Train Doctor is the story of Roger Senior's career in the railway industry, from 1968 when the author joined British Railways, until his retirement from Great North Eastern Railway. The book takes you from the 1970?s period, with its first generation Diesels, through to privatisation in 1994...  more

Train Doctor is the story of Roger Senior's career in the railway industry, from 1968 when the author joined British Railways, until his retirement from Great North Eastern Railway. The book takes you from the 1970?s period, with its first generation Diesels, through to privatisation in 1994 and the electrified East Coast main line. This will be of interest to enthusiasts and modern railway historians, with its inside look at the railway industry during a time of considerable change. The author began his career with first generation diesel classes, on the Eastern Region, of what was then British Railways and went on to work with the High Speed Train Fleet, when they were first introduced to main line service, in the 1970s. This is a story of troubleshooting, with many different types of modern traction over a period of twenty-five years, an insight in to the trials and tribulations of keeping the railway running, in all weathers and at all costs. Roger Senior later worked with electric traction, both before and after privatisation, on the East Coast main line, finishing his career with Great North Eastern Railway as the Resident Engineer for the refurbishment of the MK1V fleet known as the ?Mallard? project.

All styles, all vintages and all colors of the unique little cars that bring up the rear! For more than 100 years, the caboose has been a part of the railroad scene. Mike Schafer offers this full-color gallery filled with caboose history and development, plus interior and exterior design...  more

All styles, all vintages and all colors of the unique little cars that bring up the rear! For more than 100 years, the caboose has been a part of the railroad scene. Mike Schafer offers this full-color gallery filled with caboose history and development, plus interior and exterior design details, and discussion of the life of a railroad conductor who lives in cabooses. Tells of the ultimate demise of the caboose and its uses after retiring from the tracks.

Surveys the one hundred sixty years of America's railroads, tracing their economic and social importance and arguing the continuing need for nationwide passenger service.

The era of the steam locomotive is over, but in its 150-year life it was the instrument of the enormous changes which transformed the economic face of the world,. Today, the steam locomotive continues to stimulate excitement and enthusiasm, much as it did in 1829, when 10,000 spectators saw...  more

The era of the steam locomotive is over, but in its 150-year life it was the instrument of the enormous changes which transformed the economic face of the world,. Today, the steam locomotive continues to stimulate excitement and enthusiasm, much as it did in 1829, when 10,000 spectators saw Stephenson's Rocket triumph at the Rainhill trials.

This pictorial history is only the second of its kind to trace the 30-plus-year history of Amtrak, beginning with a look at the rise and fall of privately run passenger train service followed by a look at Amtrak’s infant stage from 1971 through 1976. Also examined is the period from 1976 to...  more

This pictorial history is only the second of its kind to trace the 30-plus-year history of Amtrak, beginning with a look at the rise and fall of privately run passenger train service followed by a look at Amtrak’s infant stage from 1971 through 1976. Also examined is the period from 1976 to 1991, when Amtrak finally established an image, buying new equipment and refurbished old and grew its ridership despite a severely limited budget. Modern and period color photos illustrate such aspects of Amtrak as its motive power, including the high-speed Acela Express; its diverse array of rolling stock and equipment, famous long-distance trains past and present; short-haul corridors. Against all odds, the passenger train survives in the United States. The formation of Amtrak in 1971 heralded the end of privately operated passenger train service and ushered in an era of intercity train travel financed on a budget that has vacillated between the virtually non-existent and the barely adequate. • The only extant pictorial history of America's only passenger rail network • Amtrak ridership in 2001 topped 24 million, the highest in its history • Passenger rail travel may be a concept whose time has come in this country, considering the woeful state of the airline industry and the efforts of prominent belt way politicians like Tom Harkin to make Amtrak a viable national passenger railway

In the summer of 2000, David Haward Bain and his family left their home in Vermont and headed west in search of America’s past. From Omaha to San Francisco, Bain and his family retraced the entire route of the first transcontinental railroad. Following abandoned railroad tracks and the...  more

In the summer of 2000, David Haward Bain and his family left their home in Vermont and headed west in search of America’s past. From Omaha to San Francisco, Bain and his family retraced the entire route of the first transcontinental railroad. Following abandoned railroad tracks and the traces of old wagon trails, cruising down back roads and main streets, they discovered the deep, restless, uniquely American spirit of adventure that connects our past to our present. A superb writer and an exacting researcher, Bain conjures up the marvelous sense of coming unstuck in time as he lingers in the ghost towns and battlegrounds, prairies and river ports, train yards, museums, and diners that line the old emigrant routes of the railroad and the Lincoln Highway. As he cruises west to California, Bain encounters a fascinating cast of characters, both historic and contemporary—from Willa Cather to Marlon Brando, from pathfinder John Fre´mont to naturalist Terry Tempest Williams. Here, too, are memories of Bain’s own grandparents and the journeys that shaped his own heritage. Writing in the tradition of William Least Heat-Moon and Ian Frazier, yet with an engaging warmth and a deep grasp of history all his own, Bain has fashioned a quintessentially American journey.

In 1835, there were 175 steam locomotives in service in the United States. By 1900, that number had increased to 37,663. In this newly revised and expanded edition of his classic work, renowned railroad historian John H. White, Jr., chronicles the explosive growth and development of the steam...  more

In 1835, there were 175 steam locomotives in service in the United States. By 1900, that number had increased to 37,663. In this newly revised and expanded edition of his classic work, renowned railroad historian John H. White, Jr., chronicles the explosive growth and development of the steam locomotive in America -- from the first British imports to the New York elevated locomotives of the 1880s -- and adds more than fifty new pages of superb illustrations and text. Beginning with the early era of locomotive design, White describes the background and methods of the first American builders, the special requirements of American railroads, construction materials, locomotive types, performance, and costs. He then turns to the development of individual components: boilers and running gears, headlights and cowcatchers, sandboxes, bells, and whistles. Throughout, remarkably detailed scale drawings -- many reproduced from the original working drawings -- illustrate design features and modifications.For this new edition, White offers eleven new detailed and comprehensive case histories of individual locomotives, beginning with the 1843 La Junta. Each case history provides a wealth of historical background, mechanical information, and engineering analysis. White also includes a special section that updates and annotates the information found in the original edition. This beautifully complete and authoritative history stands as a landmark in its field. Now in a new edition, it will continue to delight railroad enthusiasts, model builders, historians of technology, and anyone with an interest in American railroads. From reviews of the first edition: "An outstanding engineering and publishing masterpiece." -- Journal of American History"The definitive reference work on the technical development of the early locomotive." -- Business History Review"White does a splendid job... through the combined use of narrative and over 230 highly detailed, sharp and clear pictures and drawings." -- Civil War History

In the quarter of a century between 1830 and 1855, the railway locomotive developed from the small sisters of Rocketto the broad gauge monsters of Daniel Gooch, with a boiler pressure nearly three times that of Rocketand weighing in at nearly 40 tons (eight times the weight of Rocket). There...  more

In the quarter of a century between 1830 and 1855, the railway locomotive developed from the small sisters of Rocketto the broad gauge monsters of Daniel Gooch, with a boiler pressure nearly three times that of Rocketand weighing in at nearly 40 tons (eight times the weight of Rocket). There was a marked increase in loads, speeds and reliability as the railways spread across the country from their cradle in the North West, with several thousands of miles of track being laid. In this book, Anthony Dawson charts the rise and development of the steam locomotive in this crucial period in the development of the railways. Drawing on first-hand accounts, and using case studies based on specific classes of locomotive and their working replicas, he charts the development of the locomotive from Rocket, through the Planet and Patentee classes of Robert Stephenson, Edward Bury's "coppernobs" and finally Firefly and Iron Duke on Brunel's broad gauge. This is a fascinating and well-illustrated insight into a period of engineering ingenuity and genius.

