Empire Express: Building the First Transcontinental Railroad

Empire Express: Building the First Transcontinental Railroad by Bain, David Haward. paperback edition. ISBN: 9780140084993.

After the Civil War, the building of the transcontinental railroad was the nineteenth centurys most transformative event. Beginning in 1842 with a visionarys dream to span the continent with twin bands of iron, Empire Express captures three dramatic decades in which the United States effectively doubled in size, fought three wars, and began to discover a new national identity. From self--made entrepreneurs such as the Union Pacifics Thomas Durant and era--defining figures such as President Lincoln to the thousands of laborers whose backbreaking work made the railroad possible, this extraordinary narrative summons an astonishing array of voices to give new dimension not only to this epic endeavor but also to the culture, political struggles, and social conflicts of an unforgettable period in American history.