Why was the completion of the first transcontinental railroad

The Central Pacific Railroad barely remained solvent. It was, instead, the Southern Pacific Railroad, which eventually took control of the Central Pacific Railroad, that deserves credit for creating economic expansion as it leveraged speed to monetize California produce.

Image credit: Stanford News Service. So, they faced considerable challenges after the momentous event in Utah. In addition, the transportation of goods at the time was better suited to steamships.

By the s, the Central Pacific Railroad was, White said, virtually worthless. The railroad was, however, evidence of the promise of the relatively nascent profession of civil engineering, according to engineering historian Paul Giroux, who described the unprecedented scale of construction — often in challenging conditions — of the First Transcontinental Railroad to members of the Stanford Historical Society at their recent annual meeting.

The tales of their shady railroad business deals, as well as those of the Union Pacific Railroad, have lingered. Stanford, she said, was a visionary who believed in the promise of California.

He was politically savvy and would serve both as California governor and U. It was a ruthlessly competitive business — and that was not unique to the Associates.

Jones said that Stanford approached every venture — business or otherwise — with a commitment to improvement. That approach can be seen in the California vineyards he created, the racehorses he raised and the Palo Alto farm he nurtured and — ultimately — the university he founded.

For many years, Jones said, the university was deeply associated with the railroad. Students came from across the country to study railroad engineering. A Stanford Daily article announced an exhibition at the Stanford Library on the California railroad from its earliest days, featuring maps, illustrations and copies of telegraphs.

Its name has since lent heft to an annual alumni recognition called the Gold Spike Award. In addition, the Gov. The Gov. Stanford locomotive, brought to campus in , in the s went to the California State Railroad Museum, where it is on prominent display.

Jones said the Gov. Stanford locomotive was moved to the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento in the s, where it is available for public viewing.

But the legacy of the Big Four has not faded. Oddly, all of their family lines eventually died out. It was the first major silver discovery in United States history. Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. Press ESC to cancel. Skip to content Home Social studies What resulted from the completion of the first transcontinental railroad? Social studies. Ben Davis September 11, What resulted from the completion of the first transcontinental railroad?

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How did trains affect the economy? This Month in Business History. Completion of the Transcontinental Railroad Frank Beard. May 29, It is a story made up of a series of events and filled with a cast of people and companies that made it happen—here are just a few of note: One of the early and most prominent people making the case for a transcontinental railroad was Asa Whitney.

In he published his ideas on the idea of a railroad that began in Chicago and went to California. There were many others who also joined the chorus. He undertook a survey to find a manageable route through the high and rugged Sierra Nevada and in presented his plan to Congress. Print Resources The following materials link to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog.

B24 Table of contents A history of the transcontinental railroad. Includes extensive Notes and Bibliography sections. One of the earliest and most notable examples making the case for an overland route. Available online from Hathi Trust External This report was required by an act passed in March to investigate the railroads that built the railroad.

It includes a history of the construction. Available online from Hathi Trust External incomplete set This twelve volume set done in preparation for the construction of the railroad examines different possible routes and also includes botany and zoological surveys. Pacific railroad and telegraph by United States Congress. Call Number: HE I A3.

A report by Congress on the necessity to connect the east and west coast with a railroad and telegraph lines as a way to maintain the US position on the Pacific coast, particularly in light of the discovery of gold. Library of Congress Digital Resources The following resources created or digitized by the Library of Congress can be used to find out more about the railroad as well as the events of the day.

Digitized Image Collections Library of Congress If there's a specific image collection on the topic, use that. Century of Lawmaking The project includes the Journals of the House of Representatives and the Senate , including the Senate Executive Journal ; the Journal of William Maclay ; the debates of Congress as published in the Annals of Congress , the Register of Debates , Congressional Globe , and Congressional Record ; the Statutes at Large ; the American State Papers ; and congressional bills and resolutions for selected sessions beginning with the 6th Congress in the House of Representatives and the 16th Congress in the Senate.