Railroaded

White’s book describes the various transcontinental railroads that were established in America. In chapter eleven of his book, “Railroaded,” White describes the historical transformation that arises as a result of the establishment of transcontinental railroads. Railroads are viewed as an engine of change. Some of the changes include conversion of land that was
initially bare being utilized to plant wheat and corn, increased population, the growth of cities (White 455). This change occurred rapidly and came as a result of the establishment of railroads. The establishment of railroads negatively affected the Indian people negatively as they were displaced, controlled, confined, and others were murdered during the struggle to protect their land from being taken from them.

I acquired so much from this reading that I was not aware of before. One is that there had been debate on whether the growth was entirely from railroad establishment. The Missouri and Burlington directors once told their stockholders that the railroad should not get total credit for the settlement increase (White 457). Preemption and homestead laws had also contributed to the increased settlement. However, there would be no occupants settling in the land bordered railway tracks in the absence of railroads.

One question that crosses my mind is how the planners organized where the railroads were to pass through. I also wonder whether the transcontinental was worth the cost. The author notes that poverty also increased in the process of progress. The author addresses my questions as he states that there were better locations where the railroads would have been established. For instance, if the rail lines connected St. Louis, Kansas City, and Chicago to the east would have connected California to a perfect Pacific rail (White 461). Railroads created environmental catastrophes and dumb growth when it comes to the cost. The establishment had incurred high costs, which resulted in the railroads not being willing to wait for profitable traffic to arrive (White 462). Items would be hauled at a loss as the railroads had been established before demand existed. I am curious whether people realized the adverse effects they were encountering as a result of the establishment of railroads.