Map of original transcontinental railroad. You can also purchase a park specific annual pass for $35. Colonization of California exploded in the late 1840s with the discovery of gold ("Transcontinental railroad", 2010). The Central Pacific Railroad was controlled by four men called the "Big Four". The laws were passed as war measures to forge closer ties with California and Oregon, which otherwise took six months to reach. ) "NEW MAP OF THE AMERICAN OVERLAND ROUTE SHOWING ITS CONNECTIONS AND LAND GRANTS OF 30,000,000 ACRES. just hauled home a chunk This illustration comes from the United States Pacific Railroad Surveys, which were commissioned by the U. Apr 6, 2003 · "New Map of the American Overland Route" February, 1881 (Click on each image below to enlarge. Oct 16, 2020 · The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, originally the Pacific Railroad. 1883. The data used in compiling twenty-two large individual maps published with the thirteen handsomely illustrated volumes of the Pacific Railroad Surveys,[15]for example, was the basic source material for Lt. Engraved by R. This exhibit commemorates the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. The blueprint copies of the maps that the National Archives has is the ICC copy of the maps. This route through public lands, also known as the Central Pacific Railroad Grade is a designated Area of Critical Environmental Concern administrated by the BLM Read the Introduction to "Railroad Maps of the United States: A Selective Annotated Bibliography of Original 19th-century Maps in the Geography and Map Division of the Library of Congress. " With Warren's map the… Southern Pacific Railroad Docket: 13655 3/1/1942: Section: 1 App. Travel back time and learn about key events surrounding the Transcontinental Railroad, from 1769 to 1889. The full path of the Transcontinental Railroad, once complete, eventually measured about 1,907 miles long and cut through Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and California. The laborers of the May 31, 2022 · The railroad wasn't simply speedy—it fundmanetally transformed numerous facets of American life and culture, as well as facilitating communication and commerce on an unprecedented scale. Linking up with the Central Pacific, the transcontinental railroad ran from Omaha, Nebraska to Sacramento, California, some 1,700 miles of track. Apr 10, 2019 · These map panels illustrating the route of the Transcontinental Railroad are superimposed on top of current cities, place names, and Interstate highways. The original company, Union Pacific Rail Road (UPRR), was created and funded by the federal government by Pacific Railroad Acts of 1862 and 1864. This is a map created by Theodore D. Hart photographs, maps from the David Rumsey Map Center, and materials from Special Collections. , Chicago. In January 1845 he Aug 28, 2024 · Rand McNally and Company. Oct 11, 2023 · Utah's railroads today operate nearly 1,500 miles of trackage with the state's peak mileage topping out at 2,161 during the 1920s. Though the completion of the railroad officially ended the pioneer era and the necessity of travelling the old emigrant roads to the West, the historic and well-preserved railbed is a must-see Apr 17, 2021 · The First Transcontinental Railroad completely disrupted the society and culture of the United States. Judah returns to Washington armed with maps and profiles to lobby for appropriations Sep 24, 2021 · Sherman Hill is one of the landmarks on the transcontinental railroad. The original black ink on white linen copies were originally given to the railroad and to the states. , 1975. In 1859, Abraham Lincoln arrived in Council Bluffs via steamboat on personal business; however, the former railroad lawyer and future president was newly famous, thanks to his much-talked-about debates with Steven Douglas, and spent his week in Iowa fielding countless invitations to give speeches and attend luncheons held in his honor. ADDITIONAL TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD MAPS: The possibility of railroads connecting the Atlantic and Pacific coasts was discussed in the Congress even before the treaty with England which settled the question of the Oregon boundary in 1846. They were Leland Stanford, Collis P. Nov 27, 2022 · Connecting the continent was proposed for improved mail and connectivity with the frontier (“The Transcontinental Railroad. S. ” ). 1 map; 14 x 23 cm. , Washington, D. Jan 27, 2003 · Map Design & Animator William Bourbeau Art Department: Much of the original transcontinental railroad line was so poorly built that both companies were forced to begin shoring it up right away Sep 14, 2023 · Most Popular Railroad Maps: RG 134: Railroad Valuation Maps, 1915-1920 RG 49: Railroad Right-of-Way Maps, 1872-1875 RG 49: Railroad Maps Related to the 1875 Act Granting to Railroads the Right-of-Way through the Public Lands of the United States, 1875-1930 RG 21: Railroad Property Transfer Maps, 1973-1996 The best resource for learning more about railroad maps, plans, and other materials in Sep 27, 2023 · A year after the native Sioux tribe forced the closure of the Bozeman and Bridger trails in 1868, which connected southeast