The Nevada Northern Railway is the sole survivor from a grand era when railroads served mines throughout the state. Built in 1905-1906 to develop the incredible copper deposits of the Nevada Consolidated Copper Company in White Pine County, it was--and still is--a workaday railroad. Although its...  more

The Nevada Northern Railway is the sole survivor from a grand era when railroads served mines throughout the state. Built in 1905-1906 to develop the incredible copper deposits of the Nevada Consolidated Copper Company in White Pine County, it was--and still is--a workaday railroad. Although its primary purpose was to haul ore, it eventually served the community with a daily passenger train between East Ely and Cobre until 1941. Over 4.5 million people rode the trains, and a mountain of copper ore was moved. In 1983, the Nevada Northern Railway ceased operating, and two years later the entire ore line, including the railroad's yard and shop facilities in East Ely, was donated to the White Pine Historical Railroad Foundation that now operates the railway as a museum. Instead of relics in glass cases or repainted old equipment on static display, the museum preserves a working steam railroad, delighting train enthusiasts year-round with passenger service and special seasonal excursions.

Beautiful, detailed contemporary engravings, widely researched sources. Mostly American domestic engines. Many types: grasshoppers, camel-backs, Moguls, Forneys, plus some famous ones—the General, Reuben Wells, Pennsylvania, more. Best source for a spectacular engine.

The Long Winter is one of the most memorable novels in Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series. It beautifully details the dramatic events of The Hard Winter of 1880-81, a harrowing time with months of never-ending blizzards leading to railroad blockades that all but cut off fledgling...  more

The Long Winter is one of the most memorable novels in Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series. It beautifully details the dramatic events of The Hard Winter of 1880-81, a harrowing time with months of never-ending blizzards leading to railroad blockades that all but cut off fledgling communities. But what really happened that winter? Lively and rewarding, The Beautiful Snow is a new look at The Hard Winter. Pulling from nearly three thousand regional newspaper articles, The Beautiful Snow weaves the historical record around and through Wilder's fictionalized account. From the tireless efforts to dig out the railroad blockades, to lavish oyster parties, to carefully spun boosterism, The Hard Winter comes to life with extraordinary tales of survival, resilience, and defiance that adds rich context to Wilder's beloved novel.

The history of the American West is an epic tale richly accompanied by railroads. From the Illinois prairie to the shores of Oahu, many legendary rail lines are now just dusty trails bereft of their former significance. These abandoned routes show the profound changes that affect the way we...  more

The history of the American West is an epic tale richly accompanied by railroads. From the Illinois prairie to the shores of Oahu, many legendary rail lines are now just dusty trails bereft of their former significance. These abandoned routes show the profound changes that affect the way we travel and conduct business. Through the use of maps, photographs, and a fast-moving narrative, Schwieterman illustrates the circumstances surrounding the rise and fall of rail service in fifty-eight communities distinguished for their notable railroad histories. For each community he provides a chapter describing the controversies, legal battles, and civic initiatives spurred by the abandonment of routes. Drawing on insights of many fellow railroad historians, Schwieterman shows why the legacy of the railroads will be felt for generations to come--a fact evident to readers by comparing a photograph during the glory years and contrasted with a stark remnant today. What emerges is a portrait of an industrial shift that has left an indelible mark on the West’s social, economic, and physical landscape.

With Fast Mail train No. 97 an hour behind schedule, locomotive engineer Steve Broady, according to legend, swore to "put her in Spencer on time" or "put her in Hell." Through eyewitness reports and court testimonies, historian Larry Aaron expertly pieces together the events of September 27,...  more

With Fast Mail train No. 97 an hour behind schedule, locomotive engineer Steve Broady, according to legend, swore to "put her in Spencer on time" or "put her in Hell." Through eyewitness reports and court testimonies, historian Larry Aaron expertly pieces together the events of September 27, 1903, at Danville, Virginia, when the Old 97 plummeted off a forty-five-foot trestle into the ravine below. With more twists and turns than the railroad tracks on which the Old 97 ran, this book chronicles the story of one of the most famous train wrecks in American history, as well as the controversy surrounding "The Wreck of the Old 97," that most famous ballad, which secured the Old 97 a place within the annals of American folklore.

The Southern Pacific Railroad was the second transcontinental line built in America, and the first that was open year-round. Railroads of Western Texas brings to life the days of frontier towns, the open range, and the building of the state of Texas. This part of the state's railroad history...  more

The Southern Pacific Railroad was the second transcontinental line built in America, and the first that was open year-round. Railroads of Western Texas brings to life the days of frontier towns, the open range, and the building of the state of Texas. This part of the state's railroad history includes politicians and movie stars, train wrecks and robberies, shoot-outs and gun-running. Railroads of Western Texas reveals engaging stories of San Antonio and El Paso during their boomtown years. It tells of the creation of communities out of whole cloth including Hondo, Sanderson, Marfa, and Sierra Blanca. Other towns-villages really-blossomed when the iron rails came through: Uvalde, Del Rio, Alpine, Valentine, and Judge Roy Bean's town Langtry (the man known as ?The Law West of the Pecos?). The railroad featured the third highest bridge in the world (the High Bridge over the Pecos River), and the fourth largest man-made lake in the United States (Medina Lake). These rails carried men and munitions during the Spanish American War and the Punitive Expedition, and many more\ during the First and Second World Wars.

In 1869, when the final spike was driven into the transcontinental railroad, few were prepared for its seismic aftershocks. Once a hodgepodge of short, squabbling lines, America’s railways soon exploded into a titanic industry helmed by a pageant of speculators, crooks, and visionaries....  more

In 1869, when the final spike was driven into the transcontinental railroad, few were prepared for its seismic aftershocks. Once a hodgepodge of short, squabbling lines, America’s railways soon exploded into a titanic industry helmed by a pageant of speculators, crooks, and visionaries. The vicious competition between empire builders such as Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jay Gould, J. P. Morgan, and E. H. Harriman sparked stock market frenzies, panics, and crashes; provoked strikes that upended the relationship between management and labor; transformed the nation’s geography; and culminated in a ferocious two-man battle that shook the nation’s financial markets to their foundations and produced dramatic, lasting changes in the interplay of business and government. Spanning four decades and featuring some of the most iconic figures of the Gilded Age, Iron Empires reveals how the robber barons drove the country into the twentieth century—and almost sent it off the rails.

