Building America

The entire first floor of The Union Pacific Railroad Museum is dedicated to the "Building America" exhibit. 

This exhibit takes the story of constructing the Transcontinental Railroad to an entirely new level. Visitors will be transported to the 1860s as they learn about frontier life, the monumental work needed for constructing the railroad, and the communities that were created along its route.

Key components of the "Building America" exhibit include:

  • Immersive railroad tunnel where visitors can learn about the work required to blast through the Sierra Nevada. 
  • Photographs of the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad, pulled from Union Pacific’s collection of more than 600 stereographs, including photos taken by Andrew J. Russell, Alfred Hart, Charles Savage and William Henry Jackson.
  • A large wall full of railroad lanterns and signals that highlight the evolution of communication on the railroad from the 19th century to 1980. 

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