Double Column Notes for Chapter 19 Section 1 “Railroads Lead the Way”
Questions Notes
*Railroad Expansion
- In the late 1800’s railroads became driving force behind
America’s economic and industrial growth
-The first transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869
-Consolidation – practice of combining separate
companies
-Larger companies bought up smaller companies and
became more efficient
-Several powerful individuals known as railroad barons
basically had all control of RR system
Railroad Barons
-Cornelius Vanderbilt gained control of the New York
Central Line and expanded his empire out to Great Lakes
- Leland Stanford and partners founded the Central Pacific
RR which connected CA and Utah
-no laws regulating RR industry so RR barons methods of
operation were often ruthless
*Railroads Stimulate the Economy
- RR created economic links in the US
- RR carried raw materials to factories; and goods and farm
products to markets
- RR stimulated the iron, steel, lumber and coal industries
- RR provided thousands of jobs
Improving the Railroads
- Railroad lines across the country used different gauges, or
widths, so trains could not change lines causing gaps in
service
- by late 1880’s almost all companies had adopted a
standard gauge of 4 feet 8.5 inches allowing faster and
cheaper shipment of goods
-tracks built with iron and then upgraded to steel
Railroad Technology
- George Westinghouse devised air brakes for stopping
trains in a safer manner
-Eli Janney made it easier to connect RR cars
-Gustavus Swift developed refrigerator cars – food
wouldn’t spoil
-George Pullman devised a sleeping car where seats
converted to beds (concerned with luxury)
Competing for Customers
-Competition was fierce so large RR companies offered
secret discounts called rebates to their largest customers
-Forced smaller RR companies out of business and hurt
farmers
-RR barons made secret agreements among themselves
known as pools
-They divided up business, set rates (often high) since
there was no other competition
-Some laws passed to control RR but not effective
Railroads Change America
-The growing RR network paved the way for industry to
move west, especially after the Great Plains were
settled (flour milling, manufacturing of farm
equipment)
-RR caused shift in population from east to west; rural
areas to cities
Time Zones
-The spread of the RR led to a national system of time
with four time zones