First Railroad: Clifton to Tottenville, 1860.

June 2, 1860 marked the new era in Staten Island transportation: the advent on the first steam railroad, an enterprise of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt and his associates. The wood-burning locomotive pulled passenger cars from Vanderbilt’s Landing (Clifton) to Tottenville. Five trips a day are made during the week, and three on Sunday.