The History Of The Advance And Growth Of American Railroads Is An Episode In The Saga Of A People's Restless Urge To Explore And To Move On. Heeding That Urge, These People Expanded Into The Far Corners Of The North American Continent, Moving As Slow Or As Fast As Their Means Of Transportation Allowed. This Movement Began In Earnest Only After The Railroad's Steel Web Was Spun From Coast-to-coast. Once The Rail System Was Established, The Great Construction Gangs Began To Settle Down And Maintain That Which They Had Built. But, While The Robber Barons Of The Early Railroads Amassed Great Fortunes, Their Employees Worked From Dawn To Dusk For Pennies A Day Without Insurance, Vacations Or Means Of Support After Years Of Hard Work. It Was These Conditions That Inspired Early Rail Workers To Organize Collectively And Form Unions To Protect Their Common Interests.