- Cullen Bohannan: I ain't lying to the President of the United States.
- Collis Huntington: What's good for the railroad is good for America. We are patriots, Mr. Bohannon!
- Collis Huntington: You fancy yourself a railroad man. Minute you accepted a stake in the Central Pacific, you became a tycoon. And a tycoon always chooses the win. No matter how he comes by it.
- Cullen Bohannan: Pretty goddamn sure of yourself, ain't you?
- Collis Huntington: I am. It's a well that replenishes.
- Brigham Young: Not long ago, I received a telegram from you inquiring about the Hatchites. I responded that I didn't know their location. I did. And I do. I know exactly where they are. And you know exactly what I need from you.
- Cullen Bohannan: Them gold plates teach you to lie like that, or was you just born a son-of-a-bitch?
- Brigham Young: Heavenly Father looks out for me, Mr. Bohannon, as I am attempting to look out for you. Let my good fortune be yours, and you shall be reunited with your loved ones.
- Cullen Bohannan: Not like that.
- [walks off]
- Cullen Bohannan: You sound like a politician. I never pictured you as one.
- President Grant: Never pictured it myself. The last morning I have a clear memory of is in Appomattox Court House. Yesterday I was watching Robert E. Lee surrender. Today I'm sitting behind a desk in the White House. You know, sometimes you can't avoid the thing you want most, even if getting it is detestable. As much as I pretend I hate it, the detestable thing I want is power, and power means politics.
- Thomas 'Doc' Durant: I was hoping for more of a fight from you.
- Cullen Bohannan: You've been an advocate of mine, Doc, but if you aim to beat me, you should've ended this race where you stood a chance of winning it... Right here in this room. The race we start tomorrow will be decided in the mud. Hell, I've... I was born in the mud. Tore a farm out of that mud. Built an army out of more mud.
- Thomas 'Doc' Durant: Failure stacked atop failure.