How did the growth of railroads affect people's everyday lives?

It allowed the economy to improve greatly, creating a high-speed method of transporting mass amounts of products across great distances. It opened up more jobs for people, stimulating the economy, and created and improved industries, such as coal, steel, and lumber.

(Please note that Harriet Tubman did not use a railroad for the transportation of slaves. It is a common misconception; she used a series of underground tunnels that the slaves themselves called the Underground Railroad)