American Narrow Gauge Railroads [Hardcover]

George Hilton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1990

This is the first comprehensive, extensively illustrated account of the growth and decline of American narrow gauge railroading, a singular and still not fully understood episode in the history of American transportation.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The "narrow gauge fever" that swept U.S. railroads in the 1870s and 1880s was based on economic error. The expected capital savings were not realized in prac tice and the cost of reloading freight at junctions with the standard gauge net work was excessive. By 1900 most of the lines had either been converted to stan dard gauge or abandoned. Today usually thought of as limited to mountain country (the Colorado network was the largest and longest-lived), narrow gauges once ran in 44 states: in 1885 it was possible to travel from Ohio to Texas by narrow gauge. UCLA economist Hilton's superb study documents the rise and fall of the industry in authoritative detail. Part 1 sur veys the economics and technology of the movement as a whole, and Part 2 offers individual histories of 350 companies. Highly recommended for informed lay persons and specialists.
-Paul B. Cors, Univ. of Wyoming Lib., Laramie
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

“Only a handful of books in the field of railroad history have become the standard reference work in a particular area. . . . To those select volumes should be added American Narrow Gauge Railroads. . . . This is an excellent work, and the author and publisher both deserve accolades.”—Railroad History

“Every so often, a book is published that deserves to be called a landmark. . . . American Narrow Gauge Railroads is probably the first of such caliber for the ‘90s.”—Railfan and Railroad

“It should be hailed as a classic. . . . A book that belongs on the shelves of any person who cares about railroad history.” —National Railway Bulletin

“A treat to browse through. . . . An authoritative documentation of a long-gone era, the book brings to life ancient steam locomotives, railroads, and rolling stock that have mostly disappeared without trace.”—New York Times Book Review

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 600 pages
• Publisher: Stanford University Press; First Edition edition (October 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804717311
• ISBN-13: 978-0804717311
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 9.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #761,409 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mandatory reading - a complete reference, September 18, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: American Narrow Gauge Railroads (Paperback)

Author George Hilton is a national authority numerous categories of transportation history. An economist by training, Hilton blends his love of rail and steam with an intelligent analysis of the economic and political realities of the rise and fall of popular railroad lines.

American Narrow Gauge Railroads is dense and heavy, but lavishly illustrated and quick reading. Every single narrow gauge railroad in U.S. history is carefully documented and organized in a clear reference. Detailed information is provided, including thousands of footnoted sources.

Hilton's work is the authoritative reference on narrow gauge railroads in the U.S. I would agree with the comments from the reader in Logan, UT (that it might be dry) might apply to some readers, but for the avid rail enthusiast, this book will be a treasured resource.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent reference but very dry reading, August 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: American Narrow Gauge Railroads (Paperback)

...

George Hilton's "American Narrow Gauge Railroads" is an excellent encyclopedic reference for hardcore railroad buffs. However, casual readers should be aware that this work is first and foremost an academic analysis of transportation economics, and completely free of the glossy nostalgia characteristic of most railroad lore. His descriptions of individual railroads and the narrow-gauge phenomenon in general focus on economics (I now have a newfound respect for the word "receivership"), rather than the equipment and the frontier atmosphere that attract many railroad enthusiasts. Nevertheless, the hard work pays off in the end: I now understand why common-carrier narrow gauge railroads were largely doomed to failure.

5.0 out of 5 stars losts of shor history, December 4, 2011

By 

hoov - See all my reviews

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This review is from: American Narrow Gauge Railroads (Paperback)

Good starting point for reshorch is wrten at high leval and some times needs red x 2. But very informitive.