The story of American railroads is the story of the growth of a nation. Towns mushroomed, industries flourished, and the country boomed along the new routes of travel and commerce that linked cultural groups as well as geographic regions. "For most of our history, railroads have been a...  more

The story of American railroads is the story of the growth of a nation. Towns mushroomed, industries flourished, and the country boomed along the new routes of travel and commerce that linked cultural groups as well as geographic regions. "For most of our history, railroads have been a vital part of American life," writes Ogburn. "However different we may have been ... we were all parishioners" of what became for a time the nation's most important industry. Relive a glorious age in Railroads: The Great American Adventure, from the first belching "tea-kettle-on-wheels" to the highly efficient diesel-electric locomotives of this century.

Nearly a hundred years after its original publication, The Railway Children is still one of E. Nesbit's most beloved and delightful stories. Roberta, Peter, and Phyllis were very happy living in a comfortable house surrounded by a cook and servants and two loving parents, until one evening...  more

Nearly a hundred years after its original publication, The Railway Children is still one of E. Nesbit's most beloved and delightful stories. Roberta, Peter, and Phyllis were very happy living in a comfortable house surrounded by a cook and servants and two loving parents, until one evening when there was a knock at the door and their father was mysteriously taken away by two men. Suddenly alone, their mother moves the family to a small cottage in the countryside. There, the children begin a series of exciting adventures, from saving a train filled with passengers from a landslide, to rescuing a baby from a fire, to aiding a penniless Russian exile, to eventually unraveling the mystery of their father's disappearance.

Describes the building of the first railroad to join the eastern and western part of the United States and the effect of this transcontinental link on the future development of the country.

A rail blazing series set in the early days of the transcontinental railroad -- when America headed West, outlaws climbed on board, and one man risked his life to stop them in their tracks... The newspapers call them the Devil's Horde. A well oiled team of cutthroat bandits who terrorize...  more

A rail blazing series set in the early days of the transcontinental railroad -- when America headed West, outlaws climbed on board, and one man risked his life to stop them in their tracks... The newspapers call them the Devil's Horde. A well oiled team of cutthroat bandits who terrorize the Northern Pacific Railway on route to the coast through Dakota Territory. They dynamite the tracks, blow open the express car door, murder the crewmen, rob the passengers, and empty the safe of gold and cash. If Wells Fargo & Company can't find a way to stop the Devil's Horde, there'll be hell to pay... Enter Wolf Stockburn. A tall rangy Scotsman who dresses like a gentleman but shoots like a cowboy, Stockburn learned his craft from a legendary gunfighter -- and honed his skills as a Pony Express rider through hostile Indian country. Now the veteran Wells Fargo's detective will ride the rails from coast to coast. Make sure the train and its passengers reach their destination safely. And take down the Devil's Horde -- one by one, bullet by bullet -- the devil be damned... 

The pages of this original 107-year-old cookbook have been painstakingly scanned and digitally retouched to eliminate fading, staining, and other age issues found in the original. The reader will find dishes that are remarkably similar to modern-day standards, as well as some that are very...  more

The pages of this original 107-year-old cookbook have been painstakingly scanned and digitally retouched to eliminate fading, staining, and other age issues found in the original. The reader will find dishes that are remarkably similar to modern-day standards, as well as some that are very “of the time.” There were no ingredient lists in 1912, and some of the instructions are vague; a certain level of culinary experience and knowledge is needed to fill in these blanks, which was required before a Southern Pacific employee would even be issued one of these cookbooks. Most of the recipes are designed for single-portion cooking, which is different from most railroad cookbooks of the era. This book presents the recipes exactly as the Southern Pacific set them forth on paper in 1912, spiral-bound for ease of use in the kitchen.

100+ color and b&w illus. 9 x 12.

Ghost Trains features a new selection of James P. Bell?s evocative black and white photographs of the remains of the American steam railroad. The book contains accounts of twenty-three iconic railroad journeys from around the country, fully illustrated with Bell?s atmospheric images of trains...  more

Ghost Trains features a new selection of James P. Bell?s evocative black and white photographs of the remains of the American steam railroad. The book contains accounts of twenty-three iconic railroad journeys from around the country, fully illustrated with Bell?s atmospheric images of trains under full steam, rusting locos, derelict branch lines, roundhouses, depots, and the rotting remains of once mighty rail tracks. Ghost Trains is a visual feast for any one interested in American steam, and its once-mighty railroad network.

From the roots of narrow-gauge steam in Wales to the modern steam-powered tourist trains of Pennsylvania, New Mexico and Colorado, this wonderful title features coal-consuming behemoths and the men and women who keep them chugging along tracks that measure just two or three feet in width. The...  more

From the roots of narrow-gauge steam in Wales to the modern steam-powered tourist trains of Pennsylvania, New Mexico and Colorado, this wonderful title features coal-consuming behemoths and the men and women who keep them chugging along tracks that measure just two or three feet in width. The historic equipment and procedures still used by these lines lend a timeless aura to photography that's sure to transport readers back to the days before diesel power.

A fascinating history of railroad development on every continent. At one point railroads were the most important form of transport in the world, responsible for opening up vast areas to settlement and industry. With the threat of global warming and a potential energy crisis looming, rail...  more

A fascinating history of railroad development on every continent. At one point railroads were the most important form of transport in the world, responsible for opening up vast areas to settlement and industry. With the threat of global warming and a potential energy crisis looming, rail transportation is experiencing a welcome resurgence. The Historical Atlas of World Railroads charts the rise, fall and revival of railroads over the past 200 years, from the earliest experiments with wooden rails and horse-drawn wagons, through the rail-building boom of the steam age, to the onset of the modern high-speed lines, diesel-electric locomotives and electric tilting trains of today. This comprehensive analysis and history covers: The development of passenger and freight coaches and locomotives How railroads and their infrastructures are built and operated The development of rail types The construction of tunnels and bridges The latest advances in signaling technology, safety systems and freight-handling techniques and equipment. Packed with archival photographs and high-quality color maps, The Historical Atlas of World Railroads brings history to life by revealing all aspects of rail transportation and technology.

