Railroad Development - 1800's

I’m switching gears for my next book and writing a historical set in the US (gasp!). While researching settings, I wondered how people traveled west into the territories. When could you reach certain areas like the Oregon and Montana by train? Which locations used stagecoaches and wagons as primary ways of transporting people and goods in the 1850’s? What about the California gold rush in the 1840’s? When writing historicals, these tidbits of information are vital. Transportation shaped the way of life for everyone.

I came across these maps* (below) and was amazed by the development of railroads. Montana wasn’t accessible by trains until 1882! Can you imagine? The Montana Trail (which I’ll discuss in a later blog post) was the main path for acquiring goods or transporting ranchers’ stock to market. It spanned from Salt Lake City, the only main city between the east and west, into the southwestern region of Montana via Idaho. Transportation up river systems was an alternate way of reaching Montana during certain times of the year but was also costlier.

As I delve into the past, I’m fascinated by its people and their way of life. I look forward to sharing more of my research with you and hope you enjoy the maps as much as I did!

*Maps courtesy of the Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum (http://www.cprr.org/Museum/RR_Development.html#2)
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