Railroads Across North America: An Illustrated History - Rilegato

Wiatrowski, Claude

Rilegato

ISBN 10: 0760329761 ISBN 13: 9780760329764

Casa editrice: Voyageur Pr, 2007

Riassunto

From the first steam-powered locomotives of the early nineteenth century to the high-speed commuter trains of today, the American railroad has been a great engine powering the nations growth and industry.

This book celebrates the glory and grandeur of that legacy with a lavish tour of the history of the American railroad and the culture surrounding it.

Generously illustrated with vintage photographs, modern images, maps, timetables, tickets, brochures, and all manner of memorabilia, this volume offers a fascinating look at the rail industrys beginnings and development, as well as its place in American history.

From the might of the major rail companies and their empires to the romance of rail travel, this is the full and fabulously colorful story of the industry that moved a nation--and stirs our imaginations to this day.

Su questo libro

Recensione:

This is an impressive book and one that is perfect for passing a winter evening or two immersed in American railway history. Being a book dedicated to the railways of North America, this won't be to everyone's tatse, but it is impressive, lavishly illustrated and filled with a highly readable text that won't leave you crying out for information. The style of the book is very different to the common approach to railway books here. For a start, the text passages are short, to the point and provide basic information relevant to each chapter. But, as the title suggests, this book is more about the illustrations than a 'big read'. The illustrative and photographic content is, to put it simply, superb. Every page has interest in the form of period advertising material, period photographs, artwork, and other varieties of illustration which all adds to the expensive looking flavour of the book. Therin lies the secret, as considering this is a 256-page, full A4 plus size book with a hardback cover, it costs just £18.99 - a steal in my opinion. --Railways Illustrated

A book about the railroads of the United States and Canada might not appeal to all, but for devotees of transatlantic trains, this is an excellent gift. It's a lavish production with fabulous images, and breaks down North American railraod history into readily accessible sections. However this volume is more picture-led so if you were looking for a detailed read, you'd be best to look elswhere. With many images to choose form, it's difficult to pick out some highlights. A splendid colour panorama of the vast, snow-covered Chicago & North Western marshalling yard in Chicago is a particular gem, especially when you realise taht is was taken in 1942, when even black and white photogrpahy was banned in Britain. British enthusiasts might appreciate the arial view of the Baltimore & Ohio's 'Fair of the Iron Horse' celebrations in 1927. The eagle-eyed might just be able to spot King George V's saftey bonnet glinting in the light! --Steam Railway magazine

For a single book to cover the entire history of a region's railways, especially North America's, is a tall order even if it is an 'illustrated' ( ie largely pictoral) one. However, the author has a jolly good stab at it and the result deserves commendation.In addition to a straightforward history ( mainly centered around railways), it also manages to cover many other topics, such as preservation, dining and mail trains to the more diverse, such as folklore, films, music and artists. Genereously illustrated with vintage and some modern photographs, maps, timetables, tickets, brochures and all manner of memorabilia, this volume offers a fascinating look at the rail industrys beginnings, development, and its place in American history. The history starts in 1826: in 1829 the Stourbridge Lion, imported from England, gained the distinction of being the first commercial steam locomotive to operate in America. But at 7 tons it was too heavy for the track so it ( and its three classmates) never ran in service. Within 10 years, railrad played a key part in the Civil war,a nd they also did away with the 5ft guage in the south of the country. Five chapters deal with each key period, with the final one covering the present boom that started in 1980 with deregulation, and now sees railroads carrying four times the amount of freight they did in 1920. Today there are seven Class 1(mainline) railroads, 30 medium size regionals ( ones with at least 350 miles of main line) and 500 short lines ( often a single branch). Each chapter opens with a four to six page overview of the main events ( often political or economic) that effect the period inquestion. then follows a series of mini chapters under seperate headings form two to six pages each. --Steam railroad magazine

Ever since they first appeared on the scene, North American trains have exerted a strong hold on the popular imagination, inspiring countless stories, songs, scandals, films and legends. Their power and rugged charm sets them apart from more mundane means of transport and they create a sense of adventure and romance. The development of the United States and Canada largely coincided with the epic story of their railroads as they contributed to prosperity and gave a sense of national identity, symbolising strength, optimism and pioneering spirit. Author, train enthusiast and photographer Claude Wiatrowski s sumptuous 256-page book tells the railroad story from those first steam-powered locomotives of the early nineteenth century to the high-speed commuter trains of today, celebrating the glory and grandeur of that legacy with a lavish tour of the history of the American railroad and the culture surrounding it. Generously illustrated with vintage photographs, modern images, maps, timetables, tickets, brochures, and all manner of memorabilia, this volume offers a fascinating look at the rail industry s beginnings and development, as well as its place in American history. From the might of the major rail companies and their empires to the romance of rail travel, this is a fabulously colourful story that continues to stir the imagination. Copiously illustrated and wonderfully informative, this beautifully produced book offers fascinating insights into the history of North America and is a particular treat for train enthusiasts. A section is devoted to preserved railways, museums and historic sites, and there is a useful bibliography as well as a comprehensive index. Highly recommended. --New Classics, October, 2009

Index: Excellent(Model railway express)From the night of yester-year s rail empires to the railroad s current roles. The book is the fabulously colorful story of the industry that moved nations and stirred imaginations. In this authoritative volume, Wiatrowski leaves no stone unturned, presenting the railroad s beginning, its evolving role in daily life, the technological marvels, and its intersections with popular culture(Sirreadalot dot com) For devotees of transatlantic trains, it is an excellent gift --Steam railroad magazine

L'autore:

Claude Wiatrowski has been writing or providing photos for books on Colorado history for 25 years. His published works include Railroads of Colorado, Railroads Across North America, The Cripple Creek & Victor Book, and Teller County Colorado; he was also the photographer for Man in the Garden of the Gods and Colorado's Black Canyon. In addition to writing books, Wiatrowski also produces videos on historic railroads. His productions have won Telly and Teddy awards, and one was selected for the Library of Congress Local Legacies Program.

Su questa edizione

• Editore: Voyageur Pr
• Data di pubblicazione: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0760329761
• ISBN 13: 9780760329764
• Rilegatura: Copertina rigida
• Numero di pagine: 256