Worlds oldest railroad?

A good starting guess (for the Western Hemisphere at least) would be Union Pacific Railroad. Its origin was 1862.

Chartered in 1832, the Strasburg Rail Road continues to operate under its original charter and original name (Strasburg Rail Road Company).

Phooey....l thought this was gonna talk about something really primitive, like an ox-drawn cart on four stone wheels hauled along end-to-end hollow logs...

Farmer_Bill posted:

Chartered in 1832, the Strasburg Rail Road continues to operate under its original charter and original name (Strasburg Rail Road Company).

 

Yes, and it still hauls some freight, as well as tourists. It connects the old PRR "Broad Way"(NYC to Chicago) to the town of Strasburg. 

The GREAT LIRR is no slouch either, having been chartered in 1834, and still IS the Long Island Rail Road albeit owned and operated by the MTA!

Yes the Strasburg is just slightly older than the LIRR. The exception is that Strasburg still handles freight, as the LIRR does not anymore. Do any original strasburg steamers (from the 1800’s) still survive? Any that were before the Plymouth?

Stockton And Darlington Railway was one of the first, if not the first public railroad      1825 

  When did the Long Island stop hauling freight ? I've been gone way too long .

The New York and Atlantic has handled the freight service since 1997.

From Wikipedia, (Adam E. Moreira)

And the New York and Atlantic is doing an excellent job of handling freight while working around the 24/7 passenger schedule of the LIRR, no small feat! The LIRR is the only commuter railroad in the world that operates 24/7 (NOT counting subway/el systems as regular railroads).