Fascinating

[Maro]

I know a lot of you get English Programs on Cable.

Have any of you seen this series?

Seven Wonders Of The Industrial World

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2003/08_august/11/7wonders_synopses.pdf

It is fascinating - the actors speak lines created from the actual engineer's diaries so it is a bit like a documentary. They also use CG to add background detail.

I watched them all here in Oz and enjoyed them greatly.

One interesting fact I learnt from the Episode about the construction o the Pacific Union Railway is the fact that without the thousands of Chinese migrant workers who died by the thousands, the USA may have taken much longer to beocem the mighty country it is today.

:thumb

[Bobenis]

Oh yes you are correct. The treatment they received for it was horrid as well. Slavery essentially.

[Maro]

Sadly, all the major players in the 19th Century utilised Slavery.

Let's not go there but focus on the irony and the amazing stamina they showed

:thumb

[bejohnson]

It was actually the Central Pacific Railroad (http://cprr.org/) that used the Chinese labor in horrible conditions that was very much like slavery. The Union Pacific Railroad (http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/history/) was built using Irish and German Labor. See this link (http://www.univie.ac.at/Anglistik/easyrider/data/building.htm) also. The story is a fascinating one for sure. Something that is not mentioned is that a lot of the money to build not only these two railroads but also several in this country came from Europe.

The two railroads met at Promontory Point in Utah. The junction was eventually moved to Ogden, Utah for convince. The CP Railroad became the Southern Pacific Railroad and did not become part of the UPRR until August 1996.

There were many great engineering feats in building the U.S. Railroads. Horseshoe Curve in Pennsylvania on the old Pennsylvania Railroad and the numerous tunnels and bridges that were constructed in the eastern U.S. but largely ignored are just two examples.

The building of the railroads themselves was a marvel in engineering considering the equipment that they had at the time. As Brandi says those engineers were real engineers.

[Maro]

It was actually the Central Pacific Railroad (http://cprr.org/) that used the Chinese labor in horrible conditions that was very much like slavery. The Union Pacific Railroad (http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/history/) was built using Irish and German Labor. See this link (http://www.univie.ac.at/Anglistik/easyrider/data/building.htm) also. The story is a fascinating one for sure. Something that is not mentioned is that a lot of the money to build not only these two railroads but also several in this country came from Europe.

The two railroads met at Promontory Point in Utah. The junction was eventually moved to Ogden, Utah for convince. The CP Railroad became the Southern Pacific Railroad and did not become part of the UPRR until August 1996.

There were many great engineering feats in building the U.S. Railroads. Horseshoe Curve in Pennsylvania on the old Pennsylvania Railroad and the numerous tunnels and bridges that were constructed in the eastern U.S. but largely ignored are just two examples.

The building of the railroads themselves was a marvel in engineering considering the equipment that they had at the time. As Brandi says those engineers were real engineers.


I see where the mistake was I made - they only refer to the names of the engineers and the conglomerates - I think the CP Railroad was called the "Shop keepers" after the Californian Conglomerate.

It is indeed a great story - Plum Creek etc.

I knew the story roughly but this series is well thought out. Check it out you get the chance.

I'd have loved to see it being made that's for sure.

:thumb

[bejohnson]

I see where the mistake was I made - they only refer to the names of the engineers and the conglomerates - I think the CP Railroad was called the "Shop keepers" after the Californian Conglomerate.

It is indeed a great story - Plum Creek etc.

I knew the story roughly but this series is well thought out. Check it out you get the chance.

I'd have loved to see it being made that's for sure.

:thumb

I am a rail fan. I have the histories of the UP-CP, The Louisville and Nashville, The Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis, The Georgia Road and parts of the Southern.

The L&N-NC&StL along with the Georgia became the western and southern parts of CSX and the Southern is now part of the Norfolk Southern. I love railroad history. (Actually I love history bet you couldn't tell. :))

[Maro]

It is in my blood - my Grandfather was an Engineer on the Great Western Railway in the West Country. He finally left when Dr Beeching cut the amount of tracks in the UK (A disaster from which the UK Rail industry is still not recovered from).

I dropped History after the age of 14 as the curriculum was solely centred on Nazi Germany for the exam. Whilst interesting, I already knew plenty about it from my own reading so decided to take another subject instead.

I continue to further my knowledge from reading.

:D