How Did The Transcontinental Railroad Affect Westward Expansion

The Transcontinental Railroad and Impact on Westward Expansion
The Indian’s called it the “Iron Horse”, we called it a ‘Locomotive”. But, no matter what you call it, the Transcontinental Railroad was the key to Westward Expansion and the gateway to a new way of life. Many new jobs were created by the railroad and many different people upheld them. There were the Chinese, who used their knowledge with explosives to help build the actual railroad. Then, there were Americans traveling west, who took over the mining business. Even farmers were more successful now that they could transport goods more easily. Everybody joined together and all of them benefitted greatly. In 1862 the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad began and so did a new way of life. Perhaps the biggest impact was on Westward Expansion and how many new jobs came out of it, and how it changed America forever.

The Transcontinental Railroad was built in two parts: the Union Pacific Railway and the Central Pacific Railway. The Union Pacific built west from Omaha, Nebraska while the Central Pacific built east from Sacramento, California. Both of the railways ended in Promontory, Utah where they joined together, completing the railroad with a golden spike. The railroad had 13,500 employees and

Those who wanted to travel across the country no longer had a chance to do it without sitting in big plush chairs. A lot of people wanted adventure and they weren’t going to achieve that goal while riding a train. They didn’t think there was a sense of adventure in being tended to by expert servers and eating luxurious meals. These adventurers wanted to hike through dense mountains and fog and sleep in tents. These activities served as a friendly reminder of a time when the unpredictable nature of travel across the west made every journey an unforgettable experience. But now the railroads made long travels safe, predictable, and