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The First
America's first steam locomotive made its debut. -
Federal Funding
Asa Whitney, entrepreneur of New York presented a resolution in congress proposing the federal funding of a railroad in which would strech to the Pacific. -
Tracks
9,000 miles of track had been laid east of Missouri River. -
Engineer
Theodor Judah, Engineer solves Pacific Railroad when he reached Donner Pass. He recognizes it as ideal construction a line through Sierra Nevada. -
Lincoln Signs the Bill
President Lincoln signs the bill, Pacific Railroad Act. This tasked the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroad companies to build a transcontinental railroad linking the United States, east to west. -
California Governor
California Governor Leland Stanford shoveled the first load of dirt at teh Central Pacific groundbreaking ceremony in Sacramento. -
Thomas Durant
Thomas C. Durant illegally manipulated a controlling interest in Union Pacific Railroad Company wand was appointed the Railroad's Vice President and General Manager. -
Union Pacific
The Union Pacific breaks grounds in Omaha Nebraska. -
Mr. Crocker
Charles Crocker the man in charge of construction for the Central Pacific hired around 50,000 Chinese workers due to the difficulty of labor. -
Moving
The Union Pacific finally began to move westward. -
Covering Grounds
The Union Pacific was in Wyoming covering four times as much grounds as Central Pacific. -
Withholdings
Working within only miles of each other, President Ulysses S. Grand announced he would withhold federal funds until the two railroad companies agreed on a meeting point. -
The Meet Up
The two companies raced toward each other taking seven years from Sacramento, California and Omaha, Nebraska. While taking a great risk this lead to a meet up in Promontory, Utah.
