Everything necessary to know about the Westinghouse Air Brake for railroad cars is included on this site. There are diagrams of the air pump, triple valve, and advice on how to use the brake correctly. This brake was a life-saver for...

All aboard this slideshow on the building of railroads in Virginia. Study maps, charts and pictures of the major railways in Virginia and their impact on the economy. Be sure to take the quiz over the steam locomotive at the end!

Shows maps of the Underground Railroad routes that slaves took when they sought freedom, along with an informative article on the history of this movement in Indiana.

A thorough biography of Henry Flagler, a man instrumental in the history of Florida: his work in St. Augustine, his work with the railroads, his life in Miami, and the building of the railroad to Key West. Much more information is given...

The railroad developers built the rails in anticipation of growth and sprawl across the United States. This visual shows the details of the increase of settlements, yet not quite enough to sustain the expanse of the Transcontinental...

Contains Nelson's pictorial guide-books, a fascinating look at the journey on the Central Pacific Railroad from Utah to California, including time schedules and descriptions of scenery.

While the Underground Railroad was active in Wisconsin in the 1800s, its activities were of necessity kept secret, so little documentation has survived. A few cases became matters of public record, however, most notably those of Caroline...

[Free Registration/Login Required] The two passages "Apple the Cat Calls a Meeting to Order" and "Trouble at Reading Railroad" share the theme of problems and their consequences. Question sets are provided for each passage separately and...

Provides information and documents of Jefferson Davis, George McClellan and the War Department's Pacific Railroad explorations and surveys of 1853 to 1854.

From the September, 1869, magazine, "Overland Monthly", is this article by Robert L. Harris who traveled the route of the Central Pacific Railroad before it was officially opened, and wrote a description of the scenery along the route.

Learn about the fascinating people and places associated with the Underground Railroad as you visit the historic places on this travel register. Use the map or peruse the sites to find interesting facts and information.

Students will compare two primary accounts of overland travel in the 1860s,one by stagecoach, the other by railroad, to see how travel changed upon completion of the transcontinental railroad.

Imagine being a slave escaping from the South in 1860, and heading to freedom through the underground railroad. Students will hear from first-person accounts and investigate other primary sources from the 1800s.

This chapter from "The First Transcontinental Railroad" by John Debo Galloway contains biographies of the important men who conceived of the railroad, found funds for the line, and engineered the construction.

Students will learn how the Transcontinental Railroad enhanced travel across the country. They will compare how quickly people travel today as then. Students will create "button trains" and discuss what trains carried in 1869 and now.

Text of the message that President Ford wrote to the House of Representatives in 1974 stating his reasons for his veto of the Railroad Retirement Benefits Legislation.

A collection of lesson plans that explore the changes that have taken place in Texas as a result of the railroad and oil industries. There are case studies of the impact of urbanization on six Texas cities, as well as online exhibits on...

An overview of the construction of America's Transcontinental Railway, and its completion when the last spike was driven (after several misses) in Utah to connect the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific railways. Travel across the...

A brief history of the first transcontinental railroad and the vision of Theodore Judah as well as the financing of the "Big Four."

This history of the American railroad from the Library of Congress also provides an understanding of how maps and mapmaking were so closely related to the growth of our railway system.

Good description of the conflict between the populists and the railroad owners during the 1890s. (Published 1997)

Find out about plans for a transcontinental railroad and surveys which plotted out possible routes. Part of a larger site on the history of railroads and maps.

From a lengthy essay on the history of the railroad in the United States. This section describes the railroad towns that were established by the railroad companies along their routes, and had a reputation for shoddiness and disreputable...

Use this resource to learn about the steam engine, Gov. Stanford, which was used in many roles on the Central Pacific Railroad line.