The building of the Transcontinental Railroad was a landmark moment in American Wilderness history. It represented an era of rapid expansion across the USA and into the West, creating unity across the country. Its efficiency was unprecedented in an era of horse drawn wagons and barge canals, demonstrating an expansion of the American economy, and determination from the government to move rapidly into the future. With the building of the railroad, movement of both people and freight across the country became more accessible than ever, and a new era of movement across the USA became a reality.

It almost goes without saying that this extraordinary achievement could not have been carried out without the work of immigrants on the line. Most notably, the work of Irish, Mormon and Chinese immigrants. These groups have historically been undervalued and even demonised, when their work on the railroad transformed the American landscape.