The Central Pacific Railway

The Central Pacific Railway, North America: Long Ravine Bridge, 1868. 'The chief links in the vast system of railway communication, which will soon connect the Atlantic and Pacific shores of the great American Republic together, are the "Union Pacific Railway," extending 1600 miles...Its course westward passes through a wild and almost uninhabited country to the Rocky Mountains, then by way of Utah and the Great Salt Lake to California, crossing two lofty mountain ranges. A company, with a capital of one hundred million dollars, or twenty millions sterling, was formed some years ago, and assisted by Congress with most liberal grants of land and money. The work was commenced in the spring of 1864...We have engraved [an illustration] of the scenery traversed by this railway,...supplied by Mr. Geo. E. Grey, the consulting engineer, [showing the view]...at Long Ravine, at a point where the Central Pacific line crosses the ravine by a wooden bridge, at a height of about 120 ft. above the ground. The main structure is designed on the principle known in the United States as the Howe truss, which is remarkable for its economical proportions and great stability'. From "Illustrated London News", 1868. Creator: Unknown. (Photo by The Print Collector/Heritage Images via Getty Images)