Nothing better represented the early spirit of American expansion than the railroad. Dominant in daily life as well as in the popular imagination, the railroad appealed strongly to creative writers. For many years, fiction of railroad life and travel was plentiful and varied. As the nineteenth...  more

Nothing better represented the early spirit of American expansion than the railroad. Dominant in daily life as well as in the popular imagination, the railroad appealed strongly to creative writers. For many years, fiction of railroad life and travel was plentiful and varied. As the nineteenth century receded, the railroad's allure faded, as did railroad fiction. Today, it is hard to sense what the railroad once meant to Americans. The fiction of the railroad?often by railroaders themselves?recaptures that sense, and provides valuable insights on American cultural history. This extensively annotated bibliography lists and discusses in 956 entries novels and short stories from the 1840s to the present in which the railroad is important. Each entry includes plot and character description to help the reader make an informed decision on the source's merit. A detailed introduction discusses the history of railroad fiction and highlights common themes such as strikes, hoboes, and the roles of women and African-Americans. Such writers of "pure" railroad fiction as Harry Bedwell, Frank Packard, and Cy Warman are well represented, along with such literary artists as Mark Twain, Thomas Wolfe, Flannery O?Connor, and Ellen Glasgow. Work by minority writers, including Jean Toomer, Richard Wright, Frank Chin, and Toni Morrison, also receives close attention. An appendix organizes entries by decade of publication, and the work is indexed by subject and title.

Written to tie in with a BBC2 series, this book examines the enormous impact of railways on the modern world. The coming of the railways heralded a new world order dominated by industrial innovation and corporate enterprise. Across the world competing powers carved up territories with railways,...  more

Written to tie in with a BBC2 series, this book examines the enormous impact of railways on the modern world. The coming of the railways heralded a new world order dominated by industrial innovation and corporate enterprise. Across the world competing powers carved up territories with railways, using them to plunder resources and build modern cities. Railways helped to bind together vast empires in India, Russia, Africa and Latin America, and forged the union of the states of America. Today, after 150 years of railway supremacy followed by its decline, there is a renaissance. While France vies with Japan to create the fastest train on earth, the Chinese see a future for steam power in their coal-rich country. The Channel Tunnel is only one example of the many projects under construction throughout the world, from new tunnels under the Alps to bridges across the Baltic. The author's other books include "Return Train" and "The World the Railways Made".

The pictorial history of Simpson Timber Company associated logging railroad operations including the Arcata & Mad River Railroad. Over 100 years of railroad logging in Mason County, Washington.

Drawn from Terry Gainer’s personal memories and experiences from his years living and working at the legendary Banff Railway Station, this entertaining memoir and important historical record beckons the reader into the golden age of railway travel in the mountains of western...  more

Drawn from Terry Gainer’s personal memories and experiences from his years living and working at the legendary Banff Railway Station, this entertaining memoir and important historical record beckons the reader into the golden age of railway travel in the mountains of western Canada. Complete with a selection of archival photographs, When Trains Ruled the Rockies documents life at the Banff Railway Station and traces the huge role the station played in the local community. The author’s own story of growing up at the station winds a thread through the narrative and brings into clear focus Terry’s lifelong passion for passenger trains, at one time the most dominant means of transportation for Canadians but sadly an experience that is now fading into history.

A thoroughly entertaining history of one of the most daring raids of the American Civil War. On April 12th 1862, during the American Civil War, a group of Union volunteers infiltrated the Confederate stronghold of Georgia and stole a steam engine named 'General'. Once in control of the...  more

A thoroughly entertaining history of one of the most daring raids of the American Civil War. On April 12th 1862, during the American Civil War, a group of Union volunteers infiltrated the Confederate stronghold of Georgia and stole a steam engine named 'General'. Once in control of the locomotive, they raced back towards friendly territory - destroying Confederate supply routes as they went and opening up the south to Union forces. If James J. Andrews' plan had worked, it could have dramatically altered the course of the war, but the General's young conductor had other ideas. At first he gave chase to the stolen locomotive on foot, then on a handcar, and finally on board another train until he forced the Unionists to abandon their plan as they ran out of fuel. Out of the original group of twenty volunteers, six of the survivors were awarded the very first American Medal of Honor by Abraham Lincoln."Stealing the General" is the first and most complete account of this momentous episode in American history.

In this engaging social history of the impact of railroads on American life, H. Roger Grant explores the railroad?s "golden age" of 1830?1930. To capture the essence of the nation?s railroad experience, Grant looks at four fundamental topics?trains and travel, train stations, railroads and...  more

In this engaging social history of the impact of railroads on American life, H. Roger Grant explores the railroad?s "golden age" of 1830?1930. To capture the essence of the nation?s railroad experience, Grant looks at four fundamental topics?trains and travel, train stations, railroads and community life, and the legacy of railroading in America?illustrating each topic with carefully chosen period illustrations. Grant recalls the lasting memories left by train travel, both of luxurious Pullman cars and the grit and grind of coal-powered locals. He discusses the important role railroads played for towns and cities across America, not only for the access they provided to distant places and distant markets but also for the depots that were a focus of community life. Finally, Grant reviews the lasting heritage of the railroads preserved in word, stone, paint, and memory. Railroads and the American People is a sparkling paean to American railroading by one of its finest historians.

Drawn from intimate interviews with 14 modern-day "steel rail nomads," ONE MORE TRAIN TO RIDE provides a revealing picture of today's American hobo. Interspersed with their stories are original poems and songs echoing the ancient lyricism and loneliness of life on the road. Their connections...  more

Drawn from intimate interviews with 14 modern-day "steel rail nomads," ONE MORE TRAIN TO RIDE provides a revealing picture of today's American hobo. Interspersed with their stories are original poems and songs echoing the ancient lyricism and loneliness of life on the road. Their connections with the past make the experiences of these hoboes even more striking, as they ride freight trains and jungle up in hobo camps, light years away from the 21st-century cyberworld--yet touching the very core of American freedom and individualism. Cliff Williams skillfully elicits details of family background, motives, and clear insights into the daily life and philosophy of the modern hobo. With its evocative link to the past, ONE MORE TRAIN TO RIDE continues a long tradition of books on hobo oral history, including Nels Anderson's THE HOBO (1923) and Thomas Minehan's BOY AND GIRL TRAMPS OF AMERICA (1934).

n a highly original and engaging fashion, Schivelbusch discusses the ways in which our perceptions of distance, time, autonomy, speed, and risk were altered by railway travel. As a history of the surprising ways in which technology and culture interact, this book covers a wide range of...  more

n a highly original and engaging fashion, Schivelbusch discusses the ways in which our perceptions of distance, time, autonomy, speed, and risk were altered by railway travel. As a history of the surprising ways in which technology and culture interact, this book covers a wide range of topics, including the changing perception of landscapes, the death of conversation while traveling, the problematic nature of the railway compartment, the space of glass architecture, the pathology of the railway journey, industrial fatigue and the history of shock, and the railroad and the city. Belonging to a distinguished European tradition of critical sociology best exemplified by the work of Georg Simmel and Walter Benjamin,The Railway Journey is anchored in rich empirical data and full of striking insights about railway travel, the industrial revolution, and technological change. Now updated with a new preface,The Railway Journey is an invaluable resource for readers interested in nineteenth-century culture and technology and the prehistory of modern media and digitalization.

