Railroads and the American People [Paperback]

In this engaging social history of the impact of railroads on American life, H. Roger Grant explores the railroad's golden age of 18301930. To capture the essence of the nation's railroad experience, Grant looks at four fundamental topicstrains and travel, train stations, railroads and community life, and the legacy of railroading in Americaillustrating 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 Peopleis a sparkling paean to American railroading by one of its finest historians.

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H. Roger Grant is Kathryn and Calhoun Lemon Professor of History at Clemson University. He is author of more than 30 books, includingElectric Interurbans and the American People(IUP, 2016),Railroaders without Borders: A History of the Railroad Development Corporation(IUP, 2015) andThe Louisville, Cincinnati & Charleston Rail Road: Dreams of Linking North and South(IUP, 2014).

With plenty of detail, Grant brings a bygone era back to life, addressing everything from social and commercial appeal, racial and gender issues, safety concerns, and leaps in technology. But Grant never loses sight of the big picture and the essential role the railroads ló.