Iron Rails, Iron Men, and the Race to Link the Nation: The Story of the Transcontinental Railroad
Author: Sandler, Martin W.
Reading Metrics
Description
In the 1850s, two rival companies accomplished the impossible--they tunneled through mountains and constructed the highest-ever bridges to connect 1,800 miles of America by rail.
Quick Summary
"Iron Rails, Iron Men, and the Race to Link the Nation" follows the true story of two competing railroad companies in the 1850s who accomplished the impossible by tunneling through the Sierra Nevada mountains and constructing the highest bridges ever built to connect 1,800 miles of American territory. The book covers themes of intense business rivalry, dangerous physical labor, Chinese immigrant workers, and the engineering breakthroughs that changed transportation forever. If your kid loves "The Titanic: The Extraordinary and Tragic Story of the Unsinkable Ship" or books about historical engineering marvels, they'll be fascinated by this detailed look at how thousands of workers literally moved mountains to complete the first transcontinental railroad. This book is ideal for 4th through 8th graders who enjoy nonfiction, history, or stories about massive construction projects, with an AR Level of 8.5 and 7.0 points making it perfect for readers who want a substantive but accessible historical read.