Story of the planning, construction, and early operating of the Trans-continental railroad. There is coverage of the early proposals that began as early as the late 1700's to follow the best route to the Pacific Ocean. 1819 saw proposals for steam propelled carriages to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. In the early 1800's interest gained for creating a railroad connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Costs, construction, and operation are covered along with details on the Kansas Pacific Railway, the Denver Pacific Railroad, and the Central Pacific Railroad. - Summary by Paul Harvey