The Transcontinental Railroad

Problem: Transportation is key to the survival of communities out west Create a R.R. network that stretches from the east to west coast Solution:

 1550 German Wagonways 1825 First Steam Locomotive  70mph Modern “Bullet Trains” 150mph

Routes: Problem: Northern and Southerners argued over whether the R.R. route should run through the North (Central route) or South Solution: During the Civil War, the Union gov’t chose a northerly route

How? Gov’t granted subsidies ($ and land grants) to aid R.R. construction – Total of 130 million acres of land …… why? State and Local communities also offered cash subsidies to make sure the R.R. came to their community 1862: Pacific R.R. Act

– 1,700 miles across hot plains, and Rugged Mountains Challenge Accepted: 1. Union Pacific 2. Central Pacific Challenge:

Union Pacific Company Laid track westward from Omaha, Nebraska – Mostly plains – Conflicts with Indians Covered 1,038 miles

Labor: Irish, African Americans, Mormons, and (later) Union soldiers

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Central Pacific Company Laid track eastward from Sacramento California – Sierra Nevada Mts (15 tunnels) – Snowstorms Covered 724 miles

Labor: 10,000 Chinese – “Gangs” of about each "As a class they are quiet, peaceable, patient, industrious and economical. Ready and apt to learn all the different kinds of work required in railroad building, they soon became as efficient as the white laborers...” –Stanford

Daily life working on the tracks Engineers, blacksmiths, carpenters, engineers, surveyors, and cooks Hard work, long hours, $1.00 salary  Strikes Dangerous – “An Irishman buried under every tie” – Snowstorms, Indians, explosions, mountain avalanches, exposure to the elements…etc. Standard R.R. gauge (distance b/t the rails) is 4ft x8 ½ inches

May 10, 1869: Construction is completed at Promontory Point, UT Leland Stanford Gov. of California, drives the final golden spike into a tie to join the 2 railroads “DONE.”

Effects of the Railroad 1.Ended the use of Overland Trails: – Faster, safer, and cheaper passage (8 weeks and about $65) 2. Increase in population 3. Economic Effects: – Growth of towns/cities, businesses, and new industries – Ranchers/Farmers 4. “Manifest Destiny”

5. Conflict with the Indians: – Decimation of buffalo population from 100 million to 200 – Indian Wars 6. Introduction of Standard 4 Time Zones