While a shopkeeper by trade, Strong was known around the area as an expert on the terrain of the Sierra Nevada mountains . Judah needed someone who could function on land like a harbor pilot might on the water because the Sierra Nevada loomed as the greatest obstacle to building the transcontinental railroad.
What were the obstacles in building the transcontinental railroad?
Another challenge they faced was the need to create tunnels through the mountains . Using nitroglycerin, they had to blast through the mountains in a very dangerous manner. On average, they were only able to get through 1 foot of mountain at a time. In the end, 11 tunnels were completed.
What is the biggest obstacle to building the railroad?
For the US government and the railroad companies, the biggest obstacles in building the Transcontinental Railroad were mountains of solid granite and...
What are 3 obstacles the builders of the railroad faced?
Each company faced unprecedented construction problems—mountains, severe weather, and the hostility of Native Americans . On May 10, 1869, in a ceremony at Promontory, Utah, the last rails were laid and the last spike driven.
What were the biggest environmental challenges of building the transcontinental railroad?
The transcontinental railroad brought significant changes to Utah’s environment. It altered landforms in Echo and Weber Canyons by creating cuts, fills, and tunnels . Additionally, the train engines ignited fires during periods of drought.
What are the three advantages of a transcontinental railroad?
- It made the Western U.S. more important. ...
- It made commerce possible on a vast scale. ...
- It made travel more affordable. ...
- It changed where Americans lived. ...
- It altered Americans’ concept of reality. ...
- It helped create the Victorian version of Amazon.
What was one benefit of the transcontinental railroad?
The transcontinental railroad transformed the American economy . The railroad rapidly shipped resources such as coal, timber, precious metals and even cattle from west to east and opened up new markets for the goods produced in eastern factories.
How did the government pay the builders of the railroad?
The rail line was built by three private companies over public lands provided by extensive US land grants. Construction was financed by both state and US government subsidy bonds as well as by company issued mortgage bonds .
What were the drawbacks of having a railroad run through your city in the 1800s?
Making the railroads took a large investment. Building a train rather than a car would have cost 3 times more . And paying all the people for labor as they put each track down was also very costly.
How did the federal government pay for the railroad?
In 1862, Congress passed the Pacific Railway Act, which authorized the construction of a transcontinental railroad. ... Four of the five transcontinental railroads were built with assistance from the federal government through land grants .
What obstacles did builders of the two railroads have to face?
There were many natural obstacles facing the builders of the first transcontinental railroad, including mountains, rivers, and canyons stretching the 1,776 miles between Omaha and Sacramento .
Is the first transcontinental railroad still in use?
Today, most of the transcontinental railroad line is still in operation by the Union Pacific (yes, the same railroad that built it 150 years ago). The map at left shows sections of the transcon that have been abandoned throughout the years.
What are some of the biggest effects of the transcontinental railroad?
Just as it opened the markets of the west coast and Asia to the east, it brought products of eastern industry to the growing populace beyond the Mississippi. The railroad ensured a production boom , as industry mined the vast resources of the middle and western continent for use in production.
How did Transcontinental Railroad affect the economy?
The first transcontinental line was established in 1869. Eventually, railways lowered the cost of transporting many kinds of goods across great distances . ... Busy transport links increased the growth of cities. The transportation system helped to build an industrial economy on a national scale.
Who most benefited financially from the transcontinental railroad?
The entire United States benefited financially from the joining of two railroads to form one transcontinental railroad.
What positive impact did railroads have on farms?
One of the primary effects of railroads on farmers is the decrease that railroads bring to farmers’ transportation costs . Most obviously, it becomes cheaper to transport crops to the cities and ports. In addition, farmers can buy and transport industrial goods back to farms, including farm equipment and cattle.
