Explores the challenges faced during the construction of the transcontinental railroad, covering topics such as the impact of the Civil War, conflicts with Native Americans, and the establishment of railroad towns, with illustrations, a timeline, and statistics.

Rise of the rails: how did people travel in the 1800s? -- Finding a way west: how did the Civil War affect the transcontinental railroad? -- America gets on track: what was life like along the railroad's path? -- Working on the railroad: what problems did workers face when building the railroad? -- The big truth! : railroad towns: what were railroad towns? -- End of the line: what changes did the transcontinental railroad bring to the United States?