America’s industrial boom would have been unthinkable without the railroads. It was only possible to open up this huge country by transporting the necessary materials over long distances.

The industrial development of North America is therefore synonymous with the expansion of the railroad networks of individual companies, many of which were founded at the time with the help of investors who put up the necessary capital.

Names such as Cornelius Vanderbilt and Charles Morgan bear witness to this period, but the financing of the railroad was not the only thing these investors had in mind. The most important goal of all was to make as much profit as possible.