Would it work?
 

I'm trying to find a bike for a Trans America this summer and was wondering if a road bike would be expectable as opposed to a touring bike.

I'm a poor college student so price is defiantly an issue as well as the fact that I'll need this bike after the trip as a main source of transportation. What bikes are out there? Would a Schwinn Fastback Sport work? If you've done this trip, what kind of bike did you use?

Put the widest tires on it that you can.
How are you going to carry your stuff?
Problem with a road bike is often getting racks on.
Compare the cost of a trailer to racks & panniers.
A trailer might work better for you - even though I personally prefer panniers.
I've seen people crossing the USA on 3-speeds.

Salto,
You need to decide how you are going to tour across. If you plan to camp out and carry a lot of stuff associated with cooking and camping then get a bike that is compatible with both front and rear panniers.
I tour with a road bike using only rear panniers and it works great. But then I don't carry much stuff.

Sounds like you haven't picked up a bike yet? Yes, you can tour on anything as jamawani says. Just make sure you've figured out the load-carrying issues, and that the bike is well-overhauled before you leave.

I'm in the same area (Vancouver WA). We have a great resource here for used bikes and wheels etc.: Sellwood Cycles. They have a lot of used bikes on their website and in the store, including touring bikes. Usually a couple touring bikes a month, but some things move in less than a week. Right now there's a Kona Sutra 52cm and even a BOB trailer.

I'm not associated with them, never even bought from them. It's just that there aren't many choices for used touring bikes other than eBay, and I'd be leery about buying sight unseen. Sellwood is usually one of the top-rated bike shops in the Portland area for knowledge, so it's worth checking out.

If you don't have a bike yet, it'd be a good idea to find a 'real' touring bike for a cross-country trip. They're ideal for commuting, too. If you already have a road bike, you can generally adapt it for little cost, although it won't be ideal.

-- Mark

i don't know about buying from them remotely, but sellwood cycles is seconded for a really great bike shop. i used to live around there and they were phenomenal people.

+2!!

That's my local shop and they are great. They move a lot of used bikes through the shop, so if you tell 'em what you're looking for and what your price range is, my bet is that they could locate something within a few weeks.