Railroad Expansion In the late 1800’s the railroads became the driving force behind America’s...
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Railroad Expansion • In the late 1800’s the railroads became the driving force behind America’s economic and industrial growth •1 st trans RR - 1869 • Consolidation • Several powerful men known as Railroad Barons had control of RR system
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Transcript of Railroad Expansion In the late 1800’s the railroads became the driving force behind America’s...
Railroad Expansion
• In the late 1800’s the railroads became the driving force behind America’s economic and industrial growth
• 1st trans RR - 1869• Consolidation• Several powerful men
known as Railroad Barons had control of RR system
Railroad Barons
• Powerful individuals who controlled RR’s and made lots of money
• Aggressive, risk takers• Gave money away later in
life• Cornelius Vanderbilt• Leland Stanford - Central
Pacific• No laws regulating RR
industry – ruthless methods
Railroads Stimulate the Economy
• Created economic links• Carried raw materials to
factories; and manufactured goods & farm products to markets
• Stimulated iron, steel, lumber & coal industries
• Created thousands of jobs
Improving the Railroads
• RR lines across the country used different gauges, or widths, so trains could not change lines causing gaps in service
• By late 1800’s most had adopted a standard gauge allowing faster & cheaper shipment of goods
• Tracks built with iron but then upgraded to steel
Railroad Technology
• George Westinghouse devised air brakes
• Eli Janney made it easier to connect RR cars
• Gustavus Swift developed refrigerator cars
• George Pullman devised a sleeping car (luxury)
Competing for Customers
• 2 kinds-passengers and businesses
• Most money from businesses• Rebates-secret discounts to
customers• Pools-secret agreements
between big RR companies• Force smaller RR out• Govn’t tried to stop by
passing some laws
Railroads change America
• Growth of industry in the West
• Flour milling to Great Plains
• Ag equipment to Midwest• Beef production –Chicago• RR caused shift in
population from east to west; rural areas to cites
Time Zones
• People travel more
• Concerned with hours rather than miles
• Regions of country were united
• 4 time zones in the continental USA created
• Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific
Questions
• How did the RR change life for farmers and ranchers?
• How did the RR change industry in the USA?
• How did the RR unite the USA?
• Which change in RR’s was the most important?
