Is any of the original transcontinental railroad still in use?

Some of the rights-of-way the Union Pacific and Central Pacific used for the railroad are still in service as railroad lines. Other pieces of the Transcontinental Railroad have become trails, still other are abandoned to the prairies or mountains to be reclaimed by nature.



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While much of the original transcontinental railroad tracks are still in use, the complete, intact line fell out of operation in 1904, when a shorter route bypassed Promontory Summit.

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Historic Strasburg takes pride in the fact that its railroad is the oldest continuously operating short-line railroad in America.

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Today, most of the transcontinental railroad line is still in operation by the Union Pacific (yes, the same railroad that built it 150 years ago). The map at left shows sections of the transcon that have been abandoned throughout the years.

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The oldest railway in continuous use is the Tanfield Railway in County Durham, England. This began life in 1725 as a wooden waggonway worked with horse power and developed by private coal owners and included the construction of the Causey Arch, the world's oldest purpose built railway bridge.

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The Fairy Queen is the oldest running train in the world. As the Guinness Book of Records documented, the Fairy Queen in India is the steam locomotive with the oldest running history worldwide.

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Branchville, located on the southern tip of Orangeburg County, is home to the world's oldest railroad junction. The junction was built in 1828 and ran from Charleston to Branchville and was on the route of the country's first scheduled train.

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The 3,000 mile journey across the United States by train is one of the world's greatest travel experiences. It's easy, comfortable, safe, and an affordable alternative to flying.

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In 1862 Congress passed the Pacific Railroad Acts which designated the 32nd parallel as the initial transcontinental route and gave huge grants of lands for rights-of-way.

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In 1870 it took approximately seven days and cost as little as $65 for a ticket on the transcontinental line from New York to San Francisco; $136 for first class in a Pullman sleeping car; $110 for second class; and $65 for a space on a third- or “emigrant”-class bench.

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It runs on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month from October until March every year. Passengers enjoy a scenic trip from Delhi to Alwar and back again. The Fairy Queen only hauls two coaches worth of passengers, so it's definitely not the hardest-working train on our list.

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The United States possesses the largest railway network in the world, in terms of total operating length. China and India trail behind as the second and third largest railway networks respectively.

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London Underground – 1890 Originally opened between Paddington and Farringdon Street in 1863, the London Underground in the UK is the oldest metro in Europe and the world.

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THE world's first metro, now the world's oldest system, is the London Underground in England, which is more commonly known as the Tube, which was opened in 1863. At 402 kilometers in length the London Underground is also the world's second longest metro system.

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Each company faced unprecedented construction problems—mountains, severe weather, and the hostility of Native Americans. On May 10, 1869, in a ceremony at Promontory, Utah, the last rails were laid and the last spike driven.

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Danger Ahead: Building the Transcontinental Railroad The company suffered bloody attacks on its workers by Native Americans–including members of the Sioux, Arapaho and Cheyenne tribes–who were understandably threatened by the progress of the white man and his “iron horse” across their native lands.

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