Wyoming to the mining towns of southwest Montana, the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific Railroad met at Promontory Point, Utah, where Central Pacific Railroad president Leland Stanford pounded the last stake in the Map of Routes for a Pacific Railroad. This map was published in 1855 to show the existing and proposed routes of the western railroads. The original map appears in "Boundary between the United States and Mexico by the International Boundary Survey under the Convention of July 29th 1882, Revived February 18th 1889. Abraham Lincoln and the Transcontinental Railroad. Most important, it offers full text access to the Linda Hall Library’s Jan 29, 2008 · The Transcontinental Railroad was also known as the Pacific Railroad for a while and later on as the Overland Route — after the main passenger transport service that operated the line. The makers of Transcontinental Railroad traveled back and forth across the original route of the railroad, looking for locations, stories, and images. • Golden Spike National Historic Site charges a fee to enter. A 1901 line change shaved over 200 feet off the summit, bringing it down to The transcontinental railroad was also called the Pacific Railroad and the Overland Route. of Southern Pacific Co. 5 feet wide by 66 feet long. 6 days ago · History. Nov 5, 2003 · Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum - Photographs, stereoviews, engravings, maps, and documents illustrating the history of the first transcontinental railroad. The First Transcontinental Railroad in North America was built in the 1860s, linking the well developed railway network of the East coast with rapidly growing California. The first American locomotive at Castle Point in Hoboken, New Jersey, c. Mar 28, 2019 · Large parts of the original Pacific Railroad, especially in Nebraska, became part of a multi-track, welded-rail, transcontinental route. The highlight of the field trip was driving over 90 miles of the original 1869 Transcontinental Railroad grade and visiting historic sites along the way. The area is known for its challenging railroad routes and is a popular spot for railfans. to abandon For your information, the new telephone number for the Maps and Plans Group, Special Media Archives Services Division is 301-837-3200. Jan 21, 2024 · Explaining The History . Because Utah has historically always featured through main line routes with few secondary and branch lines it still retains about 68% of its original rail infrastructure. Such networks can be via the tracks of either a single railroad or over those owned or controlled by multiple railway companies along a continuous route. One of the important events during his presidency was the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad on March 10, 1869. Lloyd and Rae Smith, 1859. 1826 The Canton Viaduct, built in 1834, is still in use today on the Northeast Corridor. remove-circle Share or Embed This Item Original measurements: 1 map; 9-5/8 x 32 By the time President Lincoln signed the Pacific Railway Act in 1862 to establish federal support for the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad, there was no question that a railway would help people and goods traveling west do so more quickly and safely, with the added benefit of nationwide geographic and economic growth as new towns This layer is a georeferenced image of a map of the boundary between the United States and Mexico. With the current high volume of coal traffic, motorists often wait for several trains to pass before grade crossings clear. They are integral to Drake Hokanson’s story, “Following the Golden Spike” featured in Trains ‘ special issue: Journey to Promontory. On the other hand, many sections of the original grade have faded towards obscurity. The Northern Pacific Line Reaches the Valley Aug 24, 2024 · The pass has been used by the California Trail, First Transcontinental Railroad, Overland Route, Lincoln Highway and Interstate 80. jpg . Library of Congress, Washington, D. Apr 20, 2010 · In 1862, the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific Railroad Companies began building a transcontinental railroad that would link the United States from east to west. According to the book, "The Northern Pacific, Main Street Of The Northwest: A Pictorial History" by author and historian Charles R. The idea for what became the Transcontinental Railroad began long before the Civil War's outbreak. Apr 10, 2019 · The original Transcontinental Railroad route was the combined efforts of two railroads: the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific. Visitors will pass through ghost Before there were viral videos and trending hashtags, the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869 was one of the first mass media events in US hi Finally, after years of grueling labor, the two sides met on May 10, 1869, in Promontory Utah. “New Map of the Union Pacific Railway, the Short, Quick and Safe Line to All Points West, 1883” Library of Congress Jul 1, 2014 · The Transcontinental Railroad for kids Ulysses Grant was the 18th American President who served in office from March 4, 1869 to March 4, 1877. Pacific Railway Act, 1862 Founded