how were americans influenced by the growth of railroads during the second indusrial revolution? responses railroads stimulated the construction of steamships to trade up and dow rivers railroads stimulated the construction of steamships to trade up and dow rivers railroads caused cotton, rice and wheat production to move from the southeast to the west coast railroads caused cotton, rice and wheat production to move from the southeast to the west coast railroads led to shortages of raw materials for factories and of workers on farms railroads led to shortages of raw materials for factories and of workers on farms railroads created time zones, the growth of cities, and the first national market