Theodore Judah

Theodore Judah (March 4, 1826 - November 2, 1863) was an American engineer who dreamed of the First Transcontinental Railroad.

Related Topics:
March 4 - 1826 - November 2 - 1863 - Engineer - First Transcontinental Railroad

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He was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Judah studied engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute after his family moved to Troy, New York.

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Theodore Judah was known as "Crazy Judah" because of his single-minded passion for driving a railroad through the wall of mountains known as the Sierra Nevada. As the chief engineer of the Central Pacific Railroad, he surveyed the route over the Sierra Nevadas along which the railroad was eventually built during the 1860's.

Related Topics:
Sierra Nevada - Central Pacific Railroad - Sierra Nevadas

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Theodore died of Yellow Fever (Panama Fever, as it was also known) while taking a boat trip with his wife back to the east coast of the United States to gather more financing for the Central Pacific Railroad.

Related Topics:
Yellow Fever - United States - Central Pacific Railroad

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The CP named one of its steam locomotives after Judah, and a memorial plaque dedicated to him currently stands in Folsom, California.

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