The impact of constant technological change upon our perception of the world is so pervasive as to have become a commonplace of modern society. But this was not always the case; as Wolfgang Schivelbusch points out in this fascinating study, our adaptation to technological change?the development...  more

The impact of constant technological change upon our perception of the world is so pervasive as to have become a commonplace of modern society. But this was not always the case; as Wolfgang Schivelbusch points out in this fascinating study, our adaptation to technological change?the development of our modern, industrialized consciousness?was very much a learned behavior. In The Railway Journey, Schivelbusch examines the origins of this industrialized consciousness by exploring the reaction in the nineteenth century to the first dramatic avatar of technological change, the railroad. In a highly original and engaging fashion, Schivelbusch discusses the ways in which our perceptions of distance, time, autonomy, speed and risk were altered by railway travel. As a history, not of technology, but of the surprising ways in which technology and culture interact, this book covers a wide range of topics, including the changing perception of landscapes, the death of conversation while traveling, the problematic nature of the railway compartment, the space of glass architecture, the pathology of the railway journey, industrial fatigue and the history of shock, and the railroad and the city. Belonging to a distinguished European tradition of critical sociology best exemplified by the work of Georg Simmel and Walter Benjamin, The Railway Journey is anchored in rich empirical data, and full of striking insights about railway travel, the industrial revolution, and technological change. Now updated with a new preface, The Railway Journey is an invaluable resource for readers interested in nineteenth-century culture and technology, transportation specialists, and railroad buffs.

When the railroad stretched its steel rails across the American West in the 1870s, it opened up a vast expanse of territory with very few people but enormous agricultural potential: a second Western frontier, the garden West. Agriculture quickly followed the railroads, making way for Kansas...  more

When the railroad stretched its steel rails across the American West in the 1870s, it opened up a vast expanse of territory with very few people but enormous agricultural potential: a second Western frontier, the garden West. Agriculture quickly followed the railroads, making way for Kansas wheat and Colorado sugar beets and Washington apples. With this new agriculture came an unavoidable need for harvest workers—for hands to pick the apples, cotton, oranges, and hops; to pull and top the sugar beets; to fill the trays with raisin grapes and apricots; to stack the wheat bundles in shocks to be pitched into the maw of the threshing machine. These were not the year-round hired hands but transients who would show up to harvest the crop and then leave when the work was finished.  Variously called bindlestiffs, fruit tramps, hoboes, and bums, these men—and women and children—were vital to the creation of the West and its economy. Amazingly, it is an aspect of Western history that has never been told. In Hoboes: Bindlestiffs, Fruit Tramps, and the Harvesting of the West, the award-winning historian Mark Wyman beautifully captures the lives of these workers. Exhaustively researched and highly original, this narrative history is a detailed, deeply sympathetic portrait of the lives of these hoboes, as well as a fresh look at the settling and development of the American West.

The late Frank Wendell Call is very much alive in these pages as he relates the fascinating tale of the rich, adventuresome existence he lived as a child in the Nevada desert along the Southern Pacific railroad line. In November 1928, Frank E. Call, a successful salesman, moved his young family...  more

The late Frank Wendell Call is very much alive in these pages as he relates the fascinating tale of the rich, adventuresome existence he lived as a child in the Nevada desert along the Southern Pacific railroad line. In November 1928, Frank E. Call, a successful salesman, moved his young family from a comfortable home in Ogden, Utah, to a tiny two-room shanty in an isolated railroad station in northeastern Nevada. He went to work as a "gandydancer," a track laborer, and planned to become a section foreman. The first part of Frank's plan worked very well, but, the stock market crash in October 1929 and the Great Depression that followed upset his timetable. Meanwhile, Frank and Johanne Call's six lively children adapted to living alongside the tracks in primitive houses without electricity or indoor plumbing. The colorful narrative by the family's oldest includes commentaries on railroading and the railroaders' language and describes social conditions and customs existing in tiny-town Nevada in the early twentieth century, told from the viewpoint of the children themselves.

The Platform Edge is a collection of the greatest stories of strange happenings on the tracks. In this express service to the unknown, phantom passengers join the jostling of the daily commute, a subway car disappears into another dimension without a trace, while a tragic derailment on a lonely...  more

The Platform Edge is a collection of the greatest stories of strange happenings on the tracks. In this express service to the unknown, phantom passengers join the jostling of the daily commute, a subway car disappears into another dimension without a trace, while a tragic derailment on a lonely hillside in the Alps torments the locals with its horrifying nightly repetition. From the open railways of Europe and America to the pressing dark of the London Underground, The Platform Edge is the perfect traveling companion for unforgettable journeys into the supernatural.

In 1789, when the First Congress met in New York City, the members traveled to the capital just as Roman senators two thousand years earlier had journeyed to Rome, by horse, at a pace of some five miles an hour. Indeed, if sea travel had improved dramatically since Caesar's time, overland travel...  more

In 1789, when the First Congress met in New York City, the members traveled to the capital just as Roman senators two thousand years earlier had journeyed to Rome, by horse, at a pace of some five miles an hour. Indeed, if sea travel had improved dramatically since Caesar's time, overland travel was still so slow, painful, and expensive that most Americans lived all but rooted to the spot, with few people settling more than a hundred miles from the ocean (a mere two percent lived west of the Appalachians). America in effect was just a thin ribbon of land by the sea, and it wasn't until the coming of the steam railroad that our nation would unfurl across the vast inland territory. In Railroads Triumphant, Albro Martin provides a fascinating history of rail transportation in America, moving well beyond the "Romance of the Rails" sort of narrative to give readers a real sense of the railroad's importance to our country. The railroad, Martin argues, was "the most fundamental innovation in American material life." It could go wherever rails could be laid--and so, for the first time, farms, industries, and towns could leave natural waterways behind and locate anywhere. (As Martin points out, the railroads created small-town America just as surely as the automobile created the suburbs.) The railroad was our first major industry, and it made possible or promoted the growth of all other industries, among them coal, steel, flour milling, and commercial farming. It established such major cities as Chicago, and had a lasting impact on urban design. And it worked hand in hand with the telegraph industry to transform communication. Indeed, the railroads were the NASA of the 19th century, attracting the finest minds in finance, engineering, and law. But Martin doesn't merely catalogue the past greatness of the railroad. In closing with the episodes that led first to destructive government regulation, and then to deregulation of the railroads and the ensuing triumphant rebirth of the nation's basic means of moving goods from one place to another, Railroads Triumphant offers an impassioned defense of their enduring importance to American economic life. And it is a book informed by a lifelong love of railroads, brimming with vivid descriptions of classic depots, lavish hotels in Chicago, the great railroad founders, and the famous lines. Thoughtful and colorful by turn, this insightful history illuminates the impact of the railroad on our lives.

