"Choo" "Choo" Change

I had success in the steamboat business but now railroads were beginning to develop more across the United States.  From 1862 to 1864 I sold most of my steamboats to the Union government.  By this time I had made $40,000,000.

I took the opportunity to purchase railroads in New York.  I became director of the Railroad in 1857 after buying many shares.  I owned both the New York railroads and Harlem.  What made the Harlem RR so valuable was that it was the only railroad that entered Manhattan from North and East.  The Hudson Rover Railroad was built in 1851.  It stretched from the Hudson River all the way to Albany.  My supporters took over the Hudson board of directors and I became president in 1865.  After I built a wooden truss bridge over Hudson River, Hudson RR and Harlem RR used the New York Central station.  But in the summer, the New York Central stopped using the Hudson so I bought NYC stocks and helped Erastus Corning to become President of New York Central.  But later the New York Central would go under because of the heavy competitiveness.  In 1867 New York Central stockholders elected me as President and I was able to hand pick the board of directors.  In the end I expanded my railroad westward and owned the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, the Michigan Southern Railroad, the Canada Southern Railway, and the Michigan Central Railroad.  I also extended to Chicago according to the advice of my son William.