Courtesy of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Representatives of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroad companies celebrate completion of the first transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869, with a golden spike ceremony in Promontory Summit, Utah.
May 10 marks National Train Day, the anniversary of the creation of the nation’s first transcontinental railroad. On May 10, 1869, in Promontory Summit, Utah Territory, a golden spike was driven into the final wooden tie that joined 1,776 miles of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads, forever transforming the face and character of America. Amtrak, the nation’s largest passenger rail service, launched National Train Day beginning in 2008 to educate people about the history of trains in the United States and to promote the advantages of rail travel. Events are held at train stations, museums and communities across the nation.
