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In order to bind the nation together from [[California|California]] to the eastern states visionaries proposed a railroad between the west and east coasts of the [[United States|United States]]. During the [[United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865|Civil War]] Congress authorized the building of this railroad. Congress offered [[Grants to Land Companies and Railroads#Railroads|land grants]] along the tracks in a [[Grants to Land Companies and Railroads#Railroads|checkerboard pattern]] as an incentive to the builders. The company that could build the most track would receive the most land. | In order to bind the nation together from [[California|California]] to the eastern states visionaries proposed a railroad between the west and east coasts of the [[United States|United States]]. During the [[United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865|Civil War]] Congress authorized the building of this railroad. Congress offered [[Grants to Land Companies and Railroads#Railroads|land grants]] along the tracks in a [[Grants to Land Companies and Railroads#Railroads|checkerboard pattern]] as an incentive to the builders. The company that could build the most track would receive the most land. | ||
Starting in 1865 in [ | Starting in 1865 in [[Omaha Links|Omaha]], [[Nebraska|Nebraska]], the Union Pacific Railroad laid their first tracks. They slowly started their westward race toward the oncoming [[Central Pacific Railroad|Central Pacific Railroad]] by building only 40 miles after spending $500,000. As the pace quickened Irish immigrants and soldiers looking for work at the end of the [[United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865|Civil War]] increased the size of the labor force. The Union Pacific faced a shortage of timber for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railroad_ties railroad ties] on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_plains Great Plains] of [[Nebraska|Nebraska]], and had to defend themselves against hostile [[Portal:American Indian|Indian]] attacks, and harsh weather. Eventually they would average a mile of new track a day. In [[Wyoming|Wyoming]] they were challenged by deep ravines, and the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weber_River Weber River] in [[Utah]] was crossed 31 times.<ref>"Contruction" in ''Union Pacitic'' at http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/history/hist-ov/hist-ov4.shtml (accessed 14 July 2009).</ref> B<span id="fck_dom_range_temp_1247607257296_36" /><span id="fck_dom_range_temp_1247607257296_196" />y the end of 1865 the end of the track had only reached Fremont, [[Nebraska|Nebraska]]. In late 1866 they reached North Platte, in 1867 Cheyenne, [[Wyoming|Wyoming]], in late 1868 track reached Evanston, Wyoming.<ref>"Union Pacific Railroad End of Track Dateline 1865-1869" in ''Union Pacific'' at http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/maps/graphics/goldspik.gif (accessed 14 July 2009).</ref> On 10 May 1869 the Union Pacific joined track with the Central Pacific at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Promontory,_Utah Promontory Summit], [[Utah]] north of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Salt_Lake Great Salt Lake] to form the first [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcontinental_railroad transcontinental railroad] in the [[United States|United States]].<ref>"Central Pacific Railroad" in ''American Western History Musuems'' at http://www.linecamp.com/museums/americanwest/western_clubs/central_pacific_railroad/central_pacific_railroad.html (accessed 10 July 2009).</ref> In 1872 a bridge was completed across the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_River Missouri River] to Council Bluffs, [[Portal:Iowa|Iowa]]. Later in 1904 the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucin_Cutoff Lucin Cutoff] was completed across the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Salt_Lake Salt Lake] to shorten the route to Ogden, [[Utah]] and avoid steep mountain grades and curves.<ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Lucin Cutoff" in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'' at http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lucin_Cutoff (accessed 10 July 2009).</ref> In 1925 the Union Pacific Railroad opened another transcontinental branch from Granger, Wyoming via Boise, [[Idaho|Idaho]] to Portland, [[Portal:Oregon|Oregon]]. Through mergers and acquisitions many other lines have been opened to make it one of America's premier railroads. | ||
=== Route === | === Route === | ||