The Civil War is past, but former Confederate soldier Cullen Bohannon can't put it behind him. Fresh are the memories of the death of his wife, killed at the hands of Union soldiers, an act that sets him on a course of revenge.

Cullen Bohannon, a former soldier and slaveholder, follows the track of a band of Union soldiers, the killers of his wife. This brings him to the middle of one of the biggest projects in US history, the building of the transcontinental railroad. After the war years in the 1860s, this undertaking connected the prospering east with the still wild west.—cc ardbeg

The show introduces real characters such as Thomas Durant, who was responsible for building the railroad from east to west. Bohannon may be the main character, but his adventures are cleverly woven amid real historical events and issues. There were hostilities among whites and recently freed slaves working on the rail line. There were also difficulties with the Irish crews, who weren't considered to be too much better, during those times. Of course there were also conflicts with Indians, who resented the crossing of their territory with total disregard of their sacred places. And of course there are difficulties with the building of the railroad itself, weather problems, difficult terrain, cheating officials, and late payrolls. Also shows the difficult lives of women in the era.—b gibson

The Civil War is over but for former confederate soldier Cullen Bohannon it's far from over. He's determined to get revenge on the Union soldiers who killed his wife. His mission brings him to the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. He soon lands a job in a construction crew, a job that's filled with danger.—grantss