transcontinental railroad

TranscontinentalRailroad

The Iron HorseInvented in England in 1804. By 1835 there was more than 1,000 miles of track in the US!

The Need• Gold Rush• Army• Trade• Settlers

“like building a railroad to the moon”

Finding a Route

Theodore Juddah went in search for a possible path.• Spent months camping

in the mountains.• Find a way through

Sierra Nevada Mountains.

• Convince Congress.

America gets on track!

• Unite the country• Expand West • 1862, signs the Pacific

Railroad Act

Full Steam Ahead!• Central Pacific Railroad builds east from Sacramento

California • The Union Pacific Railroad build west from Omaha,

Nebraska• Meet in Utah

Every mile on flat land= $16,000 Every mile on plateaus= $32,000Every mile on mountain= $48,00Every mile= 6,400 acres

Rough Patches

• 1863, Central Pacific• Only 50 miles in 2

years!• 1865, Union Pacific• Cuts through plains

Help Wanted20,000

Chinese Immigrants • Paid less• Dangerous Jobs

10 Mile Day- The Great Race

The Golden SpikePromontory Point, May 10,1869Central Pacific = 689 miles of trackUnion Pacific= 1,086 miles of track

The Results