History: September 15 (#5)

History: September 15 (#5)
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
September 15, 1981 The John Bull becomes the oldest operable steam locomotive in the world when the Smithsonian Institution operates it under its own power outside Washington, D.C.

Commentary

Commentary

On September 15, in the year 1981: The John Bull becomes t he oldest operable steam locomotive in the world when the Smithsonian Institution operates it under its own power outside Washington, D.C. John Bull is a historic British-built railroad steam locomotive that operated in the United States.

Commentary

Why September 15, 1981 matters: The John Bull becomes the oldest ope rable steam locomotive in the world when the Smithsonian Institution operates it under its own power outside Washington, D.C. What began on this day left a lasting mark on history. The effects were felt immediately and continued to shape events, ideas, and lives long afterwards.

Commentary

Historical context: September 15, 1981 The 20th century brought change at a pace unprecedented in history: two wor ld wars, the rise and fall of fascism and communism, decolonisation, the Cold War, the space race, and revolutions in science, technology, and human rights all compressed into one hundred years. The event on this day: The John Bull becomes the oldest operable steam locomotive in the world when the Smithsonian Institution operates it under its own power outside Washington, D.C. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bull_(locomotive) (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)