Railway · United States

How much did the first transcontinental railroad cost to build?

The first transcontinental railroad was the line built by the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific railroads across the United States. The Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum's FAQ calculates the Central Pacific's construction cost at 46,989,320 dollars, about 64,000 dollars per mile, valuing bonds at 75 percent of par, and the Union Pacific's at 77,559,370.61 dollars, valuing bonds at 30 percent of par in 1873, while a Senate committee estimated the Central Pacific at about 36 million dollars in 1888.