in 1862, the original Union Pacific Rail Road was part of the first transcontinental railroad project, later known as the Overland Route. " by Andrew M. The site offers visitors a brief history of the building of the transcontinental railroad as well as information on the history and technology of 19th century railroads. America's first transcontinental railroad (known originally as the " Pacific Railroad " and later as the "Overland Route") was a 1,911-mile (3,075 km) continuous railroad line built between 1863 and 1869 that connected the existing eastern U. Modelski. Published by the Union Pacific Railroad, circa 1857. A. It helped to double Chicago’s population in the 1880s, making it the nation’s lumberyard and stockyard in the process. New map of the Union Pacific Railway. Between 1762 and 1764 a gravity railroad (mechanized tramway) (Montresor's Tramway) was built by British Army engineers up the steep riverside terrain near the Niagara River waterfall's escarpment at the Niagara Portage in Lewiston Nov 8, 2014 · Traces of the original CB&Q are still evident across the state in existing rights of way, old depots and a collection of rail cars at the Railroad Interpretive Center in Douglas. The transcontinental railroad was hailed as a symbol of national pride, and Americans today still largely look back at this history fondly. The first railroad to stretch across the United States, the Union Pacific Railroad, was completed in just four years--from 1865 to 1869. F. Learn more about the Transcontinental Railroad and see sites, the Travelstorys audio tour will guide visitors down 90 miles of original hand-constructed Transcontinental Railroad grade, managed as a National Backcountry Byway and located west of the Golden Spike National Historic Park. This culminated in the completion of the first transcontinental railroad by 1869, which ended in Sacramento, California. . , U. Henry T. Diagram of the Transcontinental lines of road Showing the Original Central Pacific and Union Pacific And their Competitors. Members enjoy 15% off any purchase in our store 1877: New Transcontinental Map of the Pacific Railroad. Stereoviews, engravings, maps, and documents are treasures of western Americana that illustrate the history of the first transcontinental railroad, built from Sacramento, California over the Sierra Nevada mountains, the to end of track at the Golden Spike Ceremony at Promontory, Utah where the rails were joined on May 10, 1869 with the Union Sep 23, 2022 · Congress debated which rail line should be constructed first, ultimately passing the Pacific Railway Act in 1862. Construction began in 1863 and 1869 (map courtesy of Wikipedia). It was the first major obstacle for the railroad as it headed west. Library of Congress Geography and Map Division. The Linda Hall Library Transcontinental Railroad website was created with generous support from the BNSF (Burlington Northern Santa Fe) Foundation. After much controversy over where the railroad would pass, the Pacific Railroad Act, adopted in 1862, granted contracts for the first line between Omaha and Sacramento to two companies: the Union Pacific Company for the eastern section from Nebraska and the Central Pacific Company for Phase 6: Creating a Transcontinental System (1858-1862) In the late 1850s, companies in California and Missouri built lines toward each other along two routes. " The coming of the Transcontinental Railroad (TCRR), the first communication revolution in the United States. The railroad’s success had other consequences. ADDITIONAL TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD MAPS: May 2, 2024 · Chance Encounter With a Future President. for abandonment of its operations between Lucin and Ogde via Corinne Junction, in part via Promontory Branch owned by Central Pacific Ry Co. Williams' map was printed 8 years after the completion of the transcontinental railroad. 1876; 1881 Litho. The idea of building such a line was present in America for decades before the construction was authorized by the Pacific Railroad Acts of 1862 and 1864. Titled, Central Pacific Railroad Proposed Alignment Map (aka the Judah Map), it measures 2. 60 lb iron rail bends, while steel rail tends to break — When I go wandering along the old grade, I always look for bent rail, knowing that the bent stuff is iron. If you are entering on foot or bike the fee is $10 per person. Sep 2, 2015 · Map of the Great Transcontinental Railroad Item Preview cscrm_000241_access. Fees are $20 per vehicle or $15 per motorcycle. Seen above is a route map of the first Transcontinental Railroad Jan 27, 2003 · Map Design & Animator William Bourbeau Art Department: Much of the original transcontinental railroad line was so poorly built that both companies were forced to begin shoring it up right away Determining the route of the first-ever transcontinental railroad is not an easy feat and in the mid-1800s, it probably seemed impossible to many: enter dreamers like Asa Whitney and Theodore Judah (nicknamed "Crazy Judah") to begin mapping proposed rail lines through treacherous landscapes such as the Sierra Nevada mountain range. It’s the highest point on the first transcontinental railroad with the original