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Transcontinental Railroad
The Transcontinental Railroad was built in the United States in the 1860s to connect the eastern and western halves of the country. It was an immense engineering challenge to build tracks across the vast distances and difficult terrain. The Central Pacific Railroad worked eastward from Sacramento, California while the Union Pacific Railroad worked westward from Omaha, Nebraska. On May 10, 1869, the two lines were joined at Promontory Summit in Utah with the driving of the final "Golden Spike." The railroad revolutionized travel and trade across North America.
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Transcontinental Railroad
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- 2. The Iron Horse Inventedin England in 1804. By 1835 there was more than 1,000 miles of track in the US!
- 3. The Need • GoldRush • Army • Trade • Settlers “like building a railroad to the moon”
- 4. Finding a Route Theodore Juddahwent in search for a possible path. • Spent months camping in the mountains. • Find a way through Sierra Nevada Mountains. • Convince Congress.
- 5. America gets on track! •Unite the country • Expand West • 1862, signs the Pacific Railroad Act
- 6. Full Steam Ahead! •Central Pacific Railroad builds east from Sacramento California • The Union Pacific Railroad build west from Omaha, Nebraska • Meet in Utah
- 7. Every mile onflat land= $16,000 Every mile on plateaus= $32,000 Every mile on mountain= $48,00 Every mile= 6,400 acres
- 8. Rough Patches • 1863, CentralPacific • Only 50 miles in 2 years! • 1865, Union Pacific • Cuts through plains
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- 10. Chinese Immigrants • Paid less •Dangerous Jobs
- 11. 10 Mile Day -The Great Race
- 12. The Golden Spike PromontoryPoint, May 10,1869 Central Pacific = 689 miles of track Union Pacific= 1,086 miles of track
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