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Railroads and the American People

Railroads Past and Present

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Railroads and the American People

Written by: H. Roger Grant
Narrated by: Todd Barsness
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About this listen

In this social history of the impact of railroads on American life, H. Roger Grant concentrates on the railroad's "Golden Age," 1830-1930. To capture the essence of the nation's railroad experience, Grant explores four fundamental topics - trains and travel, train stations, railroads and community life, and the legacy of railroading in America. 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 as it has been 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.

The book is published by Indiana University Press.

©2012 H. Roger Grant (P)2013 Redwood Audiobooks Americas Engineering Transportation Railroad

What the critics say

"With its wealth of vignettes... Railroads and the American People does a fine job of humanizing the iron horse" ( Wall Street Journal)
"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 played in American life. He writes with authority and clarity in a work that can appeal to both casual and hardcore enthusiasts." ( Publishers Weekly)
"Is it necessary to comment on an established author such as Roger Grant. Heavens, he is a fine scholar and writes better than Hemingway!" (John White, author of The American Railroad Passenger Car)

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Profile Image for Matt

Connections. It's a railroad history, right?

This is a social history. Ultimately, this is an account of connections through time and space; how the railroads emerged, developed, evolved, and knitted the fabric of the nation together geographically and culturally.

The various aspects of railway function, and why they are important, are described, detailed, and illustrated with lists of examples that can get a little ponderous at times. This is informative, but not excessively entertaining. Nonetheless, this is a solid primer to the history of US railways.

The narrator was good. No complaints really. His voice is quite reminiscent of the voices used documentaries from the mid twentieth century..

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