Railroads
Aldis Isaac
The Background
After the Civil War one of the most important developments was the expansion of the railroads. In the 19th century, railroad technicians accomplished one of their greatest achievements by extending a railroad from Nebraska to California. “The railroad took brains, muscle and sweat in quantities and scope never before put into a single project”[1]. After the United States had won its independence, they bought land that the Union Pacific railroad ran through including Louisiana, and all the way through the Central Pacific including Nevada and California.
Turning Point
The railroad construction began on the Union Pacific in Omaha, Nebraska. Many workers toiled to get the job completed where the primary workforce included Irish-Americans. There were approximately 15,000 men that worked under the leadership of Abraham Lincoln, who was the driving force of this great task. Presidential candidates such as Ulysses Grant and William Sherman together with President Lincoln acted to make progress on the Union Pacific railroad. They all worked together to make critical decisions and ensured that in the end the Union was bound together at each coast.
However, this great task could not have been completed without the support of Grenville Dodge. Grenville Dodge was a general and was also called the greatest railroad builder in America. He was the chief engineer behind the construction of the railroad along the Union Pacific. “Dodge and nearly everyone else involved in the building the railroad later commented that it could not have been done without the Civil War veterans and their experience… it was the war that taught them how to think big, how to organize grand projects, how to persevere”[2].
The construction of the railroad was ended at the Central Pacific point in Sacramento, California. The growth of the railroad along the Central Pacific was only made possible by ingenious businessmen that were called the “Big Four”. The “Big Four,” who consisted of Leland Stanford, Collis Huntington, Charles Crocker and Mark Hopkins, were the captains of the railroad industry. The “Big Four” was assisted by Lewis Clement and James Harvey who were the heads of the construction of the railroad along the Central Pacific. The Central Pacific was a point chosen by Theodore Judah who thought that it was a great idea to start in California. With the financial support of the federal government, the development of the railroad started to occur[3].
“There were tremendous struggles of which key elements were these questions: Could more money be made by building it fast or building it right? Was the profit in the construction or in the running of the railroad? This led to great tension”[4]. There were also problems with the major construction of the railroad tracks and how it would effectively run through the tunnels of the Central Pacific.
Moreover, the work to complete the project was very extensive and needed a lot of hands to get the work completed. Workers came from all over the continent but they were all Americans. The work was all done by the hands of the worker because there was a minimal amount of machines to assist in getting the job done. “As many men as could be used effectively in the cramped tunnels facings toiled in shifts every hour of the day and night”.[5]
On the Union Pacific many workers were Irish-men. Whereas, on the Central Pacific many workers were Chinese, which was considered a benefit to the Central Pacific. Even though time was a major factor in the completion of the railroad, these workers really did have major commitment to get the job done by working over and beyond their working hours.
The Effects
“There was awesome work yet to be done, months of wearing toil before the first track could be laid within the tunnel, but in the one ecstatic moment in 1867, the “Pacific Railroad” had become a reality, American would be bound, east to west, by iron, the transcontinental nation was a reality”.[6] “The railroads played an important role in the economic history of the United States”[7]. The span of the railroads was developed through the nations. This allowed the movement of goods and products to be cheaper, easier and more reliable and in most cases quicker. The very first transcontinental railroad was built and it was a very exciting time for the people, those that toiled and those that benefitted. The railroads did indeed cut cost and time for many persons to travel from one place to the next. Persons were able to live in urban communities and travel 4-5 miles away to their jobs, this was only made available due to the development of the railroads. “Less than a week after the railroad was built, a man or woman could go from New York to San Francisco in seven days with a cheap cost”[8].
Additionally, many businesses benefitted from the completion of the railroads. Products were moved across country in a less time-consuming manner and the cost was cheaper. In comparison to sailboats, steamers or even horses with wagons the freight cost was exceptionally less by railroads.
Through more technological advancements, the railroads have been extensively developed and travel opportunities have become even more accessible and even cheaper. Products and persons have been able to go longer distances and in a shorter amount of time through the invention of railroads since 1867. The invention of railroads was important as it allowed humanity to have more access and cut cost and time during travel.
[1] Stephen Ambrose. Nothing Like it in the World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad 1863-1869. 2000 Pg. 17
[2] Stephen Ambrose. “Nothing Like it in the World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad 1863-1869”. 2000 Pg. 19
[3] Kevin Schultz. HIST3, Volume 2: US History Since 1865. 2010. Pg. 292-293.
[4] Ambrose. Nothing like it in the World. 2000 Pg. 19
[5] John Hoyt Williams. “A Great and Shining Road: The Epic Story of the Transcontinental Railroad”. 1996. Pg. 3
[6] Williams. A Great and Shining Road. 1996. Pg. 4
[7] Paul Cootner. “The Role of the Railroads in United States Economic Growth”. Dec. 1963. Pg. 477
[8] Stephen Ambrose. Nothing Like it in the World. 2000 Pg. 369
Bibliography
Ambrose, Stephen. Nothing Like it in the World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad 1863-1869. Touchstone. New York, New York.
2000. 17-369
Cootner, Paul. The Role of the Railroads in United States Economic Growth. Cambridge University Press: The Journal of Economic History, vol. 23,
No. 4. 1963. 477-521.
Hubbard, Gardiner G. The Transcontinental Railroads. American Association for the Advancement of Science: Science, vol. 10, No. 241. 1887. 133-
137.
Schultz, Kevin M. HIST3, Volume 2: History since 1865. Wadsworth. Boston, Massachusetts. 2010. 292-293.
Spearman, Frank Hamilton. The Strategy of Great Railroads. Charles Scribner’s Sons. New York. 1906. 235-262.
Williams, John Hoyt. A Great and Shining Road: The Epic Story of the Transcontinental Railroad.
