Later extensions brought the line to Chicago, St. Louis, and Cleveland. In 1869, the Central Pacific line and the Union Pacific line joined to create the first transcontinental railroad. Pioneers continued to travel west by covered wagon, but as trains became faster and more frequent, settlements across the continent grew larger and more quickly.
Train travel continues to hold a romantic appeal for many people.
Songs, stories, poems and plays have been written about the railways. Here you can listen to Byron Coffin sing about engineer Casey Jones and his fateful last ride on the rails.