Pacific Railways

Pacific Railways, a name given to the lines from the eastern side of America to the Pacific coast, which, though not running under one management from sea to sea, constitute with their connections transcontinental lines. (1) The combined Union Pacific from Omaha or Council Bluffs to Ogden, and the Central Pacific, thence to Oakland (for San Francisco), opened in 1869; total distance from New York via Chicago and Omaha 3500 miles, time of transit 4½ days, fare $90. (2) The South Pacific (1881–83), associated with the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fé, which connects Kansas and New Orleans with San Francisco, as well as with Mexico. (3) The Atlantic and Pacific Railway (1883) connecting St Louis with a branch of the South Pacific. (4) The North Pacific (1883) from Duluth and St Paul to Portland and to Tacoma on Puget Sound. (5) The Canadian Pacific (1885) to Vancouver. The Panama Railway is also inter-oceanic, and so will be the trans-Andean line from Valparaiso to Buenos Ayres. (See CHILI, RAILWAYS.)