- Cullen Bohannan: If that's how God goes about his business, he can keep 'em.
- Sean McGinnes: Keep God?
- Mickey McGinnes: Do you not believe in a higher power?
- Cullen Bohannan: Yes sir, I wear it on my hip.
- [shows his gun]
- [last lines]
- Thomas 'Doc' Durant: [drinking alone] Is it a villain you want? I'll play the part. After all, what is a drama without a villain? And what is the building of this grand road if not a drama? This business is not for the weak of heart. It's a thorny, brutal affair, that rewards the lion for his ferocity. What of the zebra? What of the poor zebra? Well, the zebra's eaten, as the zebra should be. Make no mistake, blood will be spilt, lives will be lost. Fortunes will be made, men will be ruined. There will be betrayal, scandal, and perfidy of epic proportions. But, the lion shall prevail. You see, the secret I know is this: all of history is driven by the lion. We drag the poor zebra, kicking and braying, staining the earth with its cheap blood. History doesn't remember us fondly. But then history is written by the zebra, for the zebra.
- Thomas 'Doc' Durant: One hundred years hence, when this railroad spans the continent, and America rises to be the greatest power the world has seen, *I* will be remembered a caitiff, a malefactor, who only operated out of greed for personal gain. All true, all true. But remember this: without me and men like me, your glorious railroad would never be built.
- Senator Jordan Crane: So you'll be paying yourself to build a railroad with government subsidies.
- Thomas 'Doc' Durant: Now that, my friend, is inspirational.
- Sean McGinnes: Do you not pine for your own homeland, Mr. Bohannan?
- Cullen Bohannan: Nah.
- Sean McGinnes: And why is that?
- Cullen Bohannan: It's gone.
- [first lines]
- Priest's Voice: Unburden yourself, my son.
- Union Soldier: I was with General Sherman on his march south. What we did... evil, unspeakable things.
- Priest's Voice: You were a soldier. You were following orders.
- Union Soldier: No. They were not just orders. We opened a dark door, and the Devil stepped in.
- Sean McGinnes: Mickey has twelve toes.
- Mickey McGinnes: Sean's got eight.
- Sean McGinnes: Individually, we're freaks.
- Mickey McGinnes: Put together, we're whole.
- Town Sign: Hell on Wheels. Population: One less every day.