1. A Union Pacific Train Promontory Point, Utah Gold-plated Golden Spike (1of 4 ceremonial spikes) http://www.nps.gov/gosp/index.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_spike

2. Cornelius Vanderbilt - one of the first “Railroad Barons”. His lines stretched from New York City to the Great Lakes. The first Grand Central Station in New York City http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/622929/Cornelius-Vanderbilt http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornelius_Vanderbilt

3. James J. Hill - a “Railroad Baron”, built The Great Northern Line between Minnesota and Washington State. James J. Hill’s house in St. Paul, Minnesota http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Jerome_Hill

4. Pullman Cars - George Pullman invented railroad cars that people could sleep in at night. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleeping_car http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pullman_Company

5. George Westinghouse - Invented railway air brakes that are similar to rail used today. The railway air brake uses air pressure to change air tanks on each car. When the air pressure is full, each car releases their brakes. When cars lose air pressure, each car puts on their brakes. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_air_brake http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blwestinghouse.htm

6. Standard Gauge - during the late 1800s most railroad companies decided to build their tracks 4 feet, 8.5 inches wide so that all the trains could use the tracks. The blue areas show the countries that use this standard gauge today. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_gauge

7. Time Zone Map of the U.S. http://www.timetemperature.com/tzus/time_zone.shtml