Phileas Fogg and His Party Travel by Pacific Railroad

“From ocean to ocean”—so say the Americans; and these four words compose the general designation of the “great trunk line” which crosses the entire width of the United States. The Pacific Railroad is, however, really divided into two distinct lines: the Central Pacific, between San Francisco and Ogden, and the Union Pacific, between Ogden and Omaha. Five main lines connect Omaha with New York.

“From ocean to ocean,” as Americans say. These four words are the general name for the “great trunk line” that crosses the entire width of the United States. The Pacific Railroad, however, is actually divided into two distinct lines. The Central Pacific runs between San Francisco and Ogden, and the Union Pacific runs between Ogden and Omaha. Five main lines connect Omaha with New York.

New York and San Francisco are thus united by an uninterrupted metal ribbon, which measures no less than three thousand seven hundred and eighty-six miles. Between Omaha and the Pacific the railway crosses a territory which is still infested by Indians and wild beasts, and a large tract which the Mormons, after they were driven from Illinois in 1845, began to colonise.

New York and San Francisco are thus connected by an unbroken ribbon of railway, no less than 3,786 miles long. Between Omaha and the Pacific, the railway crosses territory still infested with Indians and wild beasts. It also crosses a large area that the Mormons began to colonize after they were driven from Illinois in 1845.

The journey from New York to San Francisco consumed, formerly, under the most favourable conditions, at least six months. It is now accomplished in seven days.

In the past, the journey from New York to San Francisco took at least six months, even under the best conditions. Now the journey takes seven days.

It was in 1862 that, in spite of the Southern Members of Congress, who wished a more southerly route, it was decided to lay the road between the forty-first and forty-second parallels. President Lincoln himself fixed the end of the line at Omaha, in Nebraska. The work was at once commenced, and pursued with true American energy; nor did the rapidity with which it went on injuriously affect its good execution. The road grew, on the prairies, a mile and a half a day. A locomotive, running on the rails laid down the evening before, brought the rails to be laid on the morrow, and advanced upon them as fast as they were put in position.

In 1862, it was decided to build the railroad between the forty-first and forty-second parallels. Southern members of Congress had opposed the decision, wanting a more southerly route. President Lincoln himself chose Omaha, in Nebraska, as the end of the line. Work began at once and continued with true American energy. Despite the speed of construction, the work was well done. Across the prairies, the railroad grew by a mile and a half a day. A locomotive ran on the rails laid the previous evening, bringing rails for the next day. It moved forward on the new rails as quickly as they were put in place.

The Pacific Railroad is joined by several branches in Iowa, Kansas, Colorado, and Oregon. On leaving Omaha, it passes along the left bank of the Platte River as far as the junction of its northern branch, follows its southern branch, crosses the Laramie territory and the Wahsatch Mountains, turns the Great Salt Lake, and reaches Salt Lake City, the Mormon capital, plunges into the Tuilla Valley, across the American Desert, Cedar and Humboldt Mountains, the Sierra Nevada, and descends, viâ Sacramento, to the Pacific—its grade, even on the Rocky Mountains, never exceeding one hundred and twelve feet to the mile.

Several branch lines in Iowa, Kansas, Colorado, and Oregon connect to the Pacific Railroad. Leaving Omaha, the railroad runs along the left bank of the Platte River to the junction with its northern branch. It then follows the southern branch, crosses the Laramie territory and the Wahsatch Mountains, and goes around the Great Salt Lake. It reaches Salt Lake City, the Mormon capital, then plunges into the Tuilla Valley. From there, it crosses the American Desert, the Cedar and Humboldt Mountains, and the Sierra Nevada. It descends through Sacramento to the Pacific. Even in the Rocky Mountains, the railroad’s grade never exceeds one hundred and twelve feet per mile.

Such was the road to be traversed in seven days, which would enable Phileas Fogg—at least, so he hoped—to take the Atlantic steamer at New York on the 11th for Liverpool.

That was the route Phileas Fogg had to travel in seven days. He hoped this would allow him to catch the Atlantic steamer from New York to Liverpool on the 11th.

The car which he occupied was a sort of long omnibus on eight wheels, and with no compartments in the interior. It was supplied with two rows of seats, perpendicular to the direction of the train on either side of an aisle which conducted to the front and rear platforms. These platforms were found throughout the train, and the passengers were able to pass from one end of the train to the other. It was supplied with saloon cars, balcony cars, restaurants, and smoking-cars; theatre cars alone were wanting, and they will have these some day.

The car he was riding in was like a long bus on eight wheels, with no separate compartments inside. Two rows of seats faced across the train, one on each side of an aisle. The aisle led to platforms at the front and rear of the car. Every car had these platforms, so passengers could walk from one end of the train to the other. The train had lounge cars, balcony cars, restaurants, and smoking cars. Only theater cars were missing, and they will have those someday.

Book and news dealers, sellers of edibles, drinkables, and cigars, who seemed to have plenty of customers, were continually circulating in the aisles.

Sellers of books, newspapers, food, drinks, and cigars moved constantly through the aisles. They seemed to have plenty of customers.

