Customer Reviews

The IRON HORSE AND THE WINDY CITY: HOW RAILROADS SHAPED CHICAGO

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Let me start by saying this book is a treasure trove of information on the developement of Chicago as a railroad mecca. Very detailed information over a wide variety of railroad topics. I did feel as if the author did repeat himself though. He would touch on topics in one section, only to later go back to those topics in their own sections. I had the feeling of "didn't I already read some of this?". Also lacking was any maps that showed the developement of Chicago's railroad network. At the very least, a map of the current railroads and where they go in the city could have been included, and can be easily gotten from the Chicago Operating Rules Association (CORA). I have one on my wall.

So, if you know something about Chicago (who goes where) this book will tell you why they went there. If you don't have a good idea of which railroads are where in Chicago, it may be a bit of a tough read for you.

This book is much-more railroad-oriented and a better read than Ann Keating's "Chicagoland - City and Suburbs in the Railroad Age" -- although it is not a great hunk of writing. It, too, unfortunately reads too much like a research paper or dissertation -- filled with quasi-useless statistics to the point of being slightly stat-heavy, in an effort to impress someone.

But there are some great nuggets if you don't mind doing some digging. The book, while well-organized into salient chapters, needed a professional editor to guide the author and also polish up the text. The author frequently repeats thoughts and passages on nearby pages, leading me to believe it was read by some college prof for a grade before it was sent to a publisher, without being proofread.

What a fun read! This will make you feel like a kid again, remembering your Lionel, American Flyer or HO train sets. Mr. Young amazes you with well researched facts and rare illustrations on how dominant the railroad was in developing this great land, and especially Chicagoland. I have found that my consciousness has changed and each time I see a track, wait for a train to pass at a crossing, or go for a train ride, I feel a part of something great and wonderful about America. This is a thoughtful gift for your friends who feel the romance of trains in their lives. Alllll Aborrrrd!