Product Description

From Library Journal

"This hefty volume, edited by Middleton (Metropolitan Railways: Rapid Transit in America), George M. Smerk (The Federal Role in Urban Mass Transportation), and Roberta L. Diehl (Indiana Univ. Pr.), traces the intertwining historical and cultural narratives of North American railroads. Five insightful essays on railroad development, social history, and shifting technology written by various historical specialists provide a strong informational preface to the specialized entries of varying length and subject matter that follow, in which everything from intermodal traffic to women in railroading is covered. Straightforward and rich with detail, each entry is written by a different expert and concludes with references. The editors have included period illustrations, photographs, and cartoons that underscore the concepts presented. Sure to interest both laypeople and scholars, this is highly recommended for public libraries and American history collections." --Library Journal, May 15, 2007

From Trains

"To distill all of North American railroading into 1,312 pages is a feat in itself; the the Encyclopedia of North American Railroads does it so remarkably well is nothing short of phenomenal. This could be the most ambitious railroad book to appear in 100 years! And that's just what the editors wanted." -Trains, June 2007

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #234568 in Books
• Published on: 2007-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 1281 pages

Choice, October 2007
"For anyone whose life is touched by the railroads . . . this work should become the basic research tool."

American Reference Book Annual 2008 Vol. 39
"The appendizes alone are worth the purchase price."

From the Publisher

Customer Reviews

Monumental Railroad History
Had no details on my major interest--the accident of January 1853 that was fatal to President-elect Franklin Pierce's only surviving son, Benny. Accident was not included in table of significant accidents. Accidents were too numerous and routine in effect, for all to be included. As Middleton points out accidents later became more common and more deadly as the speed of passenger trains increased in the 1870s.

Accidents are only a small part of the encyclopedia. The long, compresensive index better summarizes the scope of the encyclopdia. If you have limited interest in specific aspects of railroading, read a copy in a library. If you want a comprehansive view of railroading from its beginning in North America to its modern status, buy this 1,281 page, size c. 8 inch by 10 inch. 48 pp, 3-column wide index. Numerous illustrations.

Railroad Encyclopedia
Very good for a lot of things, but a random sampling of railroads shows that that listing, at least, is not comprehensive. Valuable for most people with an interest in American railroading.

Not quite what I wanted
The good news is that this is the most comprehensive reference book I've seen on North American railroad practices and history.

The bad news is that this was a bit off the mark, for being dubbed the Encyclopedia of North American Railroads.

My expectation was that this would be the ultimate guide to North American railroads, from A to Z. I anticipated exceptionally thorough coverage of the railroads, their histories, and maps, maps, maps.

What this volume is, is an anthology of topical entries that vary in length and subject. Included are abbreviated railroad histories, biographies, terms, social commentary, and technical aspects of railroading. In that regard, it is hard to imagine a topic about railroading practices that this volume doesn't touch on.

Some approximate page accounts include: Amtrak 1 ½, Civil engineering 26, Intermodal traffic 4 ¾, National parks 3, New York Central 3 ½, Norfolk Southern 1 ½, Railroad occupations 17 ½, Sports and railroading 2 ½, women in railroading 4, and World War Two and railroading 4 ½.

Don't throw your reproduction Rand McNally railroad atlases away just yet, because the appendix with maps leave much to be desired.

The first eight maps are Amtrak 2004, Maine area 1945, B&M and NH 1945, New England West (undated), Mohawk & Hudson (undated), Boston (modern I think), Mid-Atlantic railroads (early), and Mid-Atlantic states CA 1945.

The maps are black and white (It's a $100 book, would some color have killed them?), they appear to have most mainlines, though I suspect not all branches. Not all railroads are present in relevant maps. The Pennsylvania and New York Central have their own maps, but a Mid Atlantic states map without either, doesn't really tell a story.

So if you are looking for an authoritative general reference book on North American railroading history and practices, this is it.

If you are looking for the ultimate railroad by railroad reference title, this doesn't replace The Historical Guide to North American Railroads, the Train Watchers Guide to North American Railroads, or the Short line Railroad Guide or the aforementioned Rand McNally reprints.

I ordered the book based on the title. While I was very disappointed with the thrust of the work, this is a well-executed all-in-one reference that I'll probably use once or twice a year.