Transcontinental Railroad Timeline

Railroad Timeline 1826 *John Stevens is considered the Father of American Railroads. Stevens demonstrated the feasibility of steam locomotives on a circular experimental track (Think of the little train track around the Christmas tree) constructed on his estate in Hoboken, New Jersey, three years before George Stephenson in England. 1836 *Homesteaders start to travel the Oregon Trail. 1836 *John Plumbe sends petition for a railroad to Washington 1846 *In attempt to escape religious persecution, Mormons begin to travel to …

…time of 83 hours 39 minutes. 1881 *Second transcontinental railroad is completed linking the Southern Pacific Railroad with the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroads at Deming in New Mexico Territory 1893 *Union Pacific falls victim to bankruptcy *The completion of the Great Northern Railway made the completion of 5 sprawling, transcontinental railroads basically following the original surveys commissioned in 1853 1897 *Edward Harriman takes control of the Union Pacific and makes it a major player in the railroad business once again