Synopses & Reviews
The early history of the American railroad by the man the New York Times calls and#8220;one of the best-known civil engineers in America.and#8221;The American Railway provides an exciting look at the railroad industry in the 1880s and how it developed as the business boomed. Originally published in 1889, it contains a thorough history of how railroads were built, the types of railways, the lives of railway workers, the various ways the railway affected political and business economics, as well as the safety precautions of people who rode or worked with the railway system. Youand#8217;ll also find more than two hundred hand-drawn illustrationsand#8212;visual representations of great steam engines, graceful bridges, life in a Pullman car, railway accidents, views of track construction, and portraits of railroad pioneers and magnates of the timesand#8212;and stories from real rail workers. Learn how far weand#8217;ve come from such humble beginnings and grow to have a newfound appreciation for the railways that paved our countryand#8217;s future. This edition features a new foreword by Jeff Smith, editor of the NRHS Bulletin, the quarterly magazine published by the National Railway Historical Society.
About the Author
Thomas Curtis Clarke was one of the most widely known railway engineers in the mid- to late 1800s. Clarke contributed to the construction of several bridges and elevated railroads in New York. He died in 1901.
Jeff Smith is the editor of the National Railway Historical Society's quarterly magazine. He lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.