Railroads Transform the Nation Deciding to Span the Continent: The First Transcontinental Railroad

In 1862, Congress passed a bill to build the first transcontinental railroad. Two companies were chosen: -The Central Pacific Railroad, which began building in 1863 in Sacramento, CA towards the east

The Union Pacific Railroad began building in Omaha, NB The Union Pacific Railroad began building in Omaha, NB. They built towards the west.

How did they earn $? Gov’t lent both companies millions. Gov’t also gave each company land; railroads sold that land to raise money. The railroads sent agents to Europe to sell much of this land to immigrants.

How did they manage to get supplies to the location?

Building the Railroad The Central Pacific Railroad hired many Chinese workers. The Union Pacific hired workers from a variety of backgrounds, but the largest group was Irish immigrants

Railroads Tie the Nation Together The CPRR laid 690 miles of track by 1869. The UPRR laid 1,086 miles of track. What problems did this create?

` Both railroads met at Promontory, Utah on May 10, 1869. By 1895, four more U.S. lines had been built across the continent.