Final answer:
Asa Whitney asked Congress to support the building of a transcontinental railroad in 1845. His proposal was a precursor to the later federal actions that led to the construction of the nation's first transcontinental railroad by the Pacific Railway Act of 1862.
Step-by-step explanation:
Asa Whitney presented his proposal for a transcontinental railroad to Congress in 1845. This occurred well before the passage of the Pacific Railway Act in 1862, which authorized federal support for the construction of the nation's first transcontinental railroad.
As a merchant in the China trade, Whitney was acutely aware of the potential benefits a transcontinental railroad could provide to the American economy, especially in terms of trade. Although his efforts were initially unsuccessful, they paved the way for later federal actions that helped to unite the nation by rail. His plan was visionary, as he foresaw the improvement of the nation's economic capacity and the fostering of Western expansion by making rail transportation more accessible and efficient.
The approval of the Pacific Railway Act during the Civil War evidences the eventual national recognition of the importance of railroads for military logistics and overall unification. Whitney's early advocacy for the transcontinental railroad reflects a broader era of nationwide aspiration to expand and improve transportation infrastructure.