The children were being sold and used like slaves. Placing organizations did not care what happened to children after they were placed, and did not check in on them to make sure they were properly cared for.

Orphan train problems So-called “train children” were frequently bullied and ostracized in their new communities. Some were rejected and never found a home. Others were mistreated by adoptive families or misused as free farm labor, leading to many instances of runaways.

Therefore, he arranged to send the orphaned children to pioneer families. The Orphan Trains and the practice of “placing children out” into homes that would accept them was the precursor to the modern foster care system in the United States. A quarter million children rode the orphan trains from 1854 to 1929.

Other organizations quickly adopted Brace's system, and for nearly 80 years, children migrated across the country to find new homes. Finally, in 1929, amidst growing objections and changing welfare systems, the orphan train movement came to an end. FAQs – All your basic questions, answered!