Building the transcontinental railroad and its effects on the economy?

Question

Building the transcontinental railroad and its effects on the economy?

Answer 1

Before the first TransCon railroad, goods and merchandise had to be transported by ship from one coast to the other around the southern tip of South America. The railroad shortened delivery time by three  to six weeks, and reduced the cost by three quarters. Good question.

Answer 2

It opened up the frontiers in a way no other could have. OUr country progressed faster than any country in history because of rail travel. We had access to goods and materials and services that no one else had. A farmer a thousand miles away from the population centers could move a thousand head of cattle to market easily because of the RRs. Timber from Washington State could be shipped anywhere it was needed, mine ore from Montana could go to Chicago, it never could have otherwise.

Answer 3

Rango stated it pretty clearly... the transcontinental RR also boosted steel production & required additional coal mining.  Among the products also shipped were: fruit & veggies !! You could actually get an orange in Montana !! The shipping of livestock (cattle & pigs) also moved the meat-packing plants to rail-heads and brought about their becoming INDUSTRIES.

So one of the BIGGEST effects the railroad had on the US economy was to take what was once LOCAL small farms and industries into LARGE nationwide Monopolies...

Examples - Armour Meats, Carnegie Steel, Del Monte Produce, Libby Fruits, Pacific Fruit Express...

And of course... cities and towns would spring up along the railroad route.