Customer Reviews

The Lake Shore Electric Railway Story (Railroads Past and Present)

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This book is too good not to have at least one review. While I have no overwhelming interest in Midwestern interurbans, the combination of Amazon's price, admiration for author Harwood's other work, and the quality of Indiana University Press' Railroads Past and Present series of books made a purchase irresistible.

It took longer to write The Lake Shore Electric Railway Story than the 37 years the company existed. Authors Harwood and Korach completed the writing of a project begun by John Rehor and Willis McCaleb. Perhaps the Lake Shore was fortunate in running between populous Cleveland and Toledo, but the photographic record of the line is simply amazing #although coverage of the extreme western end of the line near Toledo has been slighted#. There is enough detailed coverage of the nuts and bolts to satisfy the hard core rail buff: main line operations, local service in cities and towns, equipment, freight, and wrecks #typical of interurbans, there were more than enough of those#.

But readers with interests in economics and technology should also enjoy the book. The interurbans "flamed out" with a rapidity that is rare in American history. Harwood and Korach explain why the Lake Shore finally went bankrupt, and how management in a declining industry fought against the inevitable.

The book not explain the stockholders or principles of these corporations, which would have been very benificial to the reader.

The only problem I have with this book, is that there are many, many facts that conflict with the same data in Harry Christiansen's New Lake Shore Electric. Mr. Christiansen was an expert on the topic, and his facts must be taken as absolute fact. One example would be the eastbound car in the Vermilion wreck. This book erroneously lists it as #12 several times, but the car was actually #14, verified in a photo of the wreck, as well as Christiansen's text of the account in his book. The biggest fact is the building of the Sandusky Connecting Railway. Christiansen says 1926 whereas this book says 1931. Mr. Christiansen was alive and there to witness the line, so again, his must be taken as fact. I will give credit though, much remains a mystery. I'm sure Harwood and Korach may have corrected a few facts Harry got wrong. It goes both ways, so my recommendation is yes, buy this book and read it, but also buy Harry's book and read that. Then, you decide.