Phillip Evan Thomas (1776-1861) was intrigued by a letter from his brother in England describing the British railroad: Trains could give Baltimore a critically needed link to the agricultural west and carry wheat to eastern markets. It was a daring idea in the 1820s--an era when newly dug canals were revolutionizing inland transport. Wrote historian Martha Nesbitt: Thomas "had the vision and the courage to promote and help build the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, the first railroad in the United States. In serving nine years as its first president, he earned the title of 'The Father of American Railways.'"