After the Civil War, railroad construction took off at a rapid pace. In the twenty-five years between 1865 and 1890, the number of miles of railroad tracks in the United States increased from 35,000 to 200,000. The enormous increase in the number of railroad tracks boosted the American economy. The agricultural economy was greatly boosted by the expansion of the railroad system, which became one of the primary and most efficient means of transporting farmers' products. This has been particularly useful for farms located in remote areas. The expanded rail system allowed farmers to produce more crops due to the larger potential shipping sites that became available. It also made products such as corn and grains available in places where these crops were not produced. This has made things that were once a luxury in some areas a commonplace item. The rise of the railroad also benefited the economies of towns with railroads passing through it. This helped the city import and export goods, allowing better products to be produced and shipped more quickly to more people and businesses. More potential customers led to larger factories and businesses, which led to more job opportunities. These cities also generated more people arriving by train, giving people a quicker way to travel to visit family and take trips. In some ways, the railroad system made the United States seem much smaller than it had been before the Civil War. Another way the railroad system changed America was the way people went about their daily lives. Before train arrival and departure times, the concept of time was not as important. However, eventually people got into the habit of collecting their belongings, meeting people or boarding the train at certain times. As distance became less important, time became more important. It is this conception of time that has been transmitted to the present day. We're oriented around times and dates, from airline departures and arrivals to work schedules to social events. We no longer think of the world as a big place that takes a long time to move from one place to another, but rather as the time we will be there. Today, people can take more trips for pleasure, to see friends and relatives who live far away, more often, thanks to the fast travel options we now have. This was not possible in the past.