History of First transcontinental railroad in Timeline

The First Transcontinental Railroad, completed between 1863 and 1869, created a 1,911-mile continuous rail line connecting Council Bluffs, Iowa, with the Pacific coast at Oakland, California. Three private companies – Western Pacific Railroad Company, Central Pacific Railroad Company, and Union Pacific Railroad – constructed the line over public lands granted by the U.S. government. Funding came from state and federal subsidy bonds and company-issued mortgage bonds. Western Pacific built 132 miles from Alameda/Oakland to Sacramento, Central Pacific built 690 miles east to Promontory Summit, Utah Territory, and Union Pacific built 1,085 miles west to Promontory Summit.

1900: Death of Collis Potter Huntington

In 1900, Collis Potter Huntington, the Vice President of the Central Pacific Railroad, passed away. He was one of the four businessmen who formed the Central Pacific Railroad and became wealthy from his association with the railroad.

1901: Union Pacific Initially Takes Over Southern Pacific

In 1901, the Union Pacific initially acquired the Southern Pacific Railroad, gaining control of the Central Pacific's direct route to San Francisco.

1904: Completion of the Lucin Cutoff

In 1904, with the completion of the Lucin Cutoff, the Promontory Summit route was bypassed.

1924: Release of "The Iron Horse"

In 1924, John Ford's silent movie "The Iron Horse" was released, capturing the strong nationalism associated with public support for the transcontinental railroad project.

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1925: Tunnel #41 Opened

In 1925, Tunnel #41, also known as "The Big Hole", was opened as part of the double-tracking of the summit section of the Sierra grade. This tunnel, running under Mt. Judah, provided a more maintainable route through the Sierra Nevada mountains.

1930: Rail Bridge Replaced Benicia Train Ferries

In 1930, a rail bridge across the Carquinez Strait replaced the Benicia train ferries. This change provided a more direct route from the Central Valley to the Bay Area.

1939: Release of "Union Pacific" Film

In 1939, the film "Union Pacific", directed by Cecil B. DeMille and starring Joel McCrea and Barbara Stanwyck, was released, depicting a fictional story of the Central Pacific investor Asa Barrows attempting to obstruct the Union Pacific's efforts to reach Ogden, Utah.

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1942: Promontory Summit Rails Recycled for WWII

In 1942, the rails at Promontory Summit were removed and recycled to support the World War II effort, beginning with a ceremonial "undriving" at the Last Spike location.

1957: Authorization of Golden Spike National Historic Site

In 1957, Congress authorized the establishment of the Golden Spike National Historic Site to commemorate the completion of the transcontinental railroad.

1958: Airing of Union Pacific Western Television Series

From 1958 until 1959, the Union Pacific Western television series, starring Jeff Morrow, Judson Pratt, and Susan Cummings, aired in syndication, reportedly inspired by the 1939 film "Union Pacific".

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1959: Airing of Union Pacific Western Television Series

From 1958 until 1959, the Union Pacific Western television series, starring Jeff Morrow, Judson Pratt, and Susan Cummings, aired in syndication, reportedly inspired by the 1939 film "Union Pacific".

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1962: Release of "How the West Was Won"

In 1962, the film "How the West Was Won" featured a segment dedicated to the construction of the transcontinental railroad, including a famous scene of a buffalo stampede over the railroad.

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1962: Overland Route Passenger Rail Service Ended

In 1962, the transcontinental line, also known as the Overland Route, discontinued its principal passenger rail service to Chicago, which had operated for many years.

1968: Release of "Once Upon a Time in the West"

In 1968, the epic Spaghetti Western "Once Upon a Time in the West", directed by Sergio Leone, was released, using the construction of the transcontinental railroad as its backdrop.

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1981: Publication of "A Man of Destiny"

In 1981, Graham Masterton's novel "A Man of Destiny" (published in the UK as Railroad) was published, offering a fictionalized account of the construction of the transcontinental railroad.

Man of Destiny

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1993: Southern Pacific Railroad Closes Track Section

In 1993, the Southern Pacific Railroad, which operated the CPRR-built Oakland-Ogden line, closed and removed a 6.7-mile section of Track #1 near Donner Pass. This led to the abandonment of several tunnels and snowsheds due to high maintenance costs during harsh Sierra winters.

1993: Publication of "Ten Mile Day"

In 1993, the children's book "Ten Mile Day" by Mary Ann Fraser was published, recounting the story of the Central Pacific's record-setting achievement of laying 10 miles of track in a single day to win a $10,000 bet.

1996: Southern Pacific Sold to Union Pacific

In 1996, the Southern Pacific Railroad was sold to the Union Pacific, reuniting the two railroads after a period of separation due to monopoly concerns.

1999: Publication of "The Great Railroad Race"

In 1999, Kristiana Gregory's book "The Great Railroad Race" (part of the "Dear America" series) was published, presented as a fictional diary chronicling the excitement surrounding the end of the railroad construction.

1999: Assassination Attempt in "Wild Wild West"

In 1999, the film "Wild Wild West" featured the joining ceremony of the transcontinental railroad as the setting for an assassination attempt on U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant.

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2000: Release of "The Claim"

In 2000, the film "The Claim" was released, where the main character is a surveyor for the Central Pacific Railroad, and the plot involves a frontier mayor's efforts to have the railroad pass through his town.

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2002: Release of "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron"

In 2002, the DreamWorks Animation movie "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron" was released, featuring the title character, a horse named Spirit, being delivered to a transcontinental railroad work site to pull a steam locomotive.

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2002: American Experience Series Documents Railway

In the 2002-2003 season, the American Experience series documented the railway in the episode titled "Transcontinental Railroad".

2003: American Experience Series Documents Railway

In the 2002-2003 season, the American Experience series documented the railway in the episode titled "Transcontinental Railroad".

2004: BBC Documentary "The Line"

In 2004, the BBC documentary series "Seven Wonders of the Industrial World" covered the building of the railway in episode 6, titled "The Line".

May 10, 2006: Utah State Quarter Design Announced

On May 10, 2006, Utah announced that the design for its state quarter would depict the driving of the Last Spike, commemorating the completion of the transcontinental railroad.

2010: Doctor Who Audiobook "The Runaway Train"

In 2010, the sci-fi television show Doctor Who featured the transcontinental railroad in a BBC audiobook entitled "The Runaway Train", read by Matt Smith and written for audio by Oli Smith.

Doctor Who: The Runaway Train

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2018: Railway Empire Video Game

In 2018, Kalypso Media's video game "Railway Empire" featured a campaign mode covering the construction of the transcontinental railroad and included key figures such as Thomas Durant and Collis Huntington.