Sunstone's latest podcast episode examines the arrival of the transcontinental railroad in Utah Territory, exploring how Brigham Young initially wanted the railroad but came to see it as a threat to Mormon isolation. Hosts Lindsay Hansen Park and Bryan Buchanan detail the chaotic period.

The episode covers unpaid Mormon laborers, corporate conflicts, ZCMI boycotts organized by Young, excommunications related to railroad commerce, and the Church's attempts to control economic interaction with non-Mormon railroad workers. Chinese laborers who worked alongside Mormon crews also feature in the narrative.

The podcast argues Young's shifting position on the railroad — from eager advocate to fierce defender against its cultural influence — reveals fundamental tensions in building a religious kingdom while engaging with American expansion.