Product Description

With this publication of the second edition of "Trains Across the Continent", author Rudolph Daniels brings us up-to-date on the recent developments in North American Railroading and further augments the wonderful usefulness of the first edition. Without losing any of the material in the first edition he turns his discerning historian's eye to such previously unexplored topics as the problematic freight-breakdown in the merger of the Union Pacific and the Southern Pacific. He explores the implications of NAFTA for the North American railroads, the breakup of Conrail, and the electrification of the northeast corridor. Now is a time of ferment in the railroad industry and Daniels continues to provide students of railroading insights and the delineation of essential features.Updated maps, a new appendix with basic facts such as track mileage and freight tonnage, a greatly expanded bibliography, plus a detailed discussion of the diesel locomotive and railroad electrification further round out the usefulness of "Trains Across the Continent" as the complete and concise introduction to North American railroads.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #184237 in Books
• Published on: 2000
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .56" h x 8.69" w x 10.84" l, 2.01 pounds
• Binding: Paperback
• 280 pages

Review
"The best current railroad history available ... everything you need to know ... both educational and enjoyable reading." --Dean Bruce, President, Railroad Education Training Association "Trains Across the Continent truly is a comprehensive account of how railroads helped shpae and are continuing to shape the history of North America." --Jonathan B. Hanna, Historian, Canadian Pacific Railway "Quickly and concisely Dr. Daniels leads you through the maze of building, merging, and a myriad of other details necessary to understand modern railroading." --Donald D. Snoddy, Historian, Union Pacific Railroad Praise for the first edition: "Despite the broad scope of the topic, Daniels manages to make brief mention of all major points of North American railroad history chronologically; from the workings of a steam locomotive to the dawn of the railroad mega-merger, nearly every conceivable aspect of railroading receives attention... This volume is a must for those wishing to broaden or hone their knowledge of the birth and evolution of the railroad industry in North America over the last 175 years." --Chris Goepel (review for Rail News, April 1999) "Nothing but positive comments about it from faculty and students alike... The industry bible in this area." --Phillip B. Cypret, Sacramento City College

About the Author
Rudolph Daniels taught Russian studies at Loras College, Clarke College, and Dubuque University--all in Dubuque, Iowa--before moving to West Germany in 1974, where he taught English and French at a gymnasium. Returning to the United States, he began teaching at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa. Over the course of twenty-two years, Daniels became Department Chair of History and Political Science and also taught woodwinds and music literature classes. He served as an admissions interviewer and campus photographer and was named Faculty Person of the Year in 1985. Daniels also received two post-doctoral fellowships while at Morningside, allowing him to expand his research and teaching interests. In 1996, Daniels became Department Chair of the Behavioral Sciences at Western Iowa Tech Community College, where he began teaching history and other courses in Railroad Operations Technology. Trains across the Continent was developed as a textbook for his classes at WITCC.