Discover the route of the USA transcontinental railroad

In the globalized system, it is essential that countries have well-structured rail networks that enable transport logistics. The US is a great example of having the well-known US transcontinental railroad. With one of the largest territorial extensions in the world, the North American country also has a cutting-edge economy.

In a place where the flow of products is intense, and the country has continental proportions, it is essential to have alternative transport routes that do not depend only, for example, on highways. In the US, these operations work in a very well structured way, after all, there has been a transport system for a long time that is designed to work in a cohesive manner and without major problems.

A clear example of long-term planning by the Americans is the creation of the US transcontinental railroad. Known as the First Transcontinental Railroad,it was built in the 19th century, that is, almost 200 years ago, the country was already structuring a transport logistics scheme that could facilitate and diversify the alternatives over the years and according to the needs. imposed.

In the year 1862, the Pacific Railroad Act received authorization from the US government to begin construction on the US transcontinental railroad. The work was completed in 1869. For more than 150 years working on behalf of North American logistics, the US transcontinental railroad is a  fundamental factor for the country to be a railway power to this day.

History of the first transcontinental railroad

As already introduced in the previous chapter, the US transcontinental railroad began to be built in 1862 and, in just seven years later, it was completed. The construction of the rail network was a request that had been going on for many years. It was built between Councill Bluffs, Iowa and Alameda, California. Therefore, the rail network crosses different sides of the mainland country. At that time, however, the difficulties in building the railroad were enormous. 

Still, the result was surprising. At the time, the USA already indicated an advantage over European countries, as they arrived with the first railroad that connected two sea coasts in the world. However, it is worth mentioning again the difficulties encountered by engineers, at the time, for the construction of the railway network. There were several obstacles along the kilometers in which the US transcontinental railroad crossed, such as the geographical difficulties imposed in each region for the implementation of the highway. However, its results were so significant during the construction period that the work was considered the greatest technological achievement of the 19th century in the USA, therefore, its effect on the national economy was remarkable.

Motivations for the construction of the transcontinental railroad

Difficulty in locomotion was already a major problem faced by North Americans in the 19th century. Thus, many contested the government for technological improvements that favored more efficient transport. Thus, the context of that historic moment was favorable for investment in a major railroad. After all, it was the most effective type of transport at the time and with the lowest maintenance costs over the years.

Therefore, the conquest of the US transcontinental railroad was, first and foremost, the American people. A rail network that linked the West Coast to the East Coast of the country was, without a doubt, a revolution for the moment. With that, the main motivation for the North American people was, in fact, more security, speed and economy to make great trips. As it is a gigantic country, a rail network that covers a large part of the territory is an advantage.

From the business point of view, the US transcontinental railroad was also motivated by a reduction in the transport time of all types of material, in a general and summarized way. Thus, commercial sectors profited from faster and more efficient dispatch. Now, therefore, instead of taking months for goods to arrive, it only took a few days.

Consequences of the construction of the railway

It is intuitive, therefore, to imagine the benefits that the construction of the US transcontinental railroad brought to the country. Benefits from reduced travel time and ease of transportation were fundamental to North American economic evolution.

In fact, the construction of the railroad was, without a doubt, an important milestone in American history. At that moment, the US emerged as a major competitor to the top of the world economy, fighting with European countries.

However, for the construction of this rail network that crosses the two coasts of the continental country, consequences were generated. In this case, the loss of a large part of the indigenous population that resided in the interior of the country. After the railroad was created in 1890, much of the indigenous population that survived the years of construction were transferred from their ancestral lands to separate reservations by the US government. The measure, however, was seen as mandatory by the government and the administrators responsible for the work. Thus, a sad episode marked one of the most important technological creations in the country.

Current status of the US transcontinental railroad

Understanding history is fundamental to understanding the context in which the US transcontinental railroad is inserted. Thus, highlighting important aspects over more than 150 years are paramount. Even with its negative points during the construction period, the railroad is to this day a great example of technological superiority of the North Americans during the 19th century. In addition, the rail network that crosses the two coasts of the country is, to this day, an important route for commercial and business logistics in various sectors that supply the North American economy. 

Over the years, the country has also implemented other transport logistics systems. In this way, he knew how to balance different environments very well, not suffering the consequences of an excessive demand in a certain area. It is possible, therefore, to note the importance of the US transcontinental railroad for the country's economic formation over the last 140 years and how logistics favored North American growth.