The Pacific Railway Act, or Pacific Railroad Act, of 1862 was a landmark piece of legislation for railroads. According to the law, its purpose was “[t]o aid in the construction of a railroad and telegraph line from the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean, and to secure to the Government the use of the same for postal, military, and other purposes.” In passing this act, federal support was provided for building a much-needed transcontinental Railroad.  

The Railroad Act authorized two railroad companies to construct the lines: the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific. The plan was for them to begin on each coast, meeting in the middle. Construction began on the Transcontinental Railroad in 1863. Laborers worked for 6 long years to complete the railroad, laying over 1,700 miles of track, meeting at Promontory Point, Utah on May 10, 1869.  

The railroad was instrumental in the growth of America. By connecting the coasts, it made travel and commerce much easier. Kansas, in the middle of the country, was especially dependent on the railroads and became famous for agricultural trade. Between 1867 and 1872, over three million Texas Longhorns were driven to Abilene, Kansas and shipped by rail to the slaughterhouses in Chicago. Furthermore, in 1931, a record wheat crop in Kansas of 240 million bushels was mainly shipped out by rail.  

To see more about how Kansas specifically was affected by the railroads, check out the Chapman Center’s exhibit: “Exploring Kansas by Rail.”