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Title: Rival Rails
Subtitle: The Race to Build America's Greatest Transcontinental Railroad
Author: Walter R. Borneman
Narrator: Norman Dietz
Format: Unabridged
Length: 15 hrs and 5 mins
Language: English
Release date: 09-28-10
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 29 votes
Genres: History, American
Publisher's Summary:
The driving of the golden spike at Promontory Summit, which marked the completion of the country's first transcontinental railroad, was only the beginning of the race for railroad dominance. In the aftermath of this building feat, dozens of railroads, each with aggressive empire builders at their helms, raced one another for the ultimate prize of a southern transcontinental route that was generally free of snow, shorter in distance, and gentler in gradients.
More than just a means of transportation, the railroads were a powerful mold, and the presence of a rail line had the power to make - or break - the fledgling towns and cities across the newborn American West. While much has been written about the building of the first transcontinental railroad, the bulk of the history of the railroads in the United States has been largely ignored. With a meticulous, loving eye, Walter Borneman picks up where most other histories leave off.
Critic Reviews:
"With modern railroads in a state of renewal, this well-written history of western railroad expansion will greatly interest rail fans and general readers alike. " (
Library Journal)