Train: Riding the Rails That Created the Modern World-from the Trans-Siberian to the Southwest Chief

by Tom Zoellner

A revelatory, entertaining account of the world’s most indispensable mode of transportation

Tom Zoellner loves trains with a ferocious passion. In his new book he chronicles the innovation and sociological impact of the railway technology that changed the world, and could very well change it again.

From the frigid trans-Siberian railroad to the antiquated Indian Railways to the futuristic MagLev trains, Zoellner offers a stirring story of man’s relationship with trains. Zoellner examines both the mechanics of the rails and their engines and how they helped societies evolve. Not only do trains transport people and goods in an efficient manner, but they also reduce pollution and dependency upon oil. Zoellner also considers America’s culture of ambivalence to mass transit, using the perpetually stalled line between Los Angeles and San Francisco as a case study in bureaucracy and public indifference.

Train presents both an entertaining history of railway travel around the world while offering a serious and impassioned case for the future of train travel.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Travel, Trains, Transport, Audiobook, Railways

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 30, 2014

About the author

Tom Zoellner is the author of several nonfiction books, including Island on Fire: The Revolt that Ended Slavery in the British Empire, and works as a professor at Chapman University and Dartmouth College. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Harper’s, The American Scholar, The Oxford American, Time, Foreign Policy, Men’s Health, Slate, Scientific American, Audubon, Sierra, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The Texas Observer, Departures, The American Scholar, The Wall Street Journal and many other publications. Tom is a fifth-generation Arizonan and a former staff writer for The Arizona Republic and the San Francisco Chronicle. He is the recipient of fellowships and residencies from The Lannan Foundation, the Corporation of Yaddo, the Economic Hardship Reporting Project and the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation.

Reviews

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many years ago, as a young woman, I stood in the checkout line of my local bookstore, arms full of books including two copies of the new book, Chesapeake, by James Michener-one intended as a gift and one for myself. As I unloaded my purchases on the counter, the clerk scanned the pile and with great condescension asked, "Do you realize that you have two volumes of the same book?' Disliking his haughty attitude, I made my eyes big and in my best dumb blonde voice said, "Well, this book, Chesapeake, looks sooo good, I think I may want to read it twice!" I still remember the snort of the tall man behind me in line as he doubled over in laughter. Well, I did read Chesapeake and it was okay but not a book I'd read twice. Train: Riding the Rails That Created the Modern World-from the TransSiberian to the Southwest Chief by Tom Zoellner, in spite of its unwieldy title, is. In fact, since I read it on Kindle, I plan to buy another copy that I can hold in hand and peruse at leisure.

There is so much covered in this book; where to begin? Tom Zoellner spends four years riding rails around the world, describing each railroad from many angles and expounding on the way each is intimately tied to the political history of its country of origin. The post-train history of Great Britain, India, USA, Russia, China and other countries are examined, including their economics, art, literature, music, poetry, warfare, and science, where related to their trains. Trains are so much more than mere point to point transportation. Yet the fun part of the book lies beyond the zillions of interesting facts. "Train" is also a memoir and travelogue, as Zoellner is the best kind of travel companion you'd ever want to have, seemingly comfortable in all settings, with persons of any age, status, gender or dress. He interviews laborers, government ministers and possible love interests, all with tact, respect and camaraderie. I for one did not want this journey to end and was glad when the bite of stray dog sent Zoellner home for rabies treatment but did not dissuade him from continuing his travels where he left off. Informative AND a great read!

[Grumpus · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a bit surprised to find that I liked this book as much as I did. It's a great mix of railroad travel stories and history. As usual, Grover Gardner's narration also helps earn bonus points. I learned a lot of railroad history and of one particular country's railroad to avoid.

I would also recommend one of the author's other books that I also listened to and enjoyed immensely, Uranium: War, Energy and the Rock That Shaped the World.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a terrific find - I was honestly looking for a travel narrative covering several global train routes, and this did not disappoint!

India seemed a good place to start, as the rail network moves so many people, and so much freight, easy qualifying as the "largest" train system today on both fronts. Less historical background in that section made it easier to get into the book I felt.

Zoellner visits Britain, where the railroad was born, traveling from one end of the country to the other, with historical background included regarding the early days, and notes on recent privatization.

Then, off the States, which receives a plurality of attention, where he does the same thing regarding the rise and fall of the railroads, and the story of AMTRAK.

His Trans-Siberian mis-adventure was cut short by a medical emergency, but that didn't bother me as much, since it's been covered extensively in other books focusing on that ride alone.

The train to Tibet is presented with a focus both on the engineering marvel, including a warning that global warming may endanger the tracks in the long run, as well as the political aspect of making Han Chinese influence (colonization) easier.

His visit to a freight line in Peru was the least interesting for me, personally, though was presented well.

Finally, high speed rail in Japan and Spain were profiled (the latter more extensively).

Overall, a highly recommended work for travel narrative fans, less so for die-hard rail enthusiasts into technical details, who actually may appreciate the Peruvian entry most. Grover Gardner, of whom I'm admittedly a fan, is an excellent fit as narrator.

[RandomAnthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

(True story before the proper review: I placed this novel on the table in the lunchroom at work and one of my colleagues picked it up and said, “Tom Zoellner? Zippy Zoellner?” Turns out a colleague went to Lawrence University with the book’s author. He told me a story about a road trip to Arizona with Mr. Zoellner. Zippy, Dave Sampe says hi.)

Tom Zoellner’s Train reads more like a long magazine article stretched juuuuuust a bit too long for that coveted book contracted. Mr. Zoellner writes well and puts in his time around the world, but the book’s scope is hard to manage. Either Train should have been longer, with more complete historical detail, etc., or it should have been shorter, like in Vanity Fair or some travel publication. I learned a lot (e.g. about people pooping on the tracks in India) and Mr. Zoellner (may I call him Zippy?) writes with a smooth, personable tone. I’m afraid this book is too light for train afficionados and too difficult to categorize for someone casually interested in train travel. Still, I liked Train. I’d read another by the author. Get crackin’, Zippy!

[Steven Yenzer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zoellner is a master of history through anecdote, and Train does an admirable job of explaining the train's past and present through Zoellner's travels. I just wish he hadn't told us about all THREE times he flirted with/hit on women on the trains.

[Ned · Rating 4 out of 5]

IT TOOK ME A while to read this book (I kept putting it down to read other stuff) but I am glad that I finished it. Tom Zoellner writes with an easy conversational style that makes the book interesting and enjoyable.

The book is about Zoellner's travels on many different historical railways all over the world, and he discusses the history of the railway, ordinary passengers that he meets on his travels, rail officials, and cultural and commercial aspects of each railway. This is, at times, a travel journal, at times a history of rail and at times a discussion of rail technology.

It is quite astounding to realize that the railroad traffic is almost 200 years old. Zoellner starts with a rail segment from northern Scotland to the southern tip of England. One of the oldest rail lines, and he discusses the earliest form of rail in the 1820s as a means to extract ore from a coal mine in Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK (near where my friend Tom Matthews lives as he pursues his lifelong dream of finding ways of making ketchup come out of the bottle easier.)

Other railways he travels are across India (The construction of rail has transformed India perhaps more than any other country), New York to Los Angeles, The Trans Siberian Rail from Moscow to Vladivostok, Beijing over the Himalayas into Tibet, the Ferrocarril Central Andino from Lima Peru and over the Andes, a fascinating high-speed rail across Spain (where my friend Ned Nedders lives and tosses cans of beer at televised soccer games); and the famous Bullet trains of Japan.

Zoellner ends the book with a discussion about the very meager interest in high speed rail in the US, and dismal prospects for anything to change in the foreseeable future. The US is seriously miles and miles of modern high-speed rail track and technology behind other developed countries.

A curious thing is that all through this journal, Zoeller in his travels constantly tries to pick up single women on the train in a less than planned chance encounter. It seems that he wants to turn this rail travel journal into a romance novel? But they consistently spurn him and disappear at the next train station.

Maybe he just needs to work on his approach.

Good book by the author of "A Safeway In Arizona" (About the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords) and "Uranium" for me, an irresistible text on the history and use of uranium, which is next on my Zoellner reading list. (My friend Ines H. K-Plus will be delighted to read this).

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

A loving ode to railways worldwide both freight and passenger. Zoellner covers a brief history of railroads without getting bogged down in technical detail, and then he looks at individual train routes around the world and their cultural and economic impact. Quite a fun read!

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book through Goodreads first reads.

This book wasn't what I was expecting and I found that disappointing.

I love both trains and travel by trains. Despite the relative lack of trains in Canada, I've always enjoyed them; although my real love for trains bloomed in Japan. Subways, local trains, express trains, bullet trains - even a couple of jaunts on Amtrak up and down the California coast - I loved them all. I was actually really excited to read this book and find out about trains worldwide.

I did appreciate all the history behind the different train lines in this book. The effects of the trains in India and how that system is run, the history of the birth of the train in the UK, the effects of the train linking China to Tibet on Tibetan bids for independence and the rather grim history of parts of the trans-Siberian rail line were all fascinating. I also particularly enjoyed the description of how Chicago became a rail hub - through the desire to ship meat around the country and the development of refrigerated cars.

This book was clearly written for an American audience. I wish American comparisons had been limited a little more and case studies limited to the already hefty chapter on American rail. I think Tom Zoellner could have gone much more deeply into the trains in each country without dragging American references into everything. Granted, in many cases these were relevant but I think too much of many chapters was consumed by American examples.

The end of Train felt to me almost like a separate book from the beginning. I enjoyed it less as it moved towards the end. Perhaps if all that was described in this book had to be written, it would have been better served as two books: one tracing trains around the world and one chronicling the train in the United States.

Despite the feeling of disappointment the end of this book left with me, overall Train was an interesting read. I learned a number of fascinating things and have a few new places and routes added to my bucket list.

[John Behle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid workaday update about the world of rail travel. I always think of Paul Theroux when train travel writing comes up, but Zoellner adds a zooming mix of the macro view of the state of train transport, not just riding them.

