CPRR Discussion Group

Friday, December 01, 2006

Student Questions

1. How much would the journey cost and what would be included for the price of a ticket on the Transcontinental Railroad?
Train Fares

2. How would passengers eat their meals and sleep on this journey?
Sleeping Cars and Meals
Meals
Sleeping Cars
Nightime Travel

3. How long would the journey take before the advent of the Transcontinental Railroad and how long would it have taken in the 1870's by train?
Significance
Timetable
Timetable

4. What land would be for sale along the way and what would be the advantages of settling on it?
CPRR Lands
Land for Sale

Student Questions - National History Day Interview

I am doing a project on the Transcontinental Railroad for National History Day. One of our requirements is that we need an interview. So I was wondering if there was someone I could email questions to or contact to ask questions. ...

The theme of our history fair is triumph and tragedy. Just answer as many questions as you can the best you can and then send them back as soon as possible. ...

Here are our questions:

1. What were the economic benefits that came from the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad?
2. What were some engineering successes of the Transcontinental Railroad?
3. Do you know approximately how many Native Americans were killed? or how many survived?
4. Do you think the building of the Transcontinental Railroad was the biggest transportation breakthrough up until this time? of the 19th century?
5. How did the railroads effect trade in the U.S. and internationally?
6. What do you think was the greatest achievement of the Transcontinental Railroad?
7. Do you think the Transcontinental Railroad was more of a triumph or more of a tragedy? or equal parts both?

—Gillian