Impacts
The invention and evolution of steam locomotives had many positive impacts on economies and individuals in the Industrial Revolution. They economised transport and trade, and interconnected cities, accelerating urbanisation. However, this accelerated urbanisation and increased interconnectivity also had some negative impacts, which will also be outlined on this page.
Steam locomotives economised trade, allowing extremely large loads to be transported over land which the only other alternative – the horse and cart – would never have been able to move in one load. Even the earliest locomotives could pull up to tens of tonnes, which revolutionised land transport.
These machines could also transport people, allowing them to arrive much faster at their destination in frankly, a more comfortable way. This led to more interconnection between cities and allowed for more job opportunities. Eventually, as these vehicles got faster and more refined, they made travelling for work practical, a big step in urbanisation and the development of big cities.
Urbanisation however, is not all sunshine and rainbows. There are many possible negative impacts of urbanisation, such as habitat loss and other environmental damage. Often, the rapid influx of people can put a strain on a city’s infrastructure and economy, which can have negative impacts on the people involved. Poor working conditions and low wages are impacts that can happen due to the strain on infrastructure and economy.
Steam locomotives had positive and negative impacts on people in the Industrial Revolution, it provided more opportunities for work, and accelerated urbanisation which can create strain on the economy and infrastructure of cities.