Railroad Development

The federal government gave land and made loans to the railroad companies. Why was the government so eager to promote the growth of railroads?
The government was so eager to promote the growth of railroads because they wanted more than anything to settle the West to develop the country, and railroads made it possible for this. While the railroads kept increasing so did the industries and business (iron, coal, glass, steal, and lumber industries) because the railroads demanded these resources to be built. The railroads had also linked previous isolated cities, towns, and settlements. The rapid grown of these railroads helped make new markets, and the growth of towns which is exactly what the government wanted.