Summary
The Transcontinental Railroad was completed on May 10, 1869, when the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads met at Promontory Summit, Utah. The 1,900-mile line connected Omaha, Nebraska, to Sacramento, California, creating the first continuous rail route across the United States. Construction involved tens of thousands of workers, including Chinese and Irish immigrants, and took six years to complete. The railroad reduced cross-country travel time from months to less than a week.
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