-
Asa Whitney's proposal to Congress for a railroad that spanned West, the Mississippi River to the Pacific.
-
the settlement of the Oregon boundary, the acquisition of western terriotories from Mexico and the discovery of gold in California increased support for the railroad. congrees appropriated funds to survey various proposed routes.
-
Senetor Stephen Douglas announced his Kansas-Nebraska act, wanting to win approval for a line from Chicago, resulting in sectional controversy between the North and the South, delaying the plans.
-
A Republican-controlled congress enacted a legislation that provided a construction for a transcontinental line. This law called the railroad to be built by 2 companies. Both of these companies recieved federal land grants- 10 alternate sections per mile on both sides of the line. They also got a 30 year old loan for each mile of track they constructed, from the gov.
-
the Union Pacific Railraod began constructing at Omaha, Nebraska, and the Central Pacific Railroad began constructing at Sacramento, California
-
The two railroads met at Promontory Summit in Utah, completeing the first transcontinental railroad. More railroads followed.
-
Three more lines were finished: the Northern Pacific RR going from Lake Superier to Portland,Oregon; the Santa Fe was extended from Atchison, Kansas to Los Angeles; and the Southern Pacific connected Los Angeles to New Orleans.
-
A fifth line was completed. It was called the Great Northern
