Transcontinental Railroad

Transcontinental Railroad History

Transcontinental Railroad Timeline

Transcontinental Railroad Inauguration

Americans began playing with the idea of a transcontinental railroad in the 1830s as steam locomotives began crossing the east coast of the United States.

Railroad tracks were laid in the 1840s and 1850s, crossing the land east of the Missouri River.

As the railroad was becoming popular on the east coast, pioneers began traveling west to the other end of the United States. The route west was long, difficult, and dangerous. The sea routes were not much better.

The idea of a railroad that would cross the United States made its way to Congress, championed by a man named Asa Whitney. He lobbied for funding, but sectional politics prevented his dream from becoming reality.

The fascination with the railroad never really went away. In 1960, Theodore Judah decided that the Donner Pass would be an appropriate spot to build the railroad through the Sierra Nevada mountain range. He rallied a group of investors in Sacramento, an enterprise that led to the creation of the Central Pacific Railroad in conjunction with Leland Standford, the governor of California. Particularly proactive, Judah traveled to Washington DC to lobby for the railroad.

Fig. 2: Grant Steam Locomotive of the Nineteenth Century.

The Pacific Railroad Act and Its Significance

After this, Congress contracted with the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads to begin building a transcontinental railroad. The railroad was supposed to be a connection between the eastern and western parts of the United States. The desire for such increased greatly after multiple discoveries of gold, silver, and copper in the West. There were other reasons for the railroad. These include settling the western frontier and providing better postal service. Eastern railroads had proved successful, which increased the desire for a western railroad.

It took seven years for the railroad to be built. The Union Pacific commenced at one end and the Central Pacific at the other. The Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroad companies "raced" from Sacramento and Omaha as they build their tracks towards Promontory, Utah. The Union Pacific and Central Pacific train companies met and joined their respective sections of track on May 1^st, 1869.

Fig. 3: Caboose, Union Pacific Railroad.

Transcontinental Railroad Facts

Building the Railroad

Building the transcontinental railroad was dangerous work. Workers on the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroad lines were attacked by Native American tribes who were threatened by the white workers.

The Union Pacific started building in Omaha, Nebraska. They were tasked with building the railway westward. The Union Pacific had an easier time building as they were putting the railway along the plains. The men building the railroad traveled with it, living in pop-up towns full of drinking, fighting, and gambling.

The work was tougher for those working on the Central Pacific rail lines. Working through the Sierra Nevadas was difficult and dangerous. Charles Crocker, the head of construction for the Central Pacific, had difficulty keeping workers. He began hiring Chinese immigrants to work for the Central Pacific Railroad. Many immigrants arrived in northern California during the Gold Rush but were unsuccessful in finding gold. The Chinese laborers faced brutal and dangerous conditions. They did a tremendous amount of work to build the railway, often segregated and in poorer conditions.

Fig. 4: West Portal of Tunnel 29 (Placer County, CA).

Railroad Race

As part of the Pacific Railroad Act, both the Union Pacific and Central Pacific were promised money and land for every mile of track that they built. This pitted them against one another as they raced to lay more track than their competitor. Some of it was poorly constructed and had to be rebuilt later on.

In the early part of 1869, the Union Pacific and Central Pacific companies picked a meeting point for their competing railroads. They decided they would meet in Promontory Point, Utah. This agreement came under duress and President Grant had to threaten to withhold their money until they agreed on a meeting point.

The Golden Spike

The Golden Spike, also called the Last Spike, was driven by Leland Standford into the railroad at Promontory Point on May 10^th, 1869. It signaled that the Transcontinental Railroad was complete. The Golden Spike weighed almost a pound and was made from actual gold!

Fig. 5: Golden Spike National Historic Site.

Transcontinental Railroad Significance

Importance of the Railroad

The transcontinental railroad was important because it connected the eastern and western coasts of the United States. What was once a six-month journey became a week-long trip.

This was not just significant for people, it was also important for the goods they wanted to move across the country.

The Railroad also had a negative impact: native tribes took the brunt of it. Hunting grounds were destroyed. Native Americans were forced onto reservations.

The creation of the transcontinental railroad helped travelers and goods across the country in a faster and safer way. However, it significantly impacted native tribes as their land was taken over and destroyed.