ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

old main line (baltimore and ohio railroad)

The old main line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad is a really long path made of train tracks that was built a very long time ago. The railroad stretches from Baltimore in Maryland all the way to Wheeling in West Virginia.

Before cars and trucks became popular, trains were the main way to transport things like people, goods, and mail from one place to another. The old main line was really important because it connected two cities that were far apart, and it made traveling and transporting things much easier.

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad company decided to build this railroad a long time ago because they wanted to make more money by moving things quickly and easily. They started building the tracks in the early 1800s and after a lot of hard work, they finally finished it in the 1850s!

The old main line was really special because it was one of the very first railroads in the United States, and it was also built with a lot of fancy bridges and tunnels. These helped the trains cross over rivers and mountains without having to go around them.

Even though people don't use the old main line much anymore, it's still an important part of history because it paved the way for future railroads to be built. Nowadays, people all over the world use trains to travel and transport things, and it all started with the old main line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.