The only major U.S. railroad to be operated by westerners and the only railroad built from west to east, the Southern Pacific acquired a unique history and character. It also acquired a reputation, especially in California, as a railroad that people loved to hate. This magisterial history tells...  more

The only major U.S. railroad to be operated by westerners and the only railroad built from west to east, the Southern Pacific acquired a unique history and character. It also acquired a reputation, especially in California, as a railroad that people loved to hate. This magisterial history tells the full story of the Southern Pacific for the first time, shattering myths about the company that have prevailed to this day. A landmark account, Sunset Limited explores the railroad's development and influence--especially as it affected land settlement, agriculture, water policy, and the environment--and offers a new perspective on the tremendous, often surprising, role the company played in shaping the American West. Based on his unprecedented and extensive research into the company's historical archives, Richard Orsi finds that, contrary to conventional understanding, the Southern Pacific Company identified its corporate well-being with population growth and social and economic development in the railroad's hinterland. As he traces the complex and shifting intersections between corporate and public interest, Orsi documents the railroad's little-known promotion of land distribution, small-scale farming, scientific agriculture, and less wasteful environmental practices and policies--including water conservation and wilderness and recreational parklands preservation. Meticulously researched, lucidly written, and judiciously balanced, Sunset Limited opens a new window onto the American West in a crucial phase of its development and will forever change our perceptions of one of the largest and most important western corporations in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

The Lincoln funeral and the nearly 1,700-mile epic journey of the funeral train was the biggest single event to happen in the lives of American citizens at the time. At least seven million people?without the aid of radio, television, or internet?actually witnessed some part of the historic...  more

The Lincoln funeral and the nearly 1,700-mile epic journey of the funeral train was the biggest single event to happen in the lives of American citizens at the time. At least seven million people?without the aid of radio, television, or internet?actually witnessed some part of the historic occasion. Eyewitness accounts from nearly 150 years ago and historic images present this remarkable journey of President Abraham Lincoln's remains, from the nation's Capitol to his final resting place in Springfield, Illinois. More than 440 cities, towns, villages and byways were on the route in 1865, and each is included in this fascinating volume. The veteran author draws from reports, documents, and contemporary narratives to finally fully present the event. Long-forgotten photographs and dozens of Lincoln-handled documents are included, adding further authentic flavor to this enthrallingly detailed, true-story of the historic Lincoln Funeral Train.

"There is a cleanness and virginity, an exquisite loneliness, about many of the Rocky Mountain peaks and valleys that has a peculiar charm. There is the feeling of having made a new discovery, of having caught Nature unawares at her work of creation." ? Arthur Philemon Coleman Arthur...  more

"There is a cleanness and virginity, an exquisite loneliness, about many of the Rocky Mountain peaks and valleys that has a peculiar charm. There is the feeling of having made a new discovery, of having caught Nature unawares at her work of creation." ? Arthur Philemon Coleman Arthur Philemon Coleman was a passionate Canadian and one of the first to truly discover the beauty and majesty of this country?s mountain ranges as an explorer, geologist and mountaineer. In 1884, before the railway traversed the Rocky and Columbia mountains, Coleman headed west on the first of what would be eight mountaineering expeditions, making his way on foot and pack horse, with Native guides and without, over passes in Alberta and British Columbia. First published in 1911, this new edition gives modern-day readers a glimpse of the early days of mountaineering in the Canadian west. It paints a sympathetic picture of the rugged men and women who opened the region and of the hardships they endured. In his travels he encountered some of the main characters in Canadian mountaineering history, including Mary Schäffer, Joby Beaver, Frank Sibbald, Reverend George Kinney and Adolphus Moberly.

The first book to examine the rarely-acknowledged Waverly Train Disaster of 1978 – the catastrophic accident that changed America forever and led to the formation of FEMA. Coinciding with the 45th anniversary of the event, WALK THROUGH FIRE is a tribute to the first responders, as well as...  more

The first book to examine the rarely-acknowledged Waverly Train Disaster of 1978 – the catastrophic accident that changed America forever and led to the formation of FEMA. Coinciding with the 45th anniversary of the event, WALK THROUGH FIRE is a tribute to the first responders, as well as an examination of the strengths and vulnerabilities in rural America. On the night of February 22, 1978, a devastating freight train derailment drastically altered Waverly, Tennessee, and its place in history. This was one of the worst train explosions of the twentieth century, killing 16 people, injuring hundreds more, and causing millions of dollars in damage. What could have been dismissed as a single community’s terrible misfortune instead became the catalyst for radical change, including the formation of FEMA, much-needed reforms in emergency response training, and the creation and enforcement of national and state safety regulations. Response to the disaster reshaped American infrastructure and laid the groundwork for the future of emergency management and disaster relief . . . and yet most Americans have never heard of Waverly. Dr. Yasmine S. Ali, an award-winning medical writer and Waverly native, sets out to change this in WALK THROUGH FIRE, drawing from over a decade of meticulous research and interviews with survivors, first responders, and other firsthand accounts, including those of her own parents, first-generation Americans who were on call at the local hospital that treated the victims. Ali weaves a compelling narrative of small-town tragedy set against the broader backdrop of U.S. railroad history, rural healthcare, and other elements of American infrastructure that played a part in the creation—and the aftermath—of the Disaster. A tribute to resiliency and a call to action, WALK THROUGH FIRE tells the harrowing story of the Waverly Train Disaster from the perspectives of those who survived it, and those who still feel its impact today, illuminating how much a nation still has to learn from one small town in Tennessee. “The Waverly Train Disaster which happened just minutes away from where I live, was one of the worst events ever to happen to the people of Waverly, many of whom I have been honored to know, and this amazing story of how they dealt with it has important lessons for all of us. Like me, Dr. Yasmine Ali is from this part of the world and this book shows her dedication to sharing and honoring the history of her hometown.” —Country Music legend LORETTA LYNN

In the cool, pre-dawn hours on a June night in 1918, a train engineer closed his cab window as he chugged toward Hammond, Indiana. He drifted to sleep, and his train bore down on the idle Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus Train. Soon after, the sleeping engineer's locomotive plowed into the circus train....  more

In the cool, pre-dawn hours on a June night in 1918, a train engineer closed his cab window as he chugged toward Hammond, Indiana. He drifted to sleep, and his train bore down on the idle Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus Train. Soon after, the sleeping engineer's locomotive plowed into the circus train. In the subsequent wreckage and blaze, more than two hundred circus performers were injured and eighty-six were killed, most of whom were interred in a mass grave in the Showmen's Rest section of Chicago's Woodlawn Cemetery. Join local historian Richard Lytle as he recounts, in the fullest retelling to date, the details of this tragedy and its role in the overall evolution and demise of a unique entertainment industry.

