This film about the construction of the first Transcontinental Railroad in the United Staes opens with images of the 1,500 miles of desert and plain which separated California Territory from the United States in the 1850s (:11). The continuous railroad line that ended up being built would cover 1,912 miles and was built between 1863 and 1869. Surveyors were sent out on fact finding missions in order to discover what the best route would be (:32). In 1853, a survey of five possible routes were inspected (:26). This took years to undergo, yet the country was still at odds as to which one was the best (1:28). Dangers existed along the way as one group of surveyors was attacked by Native Americans in Utah (1:47). The Pacific Hotel is shown in 1859 (2:03) in Council Bluffs, Iowa. This was where a civil engineer named Grenville Dodge and a lawyer (at the time) named Abraham Lincoln met and discussed the Central Route as being the most ideal along the Platt River (2:31). Three years later a deal was signed choosing this very route and giving the job to Central Pacific and the newly created Union Pacific railroad companies. Grenville Dodge would eventually be named Union Pacific’s chief engineer. A flyer signifying the beginning of the Civil War (2:58) reads “Volunteers Wanted”. As the south withdrew from congress it was now possible to take the Central route (3:14) and another flyer reading “Opportunity for Investors” appears and private investors were still sought out during the war. A plaque on a door reads “Ezra Wardman Securities and Investments” (3:23). Builders were to receive grants for land along the route as incentive. The Union Pacific was contracted to build from Omaha (4:27) and Central Pacific, was to build eastward (4:32). Survey parties are seen heading out to plan the route (4:57) with grading and construction groups followed close behind (5:14). At the end of 1865, Union Pacific had only reached 40 miles out (6:05) and Central Pacific reached 55 miles out. As the Civil War ended, more drifted out west (6:18) and workers are seen hammering down tracks (6:36) as the two companies competed to cover more land. A box reading “Bethlehem Steel Company” (7:18) sits on the ground. For much of the first 20th century, Bethlehem Steel Company was one of the biggest manufactures of steel and one of the largest shipbuilding companies. A record was set as the Central Pacific gang laid 10 ½ miles in one day (8:02). Native Americans sought to thwart the project through gunfire attacks as well as burning already laid tracks (8:55). A worker climbs a telephone pole to repair damages (9:22). Towns sprang up around the development (9:42) and by May 10th, 1869 the two railroad lines met at Promontory Point in Utah (9:49). Celebrations commenced as the golden spike was driven into the railroad which signified the union of the two railroad lines. Temporary construction camps turned into towns and later cities (10:43). An advertisement for the sale of land in the Platte Valley is shown and railroads boasted they would raise land value (10:57). By 1890, US cities were sprawled from coast to coast (11:55).

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com