What did the government give to the railroad to build the transcontinental railroad?

To facilitate the construction of the transcontinental railroad, the U.S. government provided significant incentives, including land grants and financial support. The Pacific Railway Act of 1862 granted large tracts of land to railroad companies, allowing them to sell or develop the land to fund construction. Additionally, the government offered loans and subsidies to help cover the costs of building the railway, ultimately enabling the completion of this monumental infrastructure project.