Cornelius' impact socially and economically.

He was a highly competitive businessman who had sharp powers of judgement. First on the nation's waterways, he managed to lower prices and improve quality. Then he did the same on land. Today, people still use his railroad lines and stations that were built over 100 years ago, but the steamships are no longer reliable. During the U.S. Civil War, Vanderbilt donated his largest and fastest steamship, built around 1 million dollars, to the Union Navy. It was used to chase down Confederate raiders.

                                   
                                                       Railroad lines still being used today!


                                    
                                                              Fall River Line Steamship