[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 54 (Friday, May 3, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E702]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   IN HONOR OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RAILWAY MUSEUM AT FULLERTON, 
                               CALIFORNIA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LORETTA SANCHEZ

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 2, 2002

  Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Southern 
California Railway Museum at Fullerton, California.
  Railroads have played a major part in how the west was won. The 
history of the American railroad is an amazing story, rich in colorful 
characters and anecdotes. It is also a history of amazing feats of 
strength and courage: The railroad was built by men who had to face 
many obstacles. More than 20,000 men built the Transcontinental 
Railroad which linked the East Coast with the West Coast. In truth, the 
story of the Transcontinental Railroad is one of the most heroic in 
American history.
  Some of the dangers that the railroad workers faced were long 12 hour 
work shifts, searing summer heat, Indian attacks, and most dangerous of 
all, the lawless and violent makeshift towns that erupted at the end of 
the line. Most of the workers were immigrants with over 10,000 Chinese 
workers. Other nationalities included Irish, German, Dutch and 
Czechoslovakian. In addition, thousands of Civil War veterans worked on 
the Union Pacific.
  The United States had long been divided by its 3,000 mile cross 
country distance. In order to reach the West Coast of the United 
States, travelers had to venture around Cape Horn, South America. It 
was a perilous journey filled with great trepidation. The other route 
to California meant crossing miles of land through dangerous Indian 
country or even facing the perils of starvation, weather, and 
accidents.
  In 1862, the Congress passed the first of several Railroad Acts, 
finally choosing a route from Omaha to Sacramento. With the foundations 
in place for a route across the States, and with the design expertise 
of genius Theodore Judah, a brilliant young engineer who found a way to 
lay tracks across the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, the race 
to build the Transcontinental Railroad across the country had begun.
  Two companies began the transcontinental construction of the tracks 
which the ``Iron Horse'' would travel--The Union Pacific and the 
Central Pacific. On May 10, 1869, the two railroads met in Promontory 
Point, Utah, for the official ceremonies where a gold spike was driven 
into the ground to commemorate the six years of hard, grueling work 
which culminated in the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad.
  The railroads have since played a very important, crucial part in the 
expansion of the West, both in population and economic opportunities. 
In addition, the railroads have long captured the imaginations of young 
and old alike, who are mesmerized by the sound of a train whistle and 
the beautiful powerful trains which are truly a part of American 
history and folklore.
  Please join with me today in recognizing the importance of keeping 
the history of the railroad alive and to promote the education of 
America's children in the great traditions of the railroad. I commend 
the Southern California Railroad Museum in Fullerton, California, for 
its many contributions to the preserving the important historical 
artifacts detailing America's railroads and for teaching the children 
in our community about their American legacy.

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