The train left Oakland station at six o’clock. It was already night, cold and cheerless, the heavens being overcast with clouds which seemed to threaten snow. The train did not proceed rapidly; counting the stoppages, it did not run more than twenty miles an hour, which was a sufficient speed, however, to enable it to reach Omaha within its designated time.

The train left Oakland station at six o’clock. It was already night, cold and dreary. Clouds covered the sky and seemed to promise snow. The train did not travel quickly. Including stops, it averaged no more than twenty miles an hour. Even so, that was fast enough to reach Omaha on schedule.

There was but little conversation in the car, and soon many of the passengers were overcome with sleep. Passepartout found himself beside the detective; but he did not talk to him. After recent events, their relations with each other had grown somewhat cold; there could no longer be mutual sympathy or intimacy between them. Fix’s manner had not changed; but Passepartout was very reserved, and ready to strangle his former friend on the slightest provocation.

There was little conversation in the train car, and soon many passengers fell asleep. Passepartout found himself sitting beside the detective, but he did not talk to him. After recent events, their relationship had grown somewhat cold. They could no longer feel sympathy or closeness toward each other. Fix’s manner had not changed, but Passepartout was very reserved. He was ready to strangle his former friend at the slightest provocation.

Snow began to fall an hour after they started, a fine snow, however, which happily could not obstruct the train; nothing could be seen from the windows but a vast, white sheet, against which the smoke of the locomotive had a greyish aspect.

Snow began to fall an hour after they started. Fortunately, the snow was fine and could not block the train. From the windows, they could see nothing but a vast white sheet. Against it, the locomotive’s smoke looked gray.

At eight o’clock a steward entered the car and announced that the time for going to bed had arrived; and in a few minutes the car was transformed into a dormitory. The backs of the seats were thrown back, bedsteads carefully packed were rolled out by an ingenious system, berths were suddenly improvised, and each traveller had soon at his disposition a comfortable bed, protected from curious eyes by thick curtains. The sheets were clean and the pillows soft. It only remained to go to bed and sleep which everybody did—while the train sped on across the State of California.

At eight o’clock, a steward entered the car and announced that it was time for bed. Within minutes, the car was turned into a sleeping room. The seat backs were lowered, and carefully packed bed frames were rolled out by a clever system. Berths were quickly made up, and each traveler soon had a comfortable bed, screened from curious eyes by thick curtains. The sheets were clean and the pillows soft. All that remained was to go to bed and sleep. Everyone did so while the train sped across the State of California.

The country between San Francisco and Sacramento is not very hilly. The Central Pacific, taking Sacramento for its starting-point, extends eastward to meet the road from Omaha. The line from San Francisco to Sacramento runs in a north-easterly direction, along the American River, which empties into San Pablo Bay. The one hundred and twenty miles between these cities were accomplished in six hours, and towards midnight, while fast asleep, the travellers passed through Sacramento; so that they saw nothing of that important place, the seat of the State government, with its fine quays, its broad streets, its noble hotels, squares, and churches.

The country between San Francisco and Sacramento is not very hilly. The Central Pacific starts in Sacramento and runs east to meet the railroad from Omaha. The line from San Francisco to Sacramento runs northeast along the American River, which flows into San Pablo Bay. The train covered the 120 miles between the cities in six hours. Around midnight, the travelers passed through Sacramento while they were fast asleep. So they saw nothing of that important city, the seat of the State government, with its fine quays, broad streets, grand hotels, squares, and churches.

The train, on leaving Sacramento, and passing the junction, Roclin, Auburn, and Colfax, entered the range of the Sierra Nevada. ’Cisco was reached at seven in the morning; and an hour later the dormitory was transformed into an ordinary car, and the travellers could observe the picturesque beauties of the mountain region through which they were steaming. The railway track wound in and out among the passes, now approaching the mountain-sides, now suspended over precipices, avoiding abrupt angles by bold curves, plunging into narrow defiles, which seemed to have no outlet. The locomotive, its great funnel emitting a weird light, with its sharp bell, and its cow-catcher extended like a spur, mingled its shrieks and bellowings with the noise of torrents and cascades, and twined its smoke among the branches of the gigantic pines.

After leaving Sacramento, the train passed the junction, Roclin, Auburn, and Colfax, and entered the Sierra Nevada range. It reached ’Cisco at seven in the morning. An hour later, the sleeping car was converted into an ordinary passenger car. The travelers could then see the picturesque mountain scenery they were passing through. The tracks wound through the mountain passes, sometimes running close to the slopes and sometimes hanging over cliffs. Bold curves avoided sharp turns, and the tracks plunged into narrow gorges that seemed to have no exit. The locomotive’s great funnel cast an eerie light. Its bell rang sharply, and its cowcatcher jutted out like a spur. Its shrieks and bellows mingled with the roar of torrents and waterfalls, while its smoke curled among the branches of giant pines.

There were few or no bridges or tunnels on the route. The railway turned around the sides of the mountains, and did not attempt to violate nature by taking the shortest cut from one point to another.

