Railroad History West

In the 1850s, the United States was a nation divided. In the North, industrialization and urbanization were both significant drivers of change. In the South, a largely agrarian economy was supported by the institution of slavery. The East and West of the country were also divided, not by social or political differences but by a vast tract of largely untouched, rugged, and often hostile territory. There were just two ways to travel from the East Coast to the Pacific Coast or vice versa.

This epic American history of westward expansion pits visionary engineering against devastating human sacrifice. Perfect for your daily commute, this dramatic narrative transports you to an untamed continent where carving a path through the Sierra Nevada meant risking everything. Immerse...