The Complete Book of North American Railroading

"Oversize, so-called 'comprehensive' coffee-table books about railroads are as ubiquitous as 'Seinfeld' episodes and usually about as deep. You've probably gotten at least one as a gift from your Aunt Edna, and after you opened it you probably never look at it again."You won't let that happen, though, with this handsome, hefty new book from an all-star team of railroad authors and photographers. They reach pretty far - covering North American railroading all the way from 1828 to the present - but for the most part they do the subject justice. The content is comprehensive, offering separate chapters on all the important railroad eras, along with separate treatments of steam and diesel locomotives, freight and passenger trains, and more. Unlike so many of their competitors, these authors get not only the facts right, but the context as well."Best of all, the authors have lavished their subject with a feast of great photographs. Many photos are historical black-and-white gems from various archives and personal collections, covering mostly the steam and early diesel era; others are state-of-the-art color action photos taken by the authors themselves, including 140 by Jim Boyd, who once again shows how often he has been the right guy in the right place at the right time. Boyd's action shots of contemporary excursion steam are definitive and help tell a larger story about locomotive technology. The book has beautiful design and the quality printing it deserves." - "Trains"