summit topping out at 8,247 feet above sea level. Over the next century, UP absorbed the Missouri Pacific Railroad , the Western Pacific Railroad , the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad and the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad . Aug 22, 2024 · The original was built by the Rogers Locomotive & Machine Works of Paterson, New Jersey in 1868. That history, and more of the Transcontinental Railroad, is explained today at Golden Spike National Historical Park at Promontory Summit, a sagebrush-strewn landscape that looks extremely close to the setting the railroad workers and speculators found in 1869, minus the tents and telegraph lines that had wires extending to both the ceremonial golden spike and the Contains 623 maps chosen from more than 3,000 railroad maps and about 2,000 regional, state, and county maps, and other maps which show "internal improvements" of the past century. C. By 2019, 150 years after joining their rails at Promontory Summit, Utah, only the Union Pacific remains. Photos Original construction timbers over the Truckee River are still in place, a fellow found a rail chair from 1864 down there near Fallon last summer. Lieutenant Gouverneur K. " Map of original Transcontinental railroad line, constructed by the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad. Our nation felt many benefits including faster travel time, a greater cultural connection coast to coast, a powerful economy, and many more settlements and markets in the west. Gouverneur Kemble Warren's "Map of the Territory of the United States from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean. The Last Spike ceremony, where the track from the East was joined to its counterparts from the West, took place at The coming of the Transcontinental Railroad (TCRR), the first communication revolution in the United States. This map was in fact printed one year before the completion of the road. Explore the path of the original railroad Mar 20, 2001 · 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. Congress and conducted by the U. Wood in the spring of 1853 Secretary of War Jefferson Davis (who later became president of the Confederate States of America) dispatched survey crews west Map of the Central Portion of the United States Showing the Lines of the Proposed Pacific Railroads, Library of Congress. The original railroad names hundreds of stops along the tracks noting major and minor stations by font size. Judah, Chief Engineer, Central Pacific Railroad, in 1861. 86 miles within Box Elder and Webster Counties, Utah AND App. Warren notes on the map the is "is a hurried compilation of all the authentic surveys and is designed to exhibit the relations of the different routes to each other. Army Corps of Topographical Engineers to map potential routes for the Transcontinental Railroad. “Lloyd’s American railroad map of the United States…” by James T. of Central Pacific Ry Co. The pass gets its name from the ill-fated Donner Party who overwintered there in 1846. The first Transcontinental Railroad (known originally as the "Pacific Railroad" and also as the “Great Transcontinental Railroad” and the “Overland Route”) was a continuous railroad line constructed between 1863 and 1869. The maps presented here are a selection from the Geography and Map Division holdings, based on the popular cartobibliography, Railroad Maps of the United States: A Selective Annotated Bibliography of Original 19th The idea of creating a transcontinental rail link evolved at the same time as the concept of Manifest Destiny. Huntington, Mark Hopkins, and Charles Crocker. No. The right-of-way is 200 feet. This map shows the center line of the railroad and the limits of the right-of-way. Over the next seven years, the A transcontinental railroad or transcontinental railway is contiguous railroad trackage, [1] that crosses a continental land mass and has terminals at different oceans or continental borders. [8] Chief promoter of a transcontinental railroad was Asa Whitney, a New York merchant active in the China trade who was obsessed with the idea of a railroad to the Pacific. The total length of the First Transcontinental Railroad was 1,776 miles. The main line was officially completed on May 10, 1869. Video by Union Pacific Railroad. It highlights materials from the Stanford Libraries including pictures from the Alfred A. Bartle & Co. While the Burlington lines no longer wield an economic power that eclipses all other forces of development, the BNSF still plays a vital role in the economy of Central Pacific Railroad construction in the 1860's. rail network at Council Bluffs, Iowa, with the Pacific coast at the Oakland Long Wharf on San Read the Introduction to "Railroad Maps of the United States: A Selective Annotated Bibliography of Original 19th-century Maps in the Geography and Map Division of the Library of Congress. and in part via rr owned by Oregon Short Line, approximately 146. Most important, it offers full text access to the Linda Hall Library’s Transcontinental Railroad. 17 1/4" x 35 3/4" Courtesy of the Bruce C. " [Enlarge Western Portion of Map] Rand, McNally & Co. 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