Aldis Isaac
The Background
After the Civil War one of the most important developments was the expansion of the railroads. In the 19th century, railroad technicians accomplished one of their greatest achievements by extending a railroad from Nebraska to California. “The railroad took brains, muscle and sweat in quantities and scope never before put into a single project”[1]. After the United States had won its independence, they bought land that the Union Pacific railroad ran through including Louisiana, and all the way through the Central Pacific including Nevada and California.
Turning Point
The railroad construction began on the Union Pacific in Omaha, Nebraska. Many workers toiled to get the job completed where the primary workforce included Irish-Americans. There were approximately 15,000 men that worked under the leadership of Abraham Lincoln, who was the driving force of this great task. Presidential candidates such as Ulysses Grant and William Sherman together with President Lincoln acted to make progress on the Union Pacific railroad. They all worked together to make critical decisions and ensured that in the end the Union was bound together at each coast.
However, this great task could not have been completed without the support of Grenville Dodge. Grenville Dodge was a general and was also called the greatest railroad builder in America. He was the chief engineer behind the construction of the railroad along the Union Pacific. “Dodge and nearly everyone else involved in the building the railroad later commented that it could not have been done without the Civil War veterans and their experience… it was the war that taught them how to think big, how to organize grand projects, how to persevere”[2].
The construction of the railroad was ended at the Central Pacific point in Sacramento, California. The growth of the railroad along the Central Pacific was only made possible by ingenious businessmen that were called the “Big Four”. The “Big Four,” who consisted of Leland Stanford, Collis Huntington, Charles Crocker and Mark Hopkins, were the captains of the railroad industry. The “Big Four” was assisted by Lewis Clement and James Harvey who were the heads of the construction of the railroad along the Central Pacific. The Central Pacific was a point chosen by Theodore Judah who thought that it was a great idea to start in California. With the financial support of the federal government, the development of the railroad started to occur[3].
“There were tremendous struggles of which key elements were these questions: Could more money be made by building it fast or building it right? Was the profit in the construction or in the running of the railroad? This led to great tension”[4]. There were also problems with the major construction of the railroad tracks and how it would effectively run through the tunnels of the Central Pacific.
Moreover, the work to complete the project was very extensive and needed a lot of hands to get the work completed. Workers came from all over the continent but they were all Americans. The work was all done by the hands of the worker because there was a minimal amount of machines to assist in getting the job done. “As many men as could be used effectively in the cramped tunnels facings toiled in shifts every hour of the day and night”.[5]
On the Union Pacific many workers were Irish-men. Whereas, on the Central Pacific many workers were Chinese, which was considered a benefit to the Central Pacific. Even though time was a major factor in the completion of the railroad, these workers really did have major commitment to get the job done by working over and beyond their working hours.
The Effects
“There was awesome work yet to be done, months of wearing toil before the first track could be laid within the tunnel, but in the one ecstatic moment in 1867, the “Pacific Railroad” had become a reality, American would be bound, east to west, by iron, the transcontinental nation was a reality”.[6] “The railroads played an important role in the economic history of the United States”[7]. The span of the railroads was developed through the nations. This allowed the movement of goods and products to be cheaper, easier and more reliable and in most cases quicker. The very first transcontinental railroad was built and it was a very exciting time for the people, those that toiled and those that benefitted. The railroads did indeed cut cost and time for many persons to travel from one place to the next. Persons were able to live in urban communities and travel 4-5 miles away to their jobs, this was only made available due to the development of the railroads. “Less than a week after the railroad was built, a man or woman could go from New York to San Francisco in seven days with a cheap cost”[8].
Additionally, many businesses benefitted from the completion of the railroads. Products were moved across country in a less time-consuming manner and the cost was cheaper. In comparison to sailboats, steamers or even horses with wagons the freight cost was exceptionally less by railroads.
Through more technological advancements, the railroads have been extensively developed and travel opportunities have become even more accessible and even cheaper. Products and persons have been able to go longer distances and in a shorter amount of time through the invention of railroads since 1867. The invention of railroads was important as it allowed humanity to have more access and cut cost and time during travel.
[1] Stephen Ambrose. Nothing Like it in the World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad 1863-1869. 2000 Pg. 17
[2] Stephen Ambrose. “Nothing Like it in the World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad 1863-1869”. 2000 Pg. 19
[3] Kevin Schultz. HIST3, Volume 2: US History Since 1865. 2010. Pg. 292-293.
[4] Ambrose. Nothing like it in the World. 2000 Pg. 19
[5] John Hoyt Williams. “A Great and Shining Road: The Epic Story of the Transcontinental Railroad”. 1996. Pg. 3
[6] Williams. A Great and Shining Road. 1996. Pg. 4
[7] Paul Cootner. “The Role of the Railroads in United States Economic Growth”. Dec. 1963. Pg. 477
[8] Stephen Ambrose. Nothing Like it in the World. 2000 Pg. 369
Bibliography
Ambrose, Stephen. Nothing Like it in the World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad 1863-1869. Touchstone. New York, New York.
2000. 17-369
Cootner, Paul. The Role of the Railroads in United States Economic Growth. Cambridge University Press: The Journal of Economic History, vol. 23,
No. 4. 1963. 477-521.
Hubbard, Gardiner G. The Transcontinental Railroads. American Association for the Advancement of Science: Science, vol. 10, No. 241. 1887. 133-
137.
Schultz, Kevin M. HIST3, Volume 2: History since 1865. Wadsworth. Boston, Massachusetts. 2010. 292-293.
Spearman, Frank Hamilton. The Strategy of Great Railroads. Charles Scribner’s Sons. New York. 1906. 235-262.
Williams, John Hoyt. A Great and Shining Road: The Epic Story of the Transcontinental Railroad.