Transcontinental Railroad Turns 150
Posted on May 9th, 2019 by Mary Lord
The driving of the last spike of the Transcontinental Railroad on May 10, 1863, capped more than a century of engineering triumph and human tragedy. Teach your students about the historical impact of engineering and technology on society with these activities and resources designed to mark the anniversary of that fateful meeting of two steam locomotives at Promontory, Utah, 150 years ago.
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Students in grades 4 to 8 or higher learn the basics of electricity and sound by designing and building a working telegraph system using batteries, wire, and other simple parts. They then use their telegraphs – one of history’s most important inventions – to send and receive messages.
Engineers and entrepreneurs aim to turn a century-old concept into a network of vacuum-tube trains that propel passengers as fast as jets. 
It takes host cities a lot of time, money, and engineering to prepare for the Olympics, and Sochi, the Russian seaside resort that will welcome athletes and fans from around the world this February, is no exception. Along with luge runs and ice arenas, the area’s 218 Olympic projects include a new high-speed rail and seaport.
