From the author of "D-Day" and many other works of history, comes a detailed history of the men who built the transcontinental railroad that opened up the west of America. photos.

ContentsIntroductionONE Picking the Route 1830-1860TWO Getting to California 1848-1859THREE The Birth of the Central Pacific 1860-1862FOUR The Birth of the Union Pacific 1862-1864FIVE Judah and the Elephant 1862-1864SIX Laying Out the Union Pacific Line 1864-1865SEVEN The Central Pacific Attacks the Sierra Nevada 1865EIGHT The Union Pacific Across Nebraska 1866NINE The Central Pacific Assaults the Sierra 1866TEN The Union Pacific to the Rocky Mountains 1867ELEVEN The Central Pacific Penetrates the Summit 1867TWELVE The Union Pacific Across Wyoming 1868THIRTEEN Brigham Young and the MormonsMake the Grade 1868FOURTEEN The Central Pacific Goes Through Nevada 1868FIFTEEN The Railroads Race into Utah January 1-April 10, 1869SIXTEEN To the Summit April 11-May 7, 1869SEVENTEEN Done May 8-10, 1869EpilogueNotesBibliographyIndexMapsFrom Chicago to OmahaNebraskaWyomingNevadaUtahCalifornia