Railroads of Yore Built During Times of Turmoil, Too

In considering the daunting task of building high-speed rail in the midst of an economic crisis, CBS Sunday Morning looks back and finds that the Transcontinental Railroad was built during similarly tough times.

1 minute read

August 24, 2009, 12:00 PM PDT

By Tim Halbur


"It was an accomplishment against the odds, according to former California treasurer and longtime rail travel enthusiast Phil Angelides.

"Look, in the middle of the Civil War, when 600,000 Americans were dying of disease and on the battlefield, that's when Abraham Lincoln pushed through the transcontinental railroad that ended right here on this spot," he said."

Sunday, August 23, 2009 in CBS Sunday Morning

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