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Ch. 19-1 Railroads Lead the Way

Ch. 19-1 Railroads Lead the Way. Mrs. Manley. Railroads Lead the Way. The transcontinental railroad was soon followed by 5 others with hundreds of smaller lines branching off. Railroad expansion was accompanied by consolidation - the practice of combining separate companies

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Ch. 19-1 Railroads Lead the Way

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  1. Ch. 19-1 Railroads Lead the Way Mrs. Manley

  2. Railroads Lead the Way • The transcontinental railroad was soon followed by 5 others with hundreds of smaller lines branching off. • Railroad expansion was accompanied by consolidation- the practice of combining separate companies • Large railroad companies bought smaller ones or drove them out of business

  3. Railroad barons- powerful individuals who controlled the nations rail traffic & helped build the nation’s transportation network - Cornelius Vanderbilt - James Hill

  4. Railroads Stimulate the Economy • Railroads carried raw materials and manufactured goods to markets • Industries that boomed as a result of RR expansion • Steel • Lumber • Coal • Provided jobs!

  5. Improving the Railroads • Standard gauge tracks-same width! Allowed all railroads to use the same tracks. • Allowed faster shipment of goods • Didn’t have to unload from one train to another

  6. Railroad Technology • George Westinghouse- air brakes- improved stopping • Eli Janney- car couplers made it easier to link cars • Gustavus Swift- refrigerated cars could ship meat and perishable goods long distances • George Pullman- railroad sleeping car; improved dining cars. “pull-man- while sleeping”

  7. Competition- to keep customers and get new ones • Rebates- secret discounts were offered by large RR companies. Small companies couldn’t keep up! • Pools- secret agreements among RR barons; divided business among companies and set rates allowed higher rates/profits; tried to outlaw

  8. Railroads Change America • Expansion into the West • Growth of agriculture out West and manufacturing in the East • People move from rural areas to cities • Time Zones- measure travel by hours not miles; created a national system with 4 time zones • Opens US to settling in new areas, changes transportation and communication

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