Were the Railroads a good thing in the 19th century and in the Western United States?

When the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific met at Promontory, Utah it was a real innovation in transportation, to the west, no longer would people have to travel by horse, covered wagon, foot, or handcart. remember what happened to the Donner Party and the Willy and Martin handcart companies. The railroads fixed that. When I was in junior high kids mocked me for being a rail buff. I tried to tell them that the trains are good. So are they more economical than cars?