Train

U.S. Railroads 1845 -- 1893 (Transcontinental Railroad) By Cameron Good and Austin Orr

By 16goodc

  • Proposal

    Proposal
    Asa Whitney presented a plan to Congress to subsidize the construction of a railroad that would span from the MIssissippi River to the Pacific Ocean.

  • Approval

    Approval
    Congress approved funds to begin serving the routes of the proposed railroad.

  • Approval for construction

    Approval for construction
    Congress, controlled by Republicans, pushed and passed the legislation that allowed for the construction of a transcontinental railroad.

  • Construction

    Construction
    Construction began in Omaha, Nebraska by the Union Pacific Railroad, and from Sacramento, California by the Central Pacific Railroad.

  • Finish

    Finish
    Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads met in Promontory Summit, Utah. Stanford finished the line with a golden spike stuck by a silver mallet.

  • Other Railroads

    Other Railroads
    Three railroads were finished in 1883, the Northen Pacific (Lake Superior to Portland Oregon), Santa Fe (Atchison, Kansas to Los Angeles, Ca), and Southern Pacific (Los Angeles, Ca to New Orleans, La).

  • 5th Line

    5th Line
    The Great Northern Railroad was completed in 1893.