#0004
Flying Dutchman
🇺🇸 United States ·built by Christian Edward Detmold· from 1829· horse-powered rail car
2 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. WP Flying Dutchman 2: Anonymous draughtsman, not identified anywhere· Public domain
- 2. WP Flying Dutchman 1: Anonymous photographer, not identified anywhere· Public domain
what is it?
The Flying Dutchman was an American horse-powered locomotive operated by the South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company. It was built in New York by engineer Christian Edward Detmold and won an 1830 locomotive competition. Driven by a horse on a treadmill, it could carry 12 passengers at a speed of around 12 miles per hour (19 km/h).
who runs it
fun facts
- First built 197 years ago, in 1829.
diesel locomotive: A diesel engine on board drives the wheels, usually through a generator (diesel-electric).
spec sheet
- built
- 1829
- in service from
- 1830
- retired
- 1830
- status
- retired
- number built
- —
- kind
- Horse
- traction
- unpowered
- origin
- 🇺🇸 United States
- builders
- Christian Edward Detmold
- designer
- Christian Edward Detmold
- operators
- South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company
- top speed
- —
- power
- —
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q1434581, Wikipedia: Flying Dutchman (horse-powered locomotive) (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.