Exploring Sacramento's Railroad History
SacTV.com "Video of the Day" review by
Alex Cosper on April 25, 2013
Sacramento played an amazing role in the history of the railroad, yet many Sacramentans remain unaware
of this history. Being the city where the first Transcontinental railroad began is historic enough, but
this video by the Center for Sacramento History digs deeper into the reasons why Sacramento was chosen
as an important hub. A big reason had to do with the Civil War. The gold rush sparked early ideas
of a railroad route through Sacramento in 1849. Theodore Judah, who built the first railroad in California,
helped plan a route that could cut through the Sierra Mountains. This route, which was pitched to the federal
government for funding, helped merchants plan and promote their businesses. Two national railroad companies,
Union Pacific and Central Pacific, were developed as a result of the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862, signed
by President Lincoln. The Central Pacific railroad was planned by the "big four" investors: Leland Stanford,
Collis Huntington, Charles Crocker and Mark Hopkins. The railroad eventually merged with Southern Pacific.
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