Scope and Contents

Credit: Union Pacific Railroad, From: Association of American Railroads, Transportation Building, Washington, D.C.

Scope and Contents

Caption: "Unexpectedly heavy snows forced Central Pacific's pioneer builders to build snow sheds over the railroad in the High Sierra where 30-foot packs handicapped construction forces. This photo was taken in 1867. Eventually, about 40 miles of sheds covered an almost continuous stretch at high elevations. Today only about three miles remain due to powerful new snow plows and other improved machinery and methods for snow fighting. Southern Pacific Photo X 157"

Scope and Contents Caption continues: "…and a pioneer link in the Central Pacific, had been moved by early 1860 from Third and R Streets to larger quarters alongside the river docks at Front and K Streets. This provided a better connection not only with the heavy shipping that plied the river to and from San Francisco, but also with the Central Pacific, whose station is pictured in the background. Taken in 1869, this photo shows a CP freight train that has moved past the CP station to a point in front of the...

Scope and Contents

Caption continues: "Known as a 'bucker' plow, it took as many as eight pioneer woodburning locomotives to ram a plow through the drifts in a heavy snowstorm. SP Photo X 399"

Scope and Contents

Caption reads: "Photograph taken at Promontory Point, Utah, at the completion of the first transcontinental railroad. The Pacific and Central Pacific lines were joined on May 10, 1869. Please credit: Union Pacific Railroad. From: Association of American Railroads, Washington, D.C.

Scope and Contents Caption continues: "… as Central Pacific forces were building the western link of the first transcontinental railroad, now a part of the Southern Pacific System. Rail layers, shown in the foreground, were followed by gangs of Chinese laborers who spaced and spiked the rail to the ties. A track laying record was set in April, 1869, when a picked gang of Irish rail layers, backed by a small army of truckmen, completed more than ten miles of track in one day. Please credit: Southern Pacific...

Content Description From the Collection: Consists of photos from the 1960s including the 1969 Centennial Celebration at the Golden Spike historical site, later reenactments, descendants of the Chinese workers, commemorative coins and golden/silver spikes. Also includes historical photo reproductions of early railroad executives, and intercontinental railway workers and locations. Many of the photographs have chapter and page numbering, and were likely part of an unidentified publication. All photos are black and white, unless...

Content Description From the Collection: Consists of photos from the 1960s including the 1969 Centennial Celebration at the Golden Spike historical site, later reenactments, descendants of the Chinese workers, commemorative coins and golden/silver spikes. Also includes historical photo reproductions of early railroad executives, and intercontinental railway workers and locations. Many of the photographs have chapter and page numbering, and were likely part of an unidentified publication. All photos are black and white, unless...

Content Description From the Collection: Consists of photos from the 1960s including the 1969 Centennial Celebration at the Golden Spike historical site, later reenactments, descendants of the Chinese workers, commemorative coins and golden/silver spikes. Also includes historical photo reproductions of early railroad executives, and intercontinental railway workers and locations. Many of the photographs have chapter and page numbering, and were likely part of an unidentified publication. All photos are black and white, unless...

Content Description From the Collection: Consists of photos from the 1960s including the 1969 Centennial Celebration at the Golden Spike historical site, later reenactments, descendants of the Chinese workers, commemorative coins and golden/silver spikes. Also includes historical photo reproductions of early railroad executives, and intercontinental railway workers and locations. Many of the photographs have chapter and page numbering, and were likely part of an unidentified publication. All photos are black and white, unless...