How much money did it cost to build the Transcontinental Railroad?

How much money did it cost to build the Transcontinental Railroad? By one estimate, the project cost roughly $60 million, about $1.2 billion in today's money, though other sources put the amount even higher. While the railroad's construction was a mammoth undertaking, its effects on the country were equally profound.

How safe was the Transcontinental Railroad?

Though there were occasional derailments due to shoddy construction, the Transcontinental Railroad was instantly the most secure way to transport passengers and goods to the West Coast and back—far better than by wagon or ship.

Who built most of the transcontinental railroad?

The rail line, also called the Great Transcontinental Railroad and later the Overland Route, was predominantly built by the Central Pacific Railroad Company of California (CPRR) and Union Pacific (with some contribution by the Western Pacific Railroad Company) over public lands provided by extensive US land grants.

What did Chinese railroad workers eat?

They were paid less than other workers and expected to purchase their own food. However, this disadvantage turned out to carry some advantages for the Chinese workers. Records indicate they ate a diet rich in vegetables, seafood, rice, and tea.

Why were Chinese workers chosen to build the railroad?

He told President Andrew Johnson that the Chinese were indispensable to building the railroad: They were “quiet, peaceable, patient, industrious and economical.” In a stockholder report, Stanford described construction as a “herculean task” and said it had been accomplished thanks to the Chinese, who made up 90% of the ...

Who funded the building of the transcontinental railroad and why?

The Railroad Act of 1862 put government support behind the transcontinental railroad and helped create the Union Pacific Railroad, which subsequently joined with the Central Pacific at Promontory, Utah, on May 10, 1869, and signaled the linking of the continent.

How did companies get the money to build the railroad?

Receiving millions of acres of public lands from Congress, the railroads were assured land on which to lay the tracks and land to sell, the proceeds of which helped companies finance the construction of their railroads.

Does the transcontinental railroad still exist?

While much of the original transcontinental railroad tracks are still in use, the complete, intact line fell out of operation in 1904, when a shorter route bypassed Promontory Summit.

How cheap was the transcontinental railroad?

In the 1860s, a six-month stagecoach trip across the U.S. cost $1,000 (about $20,000 in today's dollars), according to the University of Houston's Digital History website. But once the railroad was built, the cost of a coast-to-coast trip became 85 percent less expensive.

Who mainly built the transcontinental railroad?

Thousands of workers from a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds labored in grueling terrain and conditions to connect the Atlantic and Pacific. Most of them were Chinese workers who were paid less for their labor than their European counterparts.

What did railroad workers eat?

Working on the Railroad Teamsters and graders received the least, while the iron men got the healthiest sum of anybody save their foremen. Like their Irish counterparts on the Central Pacific, the Union Pacific men had a staple diet of beef, bread, and black coffee.

What are 5 facts about the transcontinental railroad?

Did slaves build the Transcontinental Railroad?

The building of America's railroads involved African Americans, many working as slaves. Virtually every railroad built in the Pre-emancipation Era South was built using slave labor. During the Civil War (1861–1865) the US Military Railroads (USMRR) employed thousands of freeman and contraband slaves (as seen here).

What race built the railroads?

The construction of the Transcontinental Railroad was an engineering feat of human endurance, with the western leg built largely by thousands of immigrant Chinese laborers. The building of the Transcontinental Railroad relied on the labor of thousands of migrant workers, including Chinese, Irish, and Mormons workers.

What is a railroad worker called?

Locomotive engineers. Rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers. Railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers. Railroad conductors and yardmasters.

Who had 20,000 miles of railroad?

The industrialized Union possessed an enormous advantage over the Confederacy — they had 20,000 miles of railroad track, more than double the Confederacy's 9,000 miles.

Were the Chinese paid to build the railroad?

“The 150th anniversary is not just about completing a railroad, but the workers involved.” From 1863 and 1869, roughly 15,000 Chinese workers helped build the transcontinental railroad. They were paid less than American workers and lived in tents, while white workers were given accommodation in train cars.

How long was the longest train ever?

The Australian BHP Iron Ore is the longest train ever recorded in history at approximately 4.6 miles (7.353 km). In the Pilbara region of Western Australia, BHP owns and runs the Mount Newman railway. This is a private rail network designed to transport iron ore.

How many hours did Chinese railroad workers work?

The Central Pacific's Chinese immigrant workers received just $26-$35 a month for a 12-hour day, 6-day work week and had to provide their own food and tents.