Why did American railroads decline from the glory days of the early twentieth century? Why did so many railroad mergers in the 1950s and 1960s, intended as a panacea for the ills of an outdated system, go sour and, in fact, make a bad situation worse? Saunders addresses these and many other issues in this authoritative history of U.S. railroads and their corporate mergers.
Beginning with a wide-ranging analysis of the role of railroads in the economic and social fabric of American life, Saunders traces the causes and results of the twentieth century's "merger mania." Mergers, he explains, were expected to save money, to improve service to customers, and to help railroads compete against other modes of transportation, such as the growing airline and trucking industries. Saunders then gives colorful, richly detailed accounts of the mergers and shows the reasons—including corporate greed and the inept blundering of government regulatory agencies—the outcomes fell far short of expectations.
Merging Lines explores the impact of shifting political control of railroads as no history has done before. The fates of both workers and railroad companies were dictated by the rise and fall of business and governmental leaders, including Bill Brosnan, Robert R. Young, Alfred Perlman, President John F. Kennedy, and President Lyndon B. Johnson. As power struggles erupted, the original goals of the mergers were thwarted by consumer frustration, violent labor strikes, and organizational collapse. Saunders explores these and other crucial developments in this extensive work, carefully designed for railroad historians and enthusiasts at any level.
Encyclopedic in its scope, Merging Lines includes sixty-eight maps, a list of court cases involving railroad mergers, and a wealth of information on American railroads from coast to coast. An extensively revised, updated, and supplemented edition of Saunders's earlier classic, The Railroad Mergers and the Coming of Conrail (1978), it is essential reading for all who are interested in railroad and transportation history.
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"Railroad history at its best."—Trains
"A superb source of U.S. railroad history and a must read for anyone with an interest in the railroad merger movement."—The Michigan Railfan
"Fascinating.... Saunders has done a masterful job of analyzing the merger movement, in all its complexities and complications. Serious students of railroad history will want to add it to their libraries, as will every college and university library."—Railroad History
"An invaluable source.... The introduction is the cleanest, clearest overview of the American railroad network that this reviewer has ever read."—Choice
About the Author
Richard Saunders Jr. teaches history at Clemson University. He is author of Merging Lines: American Railroads, 1900-1970, which won the 2002 George W. and Constance M. Hilton Award.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent if dry in parts,
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This review is from: Merging Lines : American Railroads, 1900-1970 (Hardcover)
Saunders revises and expands his earlier work on the origins of Conrail. As such it is an interesting and useful overview of the problems of American railroading. He is, in my view, properly hard on management and government's failures. I think his treatment of labor is evenhanded, avoiding the cliches that are rife in railroad studies. A rewarding book for the railroad enthusist looking for something beyond picture books. Holds up well with the work of Middleton (which is high praise).
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent railroad history,
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This review is from: Merging Lines : American Railroads, 1900-1970 (Hardcover)
I liked this book so much I have read it twice. It is highly readable and very informative. I would recommend it to all train buffs as well as those interested in American history. The author does an excellent job of explaining the trends and events in American railroading for the time period stated and does it in a way which made it hard to put the book down. The author is soon coming out with a sequel and I will buy it as soon as it is available.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding,
This review is from: Merging Lines : American Railroads, 1900-1970 (Hardcover)
This book should be on the shelf of anyone interested in how the rail industry weathered the regulatory and managerial storm of the mid 20th century. Author Saunders brings together both the 'rail' side of the picture and the financial and more human side of the players involved. The writing is such that it is literally a page turner. I have read it cover to cover many times, and I enjoy the tale each go. I would say a few of the maps need improved editing, but this is a minor aside. There is no work that comes close to matching the scope and value this book provides. To those who love the rail industry but did not live through this particular time, read this book, and you will have a crystal clear picture of the times.
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