric motor. He was also a successful businessman, producing synthetic yeast for the baking and brewing industries, which gave him the financial freedom to pursue his passion for electromagnetism and its potential to drive machinery.
Davidson's first electric locomotive, "Galvani", was a four-wheeled machine tested on the Edinburgh-Glasgow line in September 1842. Although it could carry itself at 4 mph, it did not haul any passengers or goods. The locomotive only achieved a speed of 4 mph, and the batteries were not rechargeable, making it impractical for widespread use. Despite this, Davidson is recognized as a pioneer in electrical technology, and his work laid the foundation for future developments in electric locomotion.
The locomotive was reported to have been destroyed while stored in an engine house in Perth. Despite his early efforts, Davidson could not interest rail companies in his invention, as the technology he employed was considered too expensive at the time. However, his work was later recognized, and he was described as a "forgotten hero" and an "electrical visionary".
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Siemens & Halske's 1882 locomotive
The Siemens & Halske 1882 locomotive was the world's first electric locomotive, delivered in 1882 for the Zaukerode mine in Saxony. The locomotive was designed with open contact rotary switches, which posed a risk of explosion if the locomotive was operated incorrectly.
The Siemens locomotive of 1879 was the first electric passenger train, presented at the Berlin Trade Exhibition by Werner von Siemens. The locomotive was driven by a 2.2 kW, series-wound motor, and the train, consisting of the locomotive and three cars, reached a speed of 13 km/h. During four months, the train carried 90,000 passengers on a 300-meter-long (980-foot) circular track. The electricity 150 V DC was supplied through a third insulated rail between the tracks and collected using a contact roller.
Werner Siemens personally presented his locomotive on May 31, 1879, and it became a major attraction during the four-month-long Berlin Trade Exhibition. The track had a gauge of 490 mm, with the electrical energy transmitted via the two rails and an insulated iron band in between. The locomotive had a rotor mounted along the longitudinal axis and side-mounted excitation coils.
Following the success of the 1879 exhibition, Siemens exhibited similar railways in other cities, including Brussels, London Sydenham, Frankfurt am Main, Copenhagen, and Moscow. An original preserved locomotive from 1879 is now part of the collection at the Deutsches Museum in Munich.
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Electric trains in the US
The first electric passenger train was presented by Werner von Siemens in Berlin in 1879. The train reached a speed of 13 km/h and during four months, it carried 90,000 passengers on a 300-metre-long circular track. The world's first electric tram line opened in Lichterfelde, near Berlin, in 1881.
The use of electric trains soon spread to the US, with the first use of electric locomotives in regular service occurring on May 17, 1908. The construction of the Howard Street tunnel through Baltimore in 1895 brought about the world's first mainline electrification, with three General Electric locomotives in operation. The Cascade Tunnel is another example of where problems with smoke from steam locomotives prompted electrification.
In the US, electrification reached its maximum of 3,100 miles in the late 1930s. By 1973, this had decreased to 1,778 route miles. As of 2025, only two electrified lines hauling freight by electricity were still in operation: the Deseret Power Railway and the Iowa Traction Railway.
There are several advantages to using electric trains over diesel-powered trains. Electric trains are more efficient, with about 95% of the energy supplied to the wheels, compared to 30-35% for diesel trains. Prices of electricity are also falling due to the increasing use of renewable energy sources, making it more cost-effective to power trains by electricity than by diesel. Additionally, electric trains have lower maintenance costs and are better suited to mountainous terrain, with greater power at low speeds and no requirements for fueling or watering.
Despite these advantages, the transition to a nationally electrified rail system in the US is not trivial, and industry and government analysts are skeptical about the feasibility of such a plan. However, some passenger rail lines have been converted to electric power, such as Amtrak's Northeast Corridor and the California commuter rail line, which is being upgraded to a very high-speed rail service.
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Frequently asked questions
The first electric train was built by Thomas Davenport, a blacksmith in Vermont, USA, in 1835. However, it was a small railway powered by a miniature electric motor. The first practical electric railway was built by Werner von Siemens in 1879.
The first electric train was invented by Thomas Davenport.
The first electric train was created in 1835.
The first electric train was created in Vermont, USA.
The first practical electric train did not have a name. It was built by Werner von Siemens in 1879 for the Berlin Trades Exhibition.
