The first railroad to connect the east and west coasts of the US was the First Transcontinental Railroad, completed in 1869. The project linked the Central Pacific Railroad from the west and the Union Pacific Railroad from the east at Promontory Summit, Utah.
Completed with a Golden Spike ceremony at Promontory Summit, Utah on May 10th, 1869, the First Transcontinental Railroad linked California with the existing rail network of the eastern United States.
CaliforniaNevadaUtahWyomingColoradoNebraskaKansasMissouriIn Missouri it linked into the existing eastern railroad system (so it was not fully transcontinental by itself).
The completion of the transcontinental railroad was important to lining different trade markets. Major trade and financial capitals were also linked by the railroad.
The railroad that linked the eastern United States to the western territories was known as the Transcontinental Railroad. It was completed in 1869, connecting the Central Pacific Railroad from the west with the Union Pacific Railroad from the east at Promontory Summit in Utah. This monumental achievement greatly facilitated the movement of people and goods across the country, contributing to westward expansion and economic growth.
The Transcontinental Railroad linked the East to the West.
It was a railway that connected the western states to the rest of the U.S.
The simplest answer is because it linked the nation from coast to coast for the first time. Try this site for some more info: http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/goldenspike.htm
It brought interstate trade, public discourse, and Immigration. It increased the flow of settlers to the West. It sped the growth of western cities. It linked the West's economy to the national economy. it made johnny henderson the famous transcontinental railroad bulider in 1800s
The first two cross-country railroads in the United States were the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O), which began operations in the early 1820s, and the Transcontinental Railroad, which was completed in 1869. The B&O was significant for connecting the East Coast to the Ohio River Valley, while the Transcontinental Railroad linked the eastern U.S. to the West Coast, facilitating westward expansion and commerce.
Supplies and mail moved more quickly and cheaply
Was to create a series of British colonies all linked by a railroad