Re: How many people did it take to construct the transcontinental railroad?

... We know the newspapers of the time tell the story of Chinese laborers, some walking through town to the railhead, and others walking away from the construction scene, none counted except for payday. I would not quarrel with up to 8,000 workers, Chinese and Anglo at any one time, nor would I quarrel with a total employment, over the TOTAL course of construction reaching 25,000 people. I know that my father worked on the UPRR in the Summer of 1921, his comments re: employment were that turnover was high, due to working conditions, food and water challenges, and homesickness. gjg