From Britain, we learn of the history of steam engines, putting wheels on that steam engine and then bolting rails together to carve out for that device a dedicated route. We tag along with our author through China, Japan, Peru, and a many day transcontinental Amtrak slog. We communicate with Russians in the shared language of cheap vodka. While journeying in India, we learn about hole-in-the-floor toilets.

The high speed Spanish AVE is a fun chapter at 200 mph.

We meet fellow riders, managers and service staff, and rail planners. Zoellner is an affable raconteur who can paint a motion picture.

It's a likable book that does not wear out its welcome.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting history of railroads and train travel on 4 continents. The style seems to me a cross between John McPhee and Paul Theroux--history, industry, travelogue, and people. I appreciated the history and the humor--although I confess I was a little bogged down in the extensive India section. Could have used a fact checker (Clutter murders were in 1959, not 1954). Gardner's a companionable narrator and particularly good with this kind of book.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comes back a little too often to the American train system, while ostensibly talking about systems in other parts of the world. The descriptions of the other systems are quite interesting, too. And who knew that Sprint was an offshoot of Southern Pacific? (Southern Pacific Railroad Internal Networking Telephony, in point of fact.)

[Ed Boyno · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful little book. More of a memoir than a history, Mr. Zoellner spends a lot of time actually riding the trains he writes about: Spain's bullet train, the AVE; The Trans Siberian Railway etc.

The book is peppered with interesting and quirky anecdotes making it a very easy read.

[Tom Melcior · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love riding trains, and even if you don't, the rhythm and roll of stories heard aboard the great trains of the world will enthrall you. I wondered if there would be enough to entertain me but I got railroaded along right to the end by excellent writing. Will look for his other books.

[Kevin Harber · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first three sections about current and historic railway systems in the UK, India, and the US were very entertaining and informative, but after that it really petered out and became very fractured and directionless.

[Joseph Spuckler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Train: Riding the Rails That Created the Modern World -- From the Trans-Siberian to the Southwest Chief by Tom Zoellner is an account of the author’s travel on some of the historic rail lines from across the globe. Zoellner earned his B.A. in History and English from Lawrence University and his M.A. from Dartmouth. He has reported for several newspapers and has published several nonfiction books on a variety of subjects: from uranium to diamonds. He has also been a speechwriter for Gabrielle Giffords which prompted him to write A Safeway in Arizona: What the Gabrielle Giffords Shooting Tells Us About the Grand Canyon State and Life in America after the tragic shooting in 2011.

Train starts in England as Zoellner rides across the country visiting places of interest from the world’s first railway, to where the steam engine was invented, improved, and eventually made into a train. He ties aspects of the region, coal for example, from the dangerous work in the mines to Thatcher’s effective shutdown of coal mining when breaking the miners union in 1984. England is the heart of railroad history. Trains were needed to move raw materials to factories and finished goods back to port. In India, the railroads claim to be the biggest employer in the world, not true, but nonetheless and very impressive sized employer. The British brought railroads to India for their economic benefit, but in the long run the railways united the formerly fragmented Indian people and perhaps helped India on its way to independence.

Some countries see rail as the future. China’s centralized government is spending an incredible sum of money building a rail infrastructure. People will need to move in the future and a train is far more efficient energy-wise and far more affordable for the people than automobiles. Peru is in a financial do or die railroad project. Trains, although costing more initially, will move the country’s raw materials far more efficiently than an army of trucks. China is also exporting its rail building expertise throughout the world, including the United States.

I once heard a commentator say that the United States has a rail system that would embarrass Bulgaria; I don’t think he was lying. Zoellner covers the rise and tragic fall of the American rail system from settling the west and unifying the country to state governments refusing to allow high speed rail to be built in their states. As someone who prefers to travel by train, anywhere that is too far to bicycle to, I see the same sad system. Amtrak estimated that over 95% of Americans have never been on a train.

Perhaps the most unexpected thing in the book is the Tran-Siberian Railroad. Zoellner is quick to explain that this is not the Orient Express. In fact, when he tells Russian passengers that he plans to ride all the way to Vladivostok, they look at him in horror. Why would anyone want to travel voluntarily across Siberia is a mystery to a Russian. For days on end the landscape is unchanging. Russians ride the Trans-Siberian Railroad only because they have to. It is more of an engineering marvel for the Czar Nicholas II to brag about to his European counterparts than it was ever for comfortable train travel.

Train is an exciting look at some of the world’s historic and greatest railways. Zoellner adds history and ancillary stories to the these important railways. It is not just trains, but politics that create and kill railways. It is also about planning the future infrastructure of rising nations and watching the failure of up until now successful nations. Railways were and still are a sign of power and pride in many nations. Zoellner’s first hand accounts, interviews, and related history make this a great book.

[Kyle Wendy Skultety (gimmethatbook.com) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review originally appeared on my blog at www.gimmethatbook.com.

I picked up this book while on vacation in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, during a visit to the Railroad Museum of PA. My father was a