There were few, if any, bridges or tunnels along the route. The railway wound around the mountainsides. It did not try to violate nature by taking the shortest route from one point to another.

The train entered the State of Nevada through the Carson Valley about nine o’clock, going always northeasterly; and at midday reached Reno, where there was a delay of twenty minutes for breakfast.

The train entered Nevada through the Carson Valley at about nine o’clock, continuing northeast. At midday, it reached Reno, where it stopped for twenty minutes for breakfast.

From this point the road, running along Humboldt River, passed northward for several miles by its banks; then it turned eastward, and kept by the river until it reached the Humboldt Range, nearly at the extreme eastern limit of Nevada.

From this point, the road followed the banks of the Humboldt River north for several miles. Then it turned east and stayed alongside the river until it reached the Humboldt Range, near Nevada's easternmost edge.

Having breakfasted, Mr. Fogg and his companions resumed their places in the car, and observed the varied landscape which unfolded itself as they passed along the vast prairies, the mountains lining the horizon, and the creeks, with their frothy, foaming streams. Sometimes a great herd of buffaloes, massing together in the distance, seemed like a moveable dam. These innumerable multitudes of ruminating beasts often form an insurmountable obstacle to the passage of the trains; thousands of them have been seen passing over the track for hours together, in compact ranks. The locomotive is then forced to stop and wait till the road is once more clear.

After breakfast, Mr. Fogg and his companions returned to their seats in the train car. They watched the changing landscape as they traveled across the vast prairies. Mountains lined the horizon, and frothy, foaming streams ran through the creeks. Sometimes a great herd of buffaloes gathered in the distance, looking like a moving dam. These countless herds of grazing animals often form a barrier that trains cannot pass. Thousands have been seen crossing the tracks in tightly packed ranks for hours. When this happens, the locomotive must stop and wait until the tracks are clear again.

This happened, indeed, to the train in which Mr. Fogg was travelling. About twelve o’clock a troop of ten or twelve thousand head of buffalo encumbered the track. The locomotive, slackening its speed, tried to clear the way with its cow-catcher; but the mass of animals was too great. The buffaloes marched along with a tranquil gait, uttering now and then deafening bellowings. There was no use of interrupting them, for, having taken a particular direction, nothing can moderate and change their course; it is a torrent of living flesh which no dam could contain.

This is exactly what happened to the train carrying Mr. Fogg. Around twelve o’clock, a herd of ten or twelve thousand buffalo blocked the track. The locomotive slowed down and tried to clear a path with its cowcatcher. But there were too many animals. The buffalo walked along calmly, bellowing deafeningly from time to time. There was no point in trying to stop them. Once buffalo have chosen a direction, nothing can slow them down or change their course. They are a torrent of living flesh that no dam could contain.

The travellers gazed on this curious spectacle from the platforms; but Phileas Fogg, who had the most reason of all to be in a hurry, remained in his seat, and waited philosophically until it should please the buffaloes to get out of the way.

The travelers watched this curious sight from the platforms. But Phileas Fogg, who had the most reason of all to hurry, stayed in his seat. He waited calmly for the buffaloes to decide to get out of the way.

Passepartout was furious at the delay they occasioned, and longed to discharge his arsenal of revolvers upon them.

Passepartout was furious at the delay they caused and wanted to fire all his revolvers at them.

“What a country!” cried he. “Mere cattle stop the trains, and go by in a procession, just as if they were not impeding travel! Parbleu! I should like to know if Mr. Fogg foresaw this mishap in his programme! And here’s an engineer who doesn’t dare to run the locomotive into this herd of beasts!”

“What a country!” he cried. “Cattle stop the trains and walk past in a procession, as if they weren’t holding up travel! Good grief! I wonder if Mr. Fogg anticipated this mishap in his plan! And here’s an engineer who doesn’t dare drive the locomotive into this herd of beasts!”

The engineer did not try to overcome the obstacle, and he was wise. He would have crushed the first buffaloes, no doubt, with the cow-catcher; but the locomotive, however powerful, would soon have been checked, the train would inevitably have been thrown off the track, and would then have been helpless.

The engineer wisely chose not to try to force his way through. The cowcatcher would no doubt have crushed the first buffaloes. But however powerful the locomotive was, the buffaloes would soon have stopped it. The train would inevitably have been thrown off the tracks and left helpless.

The best course was to wait patiently, and regain the lost time by greater speed when the obstacle was removed. The procession of buffaloes lasted three full hours, and it was night before the track was clear. The last ranks of the herd were now passing over the rails, while the first had already disappeared below the southern horizon.

The best course was to wait patiently and make up for lost time by traveling faster once the obstacle was gone. The buffalo herd took three full hours to pass, and it was night before the track was clear. The last buffaloes were crossing the rails while the first had already disappeared beyond the southern horizon.

It was eight o’clock when the train passed through the defiles of the Humboldt Range, and half-past nine when it penetrated Utah, the region of the Great Salt Lake, the singular colony of the Mormons.

At eight o’clock, the train passed through the narrow passes of the Humboldt Range. At half past nine, it entered Utah, the region of the Great Salt Lake and the unusual Mormon colony.