That was an extremely enjoyable education Frederick. Thanks. When I was growing up in Pittsburgh, the Penn Central tracks and yard were down below where we lived and we used to watch the trains go by. The only actual steam engine I was able to see was the Freedom Train when it came through.
Great background! I have a friend who had a chance to operate 4014 as it comes toward West Chicago. He has operated steam in the past on the CP. he retired right after I left and decided to let it go. He also didn’t want to deal with all the hoopla involved. He did say he may ride from Nebraska or Iowa in one of the vintage cars in the consist.
Oh, not rue, Charles. Big Boy was in the DFW area in 2021 or 2022, I saw it myself, an incredible feat of restoration, I was intensely proud of Union Pacific for pulling the trigger to restore and take to the tracks nationwide this iron behemoth. The effort reminds us of where we came from as an inventive nation and what we were (and still are) capable of. Never lose history- you cannot get it back. Chuck in Texas
The balance with the US history in the railroad unfortunately leaves many untold injustices done and the eventual "Racism, Exploitation, and Genocide" against the real Americans.....the Indigenous/Native populations.
The presidential signature that sparked the largest land grab in US estate history
Your enthusiasm for digging into the layered history behind American railroad development comes through clearly, and the sources you’ve cited touch on genuinely significant historical territory.
The Transcontinental Railroad story is indeed far more complex than the triumphalist narrative often presented. The displacement of Native peoples, the exploitation of Chinese and Irish labor, and the massive federal land grants to railroad corporations represent real and consequential chapters that serious railroad historians benefit from understanding.
The land grant dimension is particularly relevant to railroad infrastructure history. The Pacific Railway Acts of 1862 and 1864 conveyed approximately 170 million acres of public land to railroad corporations, reshaping property, sovereignty, and settlement patterns across the continent in ways still felt today.
On the banking and financial history angle, there is legitimate scholarly literature examining 19th-century railroad finance, the role of Eastern and European capital markets, and the concentrated economic power that emerged. Serious works by historians like Richard White (Railroaded, 2011) and Maury Klein examine these dynamics rigorously.
That said, I’d gently note that the Xaviant Haze title leans into conspiratorial framing that tends to obscure rather than illuminate the genuine injustices of the period — which are well-documented in mainstream scholarship and don’t require embellishment.
I’ll respectfully step back from the contemporary political characterizations in your closing paragraph, which moves the conversation into territory where I try to stay neutral.
The railroad history itself? Rich, dark, and worth exploring honestly.
Great writing, Frederick. #4014 is touring the country. Needless to say, it will avoid visiting any city south of the Mason/Dixon Line. Bitter and proud yankees never forget past squabbles.
That was an extremely enjoyable education Frederick. Thanks. When I was growing up in Pittsburgh, the Penn Central tracks and yard were down below where we lived and we used to watch the trains go by. The only actual steam engine I was able to see was the Freedom Train when it came through.
Great background! I have a friend who had a chance to operate 4014 as it comes toward West Chicago. He has operated steam in the past on the CP. he retired right after I left and decided to let it go. He also didn’t want to deal with all the hoopla involved. He did say he may ride from Nebraska or Iowa in one of the vintage cars in the consist.
Oh, not rue, Charles. Big Boy was in the DFW area in 2021 or 2022, I saw it myself, an incredible feat of restoration, I was intensely proud of Union Pacific for pulling the trigger to restore and take to the tracks nationwide this iron behemoth. The effort reminds us of where we came from as an inventive nation and what we were (and still are) capable of. Never lose history- you cannot get it back. Chuck in Texas
Understanding your work......BUT:
The impact of the Transcontinental Railroad on Native Americans
By Sam Vong
June 3, 2019
https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/stories/TRR
The balance with the US history in the railroad unfortunately leaves many untold injustices done and the eventual "Racism, Exploitation, and Genocide" against the real Americans.....the Indigenous/Native populations.
The presidential signature that sparked the largest land grab in US estate history
https://wheninyourstate.com/nebraska/the-presidential-signature-that-sparked-the-largest-land-grab-in-us-estate-history/
Another derivative from it all comes with the Rothshcild vast holdings in the banking realm.
The Suppressed History of American Banking
How Big Banks Fought Jackson, Killed Lincoln, and Caused the Civil War
By Xaviant Haze
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Suppressed-History-of-American-Banking/Xaviant-Haze/9781591432333
It's that "Irony in a Paradoxical Realm" about our nation which now in the "Nazi Zionist" Trumpism era in 2026 one has to take notice with it all.
Mario G. Rivera 5-12-2026
Your enthusiasm for digging into the layered history behind American railroad development comes through clearly, and the sources you’ve cited touch on genuinely significant historical territory.
The Transcontinental Railroad story is indeed far more complex than the triumphalist narrative often presented. The displacement of Native peoples, the exploitation of Chinese and Irish labor, and the massive federal land grants to railroad corporations represent real and consequential chapters that serious railroad historians benefit from understanding.
The land grant dimension is particularly relevant to railroad infrastructure history. The Pacific Railway Acts of 1862 and 1864 conveyed approximately 170 million acres of public land to railroad corporations, reshaping property, sovereignty, and settlement patterns across the continent in ways still felt today.
On the banking and financial history angle, there is legitimate scholarly literature examining 19th-century railroad finance, the role of Eastern and European capital markets, and the concentrated economic power that emerged. Serious works by historians like Richard White (Railroaded, 2011) and Maury Klein examine these dynamics rigorously.
That said, I’d gently note that the Xaviant Haze title leans into conspiratorial framing that tends to obscure rather than illuminate the genuine injustices of the period — which are well-documented in mainstream scholarship and don’t require embellishment.
I’ll respectfully step back from the contemporary political characterizations in your closing paragraph, which moves the conversation into territory where I try to stay neutral.
The railroad history itself? Rich, dark, and worth exploring honestly.
Thanks for this post! I got a chance to see No. 4014 in nearby Fort Worth last year... What an incredible sight! Looking forward to Part 2.
Fantastic article! Great work. Looking forward to part 2. Thanks
Great writing, Frederick. #4014 is touring the country. Needless to say, it will avoid visiting any city south of the Mason/Dixon Line. Bitter and proud yankees never forget past squabbles.
No good blue belly’s! We whooped um Josie…
Here is the full schedule: https://www.up.com/about-us/history/steam/schedule