Customer Reviews

Journey to Amtrak: The Year History Rode the Passenger Train

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This interesting book details the end of passenger service on April 30, 1971 by the now freight-only carriers in the United States. This book is an excellent historical reference on the creation of Amtrak by the United States government in order to satisfy the complaints of both the railroads and the public. Contained in the book are a list of passenger trains remaining on private carriers the day before Amtrak began, before and after maps of the nations rail passenger network, and a timeline detailing government proceedings into the nations rail passenger system leading to the creation of Amtrak. There are many black and white photos of the last day of service on many varied railroads. Unlike many other railroad books a historical timeline is developed using news reports of govenmental proceedings and private railroad stances on passenger service in the United States. The book painfully shows just how much of the passenger system was discontinued with the creation of Amtrak leading one to wonder if it would have been better to let the nations passenger rail system die a natural death.