While working on my railroads final project I came across an interesting map of Pennsylvania's canal systems. The more I work on the final project I realize how historically close canals and railroads are. The general consensus around 1810 was that canals were best way of transporting goods and secondly people. Railroads started largely as feeders to canals and navigable water ways. In 1812, John Stevens, who many consider the father of railroads published a pamphlet called "Documents Tending to Prove the Superior Advantages of Rail-Ways and Steam-Carriages over Canal Navigation". This was a document publised in a time when there were no steam locomotives and also mentioned that railroads would be no more expensive than a turnpike (Pennsylvania Railroad Past and Present).
The Juniata river, looking at this map was a major connector between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. To think earlier this summer I did a conoe trip on the Juniata from close to Altoona to a mid way point. The outfitter is "Juniata River Adventures" they drop you off with a conoe and paddles and pick you up for a reasonable price.
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