Rating: 
Summary: Not a classic but a good read just the same.
Review: Enjoyable, but somewhat repetitive story of the transcontinental railroad. Often narrative gives out and is replaced with lists of statistics or simply fails and is reduced to hyperbolae. Despite this, it was a good telling of the facsinating story behind the train that tied together the american continent. T
Rating: 
Summary: over rated
Review: Ambrose has become so popular he thinks he can write anything. The best book on the transcontinental railroad is called 'Empire Express'. This book is just not worth it. Ambrose has produced some valuable scholarship(on Ike and Nixon) but this doesnt pass muster. Not recommended when equal and better volumes exist that are specialities for the authors involved, not just popular history.
Rating:
Summary: Railroad enthusiasts will enjoy it more than a casual reader
Review: Stephen Ambrose, noted author of historical works, sets out to weave a tale of human endeavor and achievement. Given the unprecedented nature of the events and relevance of some of the sub-plots his work falls short of the masterpiece that it could have been. All of the elements of a great work are there: historical accuracy and depth of research (including notes from rail worker logs/diaries) as well as the workings of cut-throat business competition and national scandals in the making... There are still many intersting details: the introduction of "modern" advances like nitroglycerine, steam power and electricity; using business competition to increase productivity; the political machinations that should have brought down many members of Congress (but didn't) and the very Enron-like financial frauds. Railroad enthusiasts will still enjoy the work, but it could have had much broader appeal and present-day relevance with a little more refinement.
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