Trains of Discovery: Western Railroads and the National Parks

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Summary: An imaginative look at passenger trains and National Parks
Review: Trains of Discovery does well what few books seem to do today -- it looks into the texture of American's past for hidden lessons important for our future. The author has done a masterful job educating readers about how and why America's railroads contributed to the development of the National Park system, a unique story about an industry electing to connect itself with America's spectacular natural landscapes. It examines the railroads' commercial objectives, their sponsorship of unique artwork that captured the spirit of the age, the mobility and development issues at the time, and how all of this affected our national cultural identity. This book, with its clear writing and rich illustrations, also makes learning about all this fun. The author looks to the future and passionately and effectively conveys the need to restore passenger rail service to natural areas as an alternative to auto congestion and pollution. He concludes, "Trains and the national parks just naturally go together." He has me convinced, and as an author and public speaker I've found myself quoting Mr. Runte's book many times.