The Transcontinental Railroad

How did they do it? When was it built? What were some obstacles to building it?

-Union hired many Irish immigrants to build their rail while Central highered many Chinese immigrants and payed them very little but still far more than possible in China.

-The government helped speed it along by granting land and giving huge sums of money to help finance the project.

-Central Pacific began building in February 1866 and Union soon followed suit near the end of the year.

-Most of the constuction was completed in by the end of the decade

-Both the heat and cold were a problem to both railroads with the Sierra Nevadas claiming many lives and the dry land throughout the country caused many problems