Welcome to the Irish Railroad Workers History Project Irish workers were central to building the first transcontinental railroad in the United States between 1863 and 1869, yet their story is largely untold. The transcontinental railroad would bring him even more wealth -- until 1873, when the Crédit Mobilier scandal destroyed his career. The building of the first transcontinental railroad required 6 years to complete and thirty-thousand workers who were primarily immigrants. This led to foremen such as Charles Crocker hiring Chinese workers. When it was passed by Congress in 1862, the Pacific Railway Act permitted two companies to begin construction on the Transcontinental Railroad. Without the hard work and sacrifice of both Chinese and Irish immigrants the historic completion of the transcontinental railroad would not have been possible. Some Irish people died because of the squads were dynamite squads and sometimes blew up. Join us for this event about the key roles and treatment of Chinese and Irish workers in creating the first transcontinental railroad in the United States. Please check back soon to see the Project's research findings in areas such as: The U.S.'s First Transcontinental Railroad was built between 1863 and 1869 to join the eastern and western halves of the United States. Some Irish people died because of the squads were dynamite squads and sometimes blew up. about 10,000 Irish men died during the making of the transcontinental railroad. But they often, fairly, demanded more money for their work. Research The Irish Railroad Workers Project is in the process of creating a digital archive that documents, examines, and explains the contributions, experiences, and lives of the many Irish people who worked on America's first transcontinental railroad. The First Transcontinental Railroad (known originally as the "Pacific Railroad" and later as the "Overland Route") was a 1,912-mile (3,077 km) continuous railroad line constructed between 1863 and 1869 that connected the existing eastern U.S. rail network at Council Bluffs, Iowa with the Pacific coast at the Oakland Long Wharf on San Francisco Bay. Footer Information and Navigation Let's Stay in Touch Chinese and Irish Workers in the Construction of the Transcontinental Railroad Saturday, March 25, 1:00pm-3:00pm Location: United Irish Cultural Center, St. Francis Room, 2700 45th Avenue, San Francisco Free event. Utah is about to throw a big celebration for the 150th anniversary of the May 10, 1869, completion of the transcontinental railroad. Two Railroad Companies Competed to Build the Transcontinental Railroad Pictures of the American West/National Archives and Record Administration/Alfred A. Hart. about 10,000 Irish men died during the making of the transcontinental railroad. The Transcontinental Railroad was built between 1863 to 1869 by the US government's Pacific Railroad Act of 1862. The Irish were the first group to be hired in great numbers for work on the transcontinental railroad.