Enoch Wood & Sons produced two of the most recognizable and sought after American historical transfer scenes to celebrate the B & O Railroad, a key element in the opening of the American interior to trade. One portrays a steam engine pulling a line of cars along a level countryside.The other, our example, documents the technique of transporting heavily laden cars up a steep incline via cables and a powerful stationary engine.

Set at a dramatic diagonal, two train tracks lead to a hilltop building housing the steam engine and cable apparatus. On the right loaded cars ascend; on the left empty cars descend. Otherwise the landscape is undisturbed except for a level line of cars in the distance, headed for another part of the complex.

The shell border, used by Wood time and time again, certainly does not relate to the central scene of inland hills, but--as the potter must have known--complements the murky deep blue transfer color perfectly.

In addition to portraying the beauties of the American countryside, transferware intended for the American market also depicted milestones in the civilizing of the wild American continent. In the case of of Enoch Wood's two views of the B & O Railroad however, the image seems to anticipate the future, rather than commemorating what had already been accomplished.

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad received its charter in 1827; ceremoniously started construction in 1828; and took its first passengers on a short horse-drawn ride in 1830. By the time the level of railroading depicted on the plates had been achieved in America, this dark blue style of transfer printing would likely have been abandoned in favor of the lighter colors of the 1830's. In addition, many have noted that the engine depicted in the "level" view was never used in this country.

It seems likely that the plates were produced to commemorate the 1827 charter or the 1828 commencement of construction using views derived from the more advanced British trends in railroading.