How much land did Leland Stanford and Thomas Durant receive to build the Transcontinental Railroad?

Leland Stanford and Thomas Durant, key figures in the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad, received significant land grants as part of the project. The Pacific Railroad Act of 1862 provided them with approximately 12,800 acres of land for every mile of track laid. In total, the Central Pacific Railroad, which Stanford was associated with, received around 8 million acres, while the Union Pacific Railroad, linked to Durant, received about 20 million acres in land grants. This land was intended to promote settlement and development along the route of the railroad.