Cost of Expanding Frontier:
Chinese Laborers in the Construction of the Transcontinental Railroads

After the strike, Chinese workers continued building the Transcontinental Railroad as before until its completion. The Central Pacific and the Union Pacific connected at Promontory Summit, Utah in May 1868 as the Chinese workers laid the last two rails. 

The railroad was a frontier for development in the West. The Transcontinental Railroads shortened the travel time of crossing the nation from months to days, encouraging more people to explore and travel in the West. Western cities underwent an explosion of population growth, industrialization, and agricultural production due to the railway connecting new frontiers.

This well-known image above depicted the "Last Spike" Ceremony on May 10, 1869, marking the completion of the Transcontinental Railroads. The Chinese in the picture beneath were excluded from the original picture despite their contributions. (History Matters)