As Southern California recovered from the collapse of the cattle industry in the 1860s, the arrival of railroads—attacked by newspapers as the greedy “octopus”—and the expansion of citrus agriculture transformed the struggling region into a vast, idealized, and prosperous...  more

As Southern California recovered from the collapse of the cattle industry in the 1860s, the arrival of railroads—attacked by newspapers as the greedy “octopus”—and the expansion of citrus agriculture transformed the struggling region into a vast, idealized, and prosperous garden. New groves of the latest citrus varieties and new towns like Riverside quickly grew directly along the tracks of transcontinental railroads. The influx of capital, industrial technology, and workers, especially people of color, energized Southern California and tied it more closely to the economy and culture of the United States than ever before. Benjamin Jenkins’s Octopus’s Garden argues that citrus agriculture and railroads together shaped the economy, landscape, labor systems, and popular image of Southern California. Orange and lemon growing boomed in the 1870s and 1880s while railroads linked the region to markets across North America and ended centuries of geographic isolation for the west coast. Railroads competed over the shipment of citrus fruits from multiple counties engulfed by the orange empire, resulting in an extensive rail network that generated lucrative returns for grove owners and railroad businessmen in Southern California from the 1890s to the 1950s. While investment from white Americans, particularly wealthy New Englanders, formed the financial backbone of the Octopus’s Garden, citrus and railroads would not have thrived in Southern California without the labor of people of color. Many workers of color took advantage of the commercial developments offered by railroads and citrus to economically advance their families and communities. However, these people of color also suffered greatly under the constant realities of bodily harm, low wages, and political and social exclusion. Promoters of the railroads and citrus cooperatives touted California as paradise for white Americans and minimized the roles of non-white laborers by stereotyping them in advertisements and publications. These practices fostered conceptions of California’s racial hierarchy by praising privileged whites and maligning the workers who made them prosper. The Octopus’s Garden continues to shape Southern Californians’ understanding of their past. In bringing together multiple storylines, Jenkins provides a complex and fresh perspective on the impact of citrus agriculturalists and railroad companies in Southern Californian history.

The Union Pacific Railroad is renowned as America?s first transcontinental railroad and is one of the strongest companies in the railroad industry today. The laying of the golden spike in Promontory, Utah, in 1869 marked not only the opening of the continent to settlement but also the...  more

The Union Pacific Railroad is renowned as America?s first transcontinental railroad and is one of the strongest companies in the railroad industry today. The laying of the golden spike in Promontory, Utah, in 1869 marked not only the opening of the continent to settlement but also the transformation of the United States from an agricultural nation to an industrial one. Maury Klein, America?s foremost railroad historian, re-creates the powerful personalities and dramatic events that led to the construction of this legendary railroad. Fully illustrated with over one hundred historic photographs and maps, Union Pacific details the feat of engineering and human strength that conquered the terrain of the desert and mountains and also the colorful wheelings and dealings that were waged in executive boardrooms in New York and Boston and in the chambers of Congress as dreamers and scoundrels, politicians and patriots forged a pioneering enterprise in transportation. Maury Klein is professor of history at the University of Rhode Island. He is the author of several books, including the Pulitzer Prize finalist The Life and Legend of Jay Gould.

The second volume in the history of the Union Pacific begins after the financial panic of 1893, one of the worst depressions Americans had yet experienced, which pushed the railroad into bankruptcy. Maury Klein examines the complex challenges faced by the Union Pacific in the new century?the...  more

The second volume in the history of the Union Pacific begins after the financial panic of 1893, one of the worst depressions Americans had yet experienced, which pushed the railroad into bankruptcy. Maury Klein examines the complex challenges faced by the Union Pacific in the new century?the expanding role of government and its restrictive regulations, the growth of labor unions, the devastating effects of two world wars, and the growing competition from new modes of transportation?and how, under the innovative and influential leadership of Edward H. Harriman, the Union Pacific again played the role of industrial pioneer. Union Pacific has remained one of the strongest railroads in the country, surviving the eras of government regulation and the corporate mergers of the past twenty-five years. Insightful, definitive in scope, rich in colorful anecdotes and superb characterizations, Union Pacific is a fascinating saga not only of a particular railroad but also about how that industry transformed America. Maury Klein is professor of history at the University of Rhode Island. He is the author of several books, including the Pulitzer Prize finalist The Life and Legend of Jay Gould.

Although most Americans have heard of the Auto Train, many have uncertain ideas regarding what it is and where it operates. The “longest passenger train in the world” provides a luxury auto-ferry service between Lorton, Virginia, and Sanford, Florida. The original Auto-Train Corporation,...  more

Although most Americans have heard of the Auto Train, many have uncertain ideas regarding what it is and where it operates. The “longest passenger train in the world” provides a luxury auto-ferry service between Lorton, Virginia, and Sanford, Florida. The original Auto-Train Corporation, founded by Dr. Eugene Garfield, struggled financially in spite of its immense popularity. The company faced numerous crises, including financial setbacks and equipment problems due to damages that occurred during several derailments, which led to the corporation’s demise in 1981. Although the corporation sold off its corporate assets, the concept was revived when Amtrak added the Auto Train service to its East Coast schedule. Images of Rail: Auto-Train presents photographs from the early operations to today, including pictures from the Amtrak era.

The unforgettable story of one woman who leaves behind her hardscrabble childhood in Alaska to travel the country via freight train—a beautiful memoir about forgiveness, self-discovery, and the redemptive power of nature, perfect for fans of Wild or Educated. After a childhood marked by...  more

The unforgettable story of one woman who leaves behind her hardscrabble childhood in Alaska to travel the country via freight train—a beautiful memoir about forgiveness, self-discovery, and the redemptive power of nature, perfect for fans of Wild or Educated. After a childhood marked by neglect, poverty, and periods of homelessness, with a mother who believed herself to be the reincarnation of the Virgin Mary, Carrot Quinn moved out on her own. She found a sense of belonging among straight-edge anarchists who taught her how to traverse the country by freight trains, sleep in fields under the stars, and feed herself by foraging in dumpsters. Her new life was one of thrilling adventure and freedom, but still she was haunted by the ghosts of her lonely and traumatic childhood. The Sunset Route is a powerful and brazenly honest adventure memoir set in the unseen corners of the United States—in the Alaskan cold, on trains rattling through forests and deserts, as well as in low-income apartments and crowded punk houses—following a remarkable protagonist who has witnessed more tragedy than she thought she could ever endure and who must learn to heal her own heart. Ultimately, it is a meditation on the natural world as a spiritual anchor, and on the ways that forgiveness can set us free.

A captivating journey blending memoir, history, and biography that takes the reader on one of the world's most famous trains and tells of carving the dramatic route it follows, while pondering other international railways through the eyes of travellers past and present. Rick Antonson has...  more

A captivating journey blending memoir, history, and biography that takes the reader on one of the world's most famous trains and tells of carving the dramatic route it follows, while pondering other international railways through the eyes of travellers past and present. Rick Antonson has ridden trains in more than thirty-five countries—but almost everything he thinks he knows about train travel changes when he boards the Rocky Mountaineer with his ten-year-old grandson, Riley. As they wind over trestles and through tunnels, each mile of track uncovers stories of dynamite and discovery, surveyors and schemers, explorers and visionaries, and the people who helped to build Canada against the odds of geography and politics. Surrounded by a wild landscape that sparks imagination, fellow passengers recount train travels in other countries, get nostalgic for the era of steam locomotives, and consider life’s unfinished journeys. Peppered with spirited dialogue, heartrending vignettes, and intriguing anecdotes, Train Beyond the Mountains is a travelogue with urgency: to make your travel dreams happen now. As one passenger muses, "The mistake we make is that we think we have time."

