That is the big question and the issue here along with politicians and other government employees getting profitable insider knowledge in return for funding private enterprise with public moneys and sculpting policy to favor the connected (and generous). Not who makes a better case for deserving the spoils of government largess.
I'd rather see private companies do the job but if the government felt there was a security advantage and an economic advantage for the country to quickly get the railroads across the country maybe they had a point.
That is the big question and the issue here along with politicians and other government employees getting profitable insider knowledge in return for funding private enterprise with public moneys and sculpting policy to favor the connected (and generous). Not who makes a better case for deserving the spoils of government largess.
Hard to say. It's natural that those that were already in the business would know the best way to do it and would've positioned themselves to do this great undertaking. It's also natural that there would've been people who fought to get this great undertaking on their land. After all, states still vie for these kinds of projects, it brings in revenue. Some states make a better case than others and win. Thoses that know the business are more likely to position themselves to win.