The Express Train 1859

"The Express Train" (1859) by Charles Parsons, a lithograph depicting a steam locomotive pulling a train of passenger cars, captures the excitement of the burgeoning railroad industry in 19th-century America. The detailed rendering of the locomotive, with its gleaming brass and plumes of smoke, showcases the power and speed of this new mode of transportation. Parsons, who specialized in documenting technological advancements, uses a panoramic perspective to emphasize the train's prominence within the landscape. The image, now housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, serves as a reminder of the transformative impact of the railroad on American society.