Read a comprehensive account of the Underground Railroad, how it was organized, and the routes that were used. Be sure to read all three parts.

From a lengthy essay on the history of the railroad in the United States. This section describes the efforts of Jefferson Davis and others to survey lands for the best route for a transcontinental railroad. It also discusses the...

From a lengthy essay on the history of the railroad in the United States. This section describes the financial woes of Union Pacific after the railroad was completed, and what the government did to recoup some of its loans. Also...

From an article by B.P. Avery printed in the May, 1869, issue of "Overland Monthly" is this description of the building of the transcontinental railroad including information about the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific...

An informative article which links the importance of railroads to the mining industry in Utah. Find out about mining and the dangers of mining in the late 19th century.

This site deals mostly with the history of mail sent across the country in the late 19th century.

This PBS site provides a general history of the Underground Railroad, including a focus on notable participants or "conductors." Click on Teacher's Guide for teacher resources.

This site offers an abstract from Van Nostrand's Eclectic Engineering Magazine from 1870 from a paper by John R. Gilliss. A comprehensive look at the tunnels built along the route of the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific...

From a book "The First Transcontinental Railroad" by John Debo Galloway, a civil engineer, comes this comprehensive description of the topography of the route of the Central Pacific Railroad.

Read about the growth of railroads throughout the eastern part of the United States, which greatly reduced transportation costs. See why there was opposition to railroads from many groups. Be sure to look at the stereograph of the...

Ride the rails in the late 19th century by following these travel guides for railroads across the country. Find copies of the guides showing time tables, maps, and descriptions of the trips.

A chapter from John J. Stewart's "The Iron Trail to the Golden Spike" about Utah and the transcontinental railroad.

See a copy of the document that enacted legislation for the development of a transcontinental railroad. Included is the text of the document also.

This site from the Central Pacific Railroad provides an extensive and comprehensive article about surveying the route for the railroad, the problems with construction, and the men behind the idea of the railroad. Hyperlinks to additional...

Contains the text of a Lewis M. Clement's 1887 statement to the U.S. Pacific Railway Commission, which gives a clear and succinct accounting of the costs incurred and the problems encountered in building the Central Pacific Railroad.

Discusses the use of nitroglycerine in the construction of the Central Pacific Railroad.

From a 1969 publication by the Chinese Historical Society of America comes this extensive look at the Chinese role in the building of the Central Pacific Railroad from California east to Utah.

A brief look at the Underground Railroad and how it operated. Find some of the code words used to help runaway slaves find their way, and read about some of the "conductors" who led slaves along the routes to the North.

This resource provides information about the first transcontinental railroad, which was built by nearly 30,000 Irish, German, Italian, and Chinese laborers.

Contains a series of letters published in May and June, 1869, in the "New York Tribune" written by Albert D. Richardson, one of the first people to travel on the transcontinental railroad from coast to coast.

Contains a guide for travel to and through Western America on the Central Pacific Railroad written by Samuel Bowles in 1869.

From a lengthy essay on the history of the railroad in the United States. This section describes The Interstate Commerce Act that passed in 1887. Its purpose was to regulate railroad rates across states, and it mandated the formation of...

The National Park System has preserved many buildings that were used as Underground Railroad stations. See the sites as they stand today and learn about the network that existed.

This page is entitled "The Panama Railroad, Chapter XIV" of the book "History of the Panama Canal", by Ira E. Bennett, 1915. It recounts important events of this period (1827-1855) of Panamanian history.