|
"When
the Railroad Leaves Town"
Volume I: American
Communities
in the Age of Rail Line Abandonment:
Eastern
United States
 List of Communities
Upcoming Book Events!
Reviews
Past
Book
Emendation
Railroads once spread across the American
landscape, radiating from towns like spokes on a wheel. They were the backbone of the
municipal economy and essential to commercial and civic life. In thousands of communities,
however this remarkable era has ended. The nation's railroads have eliminated more than
130,000 miles of routes-over half of their total mileage-since 1916.
When the Railroad Leaves Town:
American Communities in the Age of Rail Line Abandonment considers the rise
and fall of rail service in 64 communities in the eastern half of the U.S.
distinguished by their notable railroad histories or unusual experiences
with railroad abandonment. It tells the story
of transportation providers struggling to survive in a changing economy only to surrender
to the relentless forces of the marketplace. In many communities, the withdrawal of the
railroad had unexpected consequences; in others, it forever altered the rhythm of daily
life.
Using an interdisciplinary approach drawing upon
the fields of history, geography, and urban planning, the book illuminates some of the
dominant forces that led to the development of steam and electric railroads as well as the
economic and political factors eventually accelerating their decline. Illustrated with
maps and photographs depicting rail lines at their zenith as well as their abandoned
remnants today, it provides a vivid portrait of an industrial saga that has touched the
lives of millions of Americans. This book is
376 pages including a comprehensive index.
$24.95 paperbound
$39.95 clothbound
376 pages; 134 photographs; 65 maps
Buy direct from publisher
Buy from Amazon
|
