When the Railroad Leaves Town: American Communities in the Age of Rail Line Abandonment

Rating:
Summary: "A Wonderful Book--A Fascinating Read"
Review: The first time I cracked open the cover and read a few lines, I knew this book was a winner.

While there are literally thousands of books out there showing fantastic photos of trains present and past. And many railroads have had their histories chronicled, this book focuses on the towns the railroads touched. This angle is unique, refreshing and most of all mesmerizing.

The author obviously spent a great deal of time researching the topic. The background information he supplies is immense, this was NOT a topic that was superficially researched. The various photos showing abandon railroad grades and shots of once busy steel-rails covered over in asphalt are especially telling.

And while the folks looking for photos of coal-drags over tall mountains may be disappointed, anyone that wants to understand how the railroads REALLY affected towns across the eastern United States, then you need this book.

A good book that combines railroading with American history. It will cause the reader to think twice as they pass that abandon railroad grade or drive by that run-down station.