Transcontinental Railroad

Construction

American History Museum

Union Pacific

Labor

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Buffalo Coat

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Erin Go Brach Metal Insignia

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Irish-American Militia Cap, ca 1840

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Track

Report of G.M. Dodge, Chief Engineer, 1870.

UPRR Grading Letter

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Shilling Gradienter

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Pear Rail Sample

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The Union Pacific and Central Pacific purchased their rails from the eastern foundries and mills. The pear-shaped rails weighed 56 pounds (25 kg) per 1 yard (0.91 m) or 66 pounds (on a steep grade) (30 kg) per 1 yard (0.91 m) with rails usually 28 feet in length.

Provisions

At one time we were using at least 10,000 animals, and most of the time from 8,000 to 10,000 laborers. The bridge gangs always worked from five to twenty miles ahead of the track, and it was seldom that the track waited for a bridge. To supply one mile of track with material and sup- plies required about forty cars, as on the plains everything rails, ties, bridging, fastenings, all railway supplies, fuel for locomotives and trains, and supplies for men and animals on the entire work, had to be transported from the Missouri River.Grenville Mellen Dodge, How We Built the Union Pacific Railway.

CPRR Expense Bills, 1871. Warshaw Collection, 60 Box 11.

Central Pacific

Labor

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Chinese American Man's Gown

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Chinese Gold Scale

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Set of Chopsticks with wooden carrying case.

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Heathen Chinese pitcher

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Anti-Chinese toy pistol, ca. 1876

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Celluloid Collar Washing, NMAH Archives Center Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Men's Clothing Box

Celluloid Collar Ad NMAH Archives Center Warshaw Collection of Business Americanax

As animosity towards Chinese workers increased racist depiction like this cap pistol became common.

Native American Relations

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Crow chiefs who signed the treaty of 1868, Fort Laramie, Wyoming

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William T. Sherman collection of Alexander Gardner photographs, 1866-1868 contain 61 photographic prints housed in the National Museum of the American Indian Archives Center. Some of the prints are available to view in this slideshow.