Without railroads the early Nevadans would have been hard-pressed to be successful in settling the state for the long term. It is true that railroad connections made it easier to transport ore from the mines to the point of sale, but the railroads were also vital in the upstart of other industries in the fledgling state. The railroad was an industry of its own and many others popped up around it, such as merchants who would sell food and other supplies to those who passed through. This in turn inspired the development agricultural land in Nevada to produce food for these merchants. The railroads allowed ranches to flourish because they provided a quick and cost-effective way of moving cattle to auction and processing plants which were mainly in …show more content…
Without the railroads it would not have been profitable (and therefore not worthwhile) to ranch in Nevada, but with them all of the state’s open country and grazing land could be put to use. Additionally, the smaller feeder railroads connected small, rural communities to cities and transport links around the country. They allowed people to spread out across Nevada and to utilize the available land and still have a connection to markets and transportation. The Transcontinental Railroad reached Nevada in the 1860’s and upon its completion in 1869 it provided access to both California and Utah via its tracks in Northern Nevada. The building of the railroad took seven years from the time it was authorized and subsidized by the Pacific Railroad Act in 1862. The building of the Transcontinental Railroad cost the lives of over 2000 workers due to everything from basting accidents to gun battles. The railroad is a marvel of it’s age because the building of it was treacherous and the men who built it did not