From 1855 to 1966 nearly 8,000 railroad locomotives were built at the Gorton Foundry, near Manchester England, by Beyer, Peacock & Co. Ltd. Some of these steam locomotives were the famous elongated Garratts which have fascinated railfans for years.The Garrett locomotive allowed...  more

From 1855 to 1966 nearly 8,000 railroad locomotives were built at the Gorton Foundry, near Manchester England, by Beyer, Peacock & Co. Ltd. Some of these steam locomotives were the famous elongated Garratts which have fascinated railfans for years.The Garrett locomotive allowed railroads to increase tonnage and reduced operating time between stations, as well as the number of trains run on a line. In the 1925 catalog, the Garratts shown had tractive effort capabilities of between 7,950 pounds and 69,150 pounds at 75% boiler pressure. The 11-1/4" x 8-1/2” softbound reprinted catalog features a four-color cover, and shows the Garrett locomotives that were delivered to the Argentine North-Eastern Railway, Burma Railways, Benguella Railway, Indian State Railway, London & North-Eastern Railway, Mauritius Government Railways, Rhodesia Railways, South African Railways and the Victorian Government Railways, among others.

This formative period of diesel locomotive evolution is examined with the help of more than 250 modern and period photos depicting passenger, freight, and switching locomotives. Author Brian Solomon covers every prominent manufacturer of the period?including Electro-Motive, Alco, Baldwin, and...  more

This formative period of diesel locomotive evolution is examined with the help of more than 250 modern and period photos depicting passenger, freight, and switching locomotives. Author Brian Solomon covers every prominent manufacturer of the period?including Electro-Motive, Alco, Baldwin, and GE?as well as iconic models like Geeps, E and F units, PAs and FAs, sharknoses, U-boats, and more. The photographs take in the grand geographic and technological breadth of North American railroading and are accompanied by detailed captions identifying the locomotives pictured and explaining their roles in this crucial era of American railroading.

If all measures of human advancement in the last hundred centuries were plotted on a graph, they would show an almost perfectly flat line?until the eighteenth century, when the Industrial Revolution would cause the line to shoot straight up, beginning an almost uninterrupted march of...  more

If all measures of human advancement in the last hundred centuries were plotted on a graph, they would show an almost perfectly flat line?until the eighteenth century, when the Industrial Revolution would cause the line to shoot straight up, beginning an almost uninterrupted march of progress.    In The Most Powerful Idea in the World, William Rosen tells the story of the men responsible for the Industrial Revolution and the machine that drove it?the steam engine. In the process he tackles the question that has obsessed historians ever since: What made eighteenth-century Britain such fertile soil for inventors? Rosen’s answer focuses on a simple notion that had become enshrined in British law the century before: that people had the right to own and profit from their ideas.    The result was a period of frantic innovation revolving particularly around the promise of steam power. Rosen traces the steam engine’s history from its early days as a clumsy but sturdy machine, to its coming-of-age driving the wheels of mills and factories, to its maturity as a transporter for people and freight by rail and by sea. Along the way we enter the minds of such inventors as Thomas Newcomen and James Watt, scientists including Robert Boyle and Joseph Black, and philosophers John Locke and Adam Smith?all of whose insights, tenacity, and ideas transformed first a nation and then the world. William Rosen is a masterly storyteller with a keen eye for the “aha!” moments of invention and a gift for clear and entertaining explanations of science. The Most Powerful Idea in the World will appeal to readers fascinated with history, science, and the hows and whys of innovation itself. 

Contains the recollections of many of the major figures responsible for the development of the rail system, along with the original illustrations from their reports.

This leading single-volume work presents the history of Native Americans in the New World, from their arrival over the Bering Strait to present-day reservation life. Brandon provides a varied and rich 20,000-year history of Native Americans in both North and South America.

Built by James Everell Henry, the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad (EB&L) is considered to be the grandest and largest logging railroad operation ever built in New England. In 1892, the mountain town of Lincoln, New Hampshire, was transformed from a struggling wilderness enclave to a...  more

Built by James Everell Henry, the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad (EB&L) is considered to be the grandest and largest logging railroad operation ever built in New England. In 1892, the mountain town of Lincoln, New Hampshire, was transformed from a struggling wilderness enclave to a thriving mill town when Henry moved his logging operation from Zealand. He built houses, a company store, sawmills, and a railroad into the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River watershed to harvest virgin spruce. Despite the departure of the last EB&L log train from Lincoln Woods by 1948, the industry's cut-and-run practices forever changed the future of land conservation in the region, prompting legislation like the Weeks Act of 1911 and the Wilderness Act of 1964. Today, nearly every trail in the Pemigewasset Wilderness follows or utilizes portions of the old EB&L Railroad bed.

Important and beautifully illustrated volume chronicles the explosive growth of the American locomotive from British imports to grand ten-wheelers of the 1870s. Over 240 vintage photographs, drawings, and diagrams tell the exciting tale. Introduction. Appendices. Index.

Clarina Howard Nichols was one of America's pioneering social reformers. From Vermont to Kansas to California, she forged a political role for women by using her stature as a lady and a mother to lobby vigorously for women's rights, antislavery, and temperance. After joining the antislavery...  more

Clarina Howard Nichols was one of America's pioneering social reformers. From Vermont to Kansas to California, she forged a political role for women by using her stature as a lady and a mother to lobby vigorously for women's rights, antislavery, and temperance. After joining the antislavery migration to Kansas, Nichols championed freedom in the territory, assisted former slaves, and argued successfully for women's school suffrage before ending her career in California, where she continued to promote women's full enfranchisement. Despite her accomplishments and considerable respect from contemporaries such as Susan B. Anthony, she has been largely overlooked by historians. Marilyn Blackwell and Kristen Oertel remedy this oversight and examine Nichols's important role in women's rights, antislavery, and westward expansion. In their comprehensive portrait, Blackwell and Oertel uncover the fascinating story of a complex woman while providing a window on presuffrage political engagement and the creation of public womanhood in the nineteenth century. Their insightful narrative places Nichols in the context of American reform politics and western migration. It shows the effectiveness of Nichols's "politics of motherhood," examining her relationships with other female reformers and with male politicians. Nichols's story reveals the role Northern women played in "Bleeding Kansas" and how women's rights became entwined in the battle to rid the expanding nation of slavery. The authors cast Nichols as a deeply private person who guarded the secret of her divorce to protect both her political influence and her social position. By digging deeper than previous historians--into Nichols's few surviving letters, her columns as a journalist, and her speeches--they discover much about her failed first marriage and show how divorce gave her a unique insight into a legal system that disadvantaged many women. Nichols's personal struggles to overcome the stigma of her divorce and to settle in frontier Kansas form the dramatic backdrop to the development of her public career as a journalist and social reformer. Overcoming both personal hardships and political barriers, Clarina Howard Nichols left a trail of new rights for women across the nation. Frontier Feminist restores this crusading woman to her rightful place among the pantheon of reformers who sought full citizenship for women and freedom for black Americans.