Stourbridge Lion

The Stourbridge Lion holds the distinction of being the first full-sized steam locomotive to run on a commercial railroad track in the United States. Its inaugural test run took place in 1829 in Honesdale, Pennsylvania.

The locomotive was imported by the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, which intended to use it to transport anthracite coal. They purchased four locomotives from England, with the Stourbridge Lion being the first to arrive and be tested.

The locomotive was built in England because the United States did not yet have the industrial capacity or expertise to manufacture such complex steam engines in the 1820s. It was constructed by Foster, Rastrick and Company, a prominent British firm.

While its initial test run proved that a steam locomotive could operate in America, the Stourbridge Lion was deemed too heavy for the wooden track infrastructure. Consequently, it never ran again, and its parts were eventually salvaged and used for stationary engines.