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The Growth of American Railroads in the 19th Century

Delve into the expansion of the American railroad system from 1840 to 1916, including the Transcontinental Railroad, government incentives, and the impact of land runs. Discover the challenges and triumphs of this transformative era in transportation history.

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The Growth of American Railroads in the 19th Century

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  1. The American Railroad

  2. In 1850, steam-powered ships provided much of nation’s transportation • Before Civil War, most railroad tracks were short lines in the East • Limitations included: • No standard track width • Unreliable brakes • Lack of standardized signals

  3. Miles of Railroad Track in the United States • 1840 – 3,000 • 1850 – 9,000 • 1860 – 30,000 • 1916 – Over 250,000 (peak mileage) • Today – 170,000

  4. Transcontinental Railroad • Authorized by Pacific Railway Act of 1862 • Lines already reached west to the Mississippi River • New rails would be laid between Omaha, Nebraska and Sacramento, California • Government incentives were crucial to the tracks’ construction

  5. Why were incentives needed? • Private investors saw no likelihood of profit in building RR beyond line of civilization • Congress believed a coast to coast track would strengthen economic infrastructure • Awarded huge loans and grants to railroads (Pacific Railway Acts)

  6. Central Pacific began laying track eastward out of Sacramento • Union Pacific began laying track westward in Omaha • Most workers were immigrants • Irish workers on Union Pacific • Chinese on Central Pacific • Two sides met in Promontory, UT on May 10, 1869

  7. Land Runs • Beginning in 1889, several “land runs/rushes” occurred • “Unassigned” (surplus) lands in Oklahoma Territory • “Boomers” registered at local land offices, then rushed at a given time to stake their claim

  8. Oklahoma Land Run of 1889

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