A railway system built across the United States during the mid-19th century, connecting the East Coast (Atlantic Ocean) with the West Coast (Pacific Ocean).
The US Transcontinental Railroad emerged in the 19th century as a monumental engineering feat, conceived amidst westward expansion and the desire to connect the eastern states with California and the western territories. Key figures included entrepreneurs, such as Leland Stanford, and politicians who supported the Pacific Railway Acts of 1862 and 1864. The project was completed on May 10, 1869, when the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads joined at Promontory Summit, Utah.
The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad revolutionized travel and commerce across America by drastically reducing the time required to cross the continent, facilitating westward migration, and stimulating economic growth. It also represented a technological triumph that foreshadowed the industrialization era. However, it also had profound effects on Native American populations and their lands, while intensifying national integration and laying groundwork for America's emergence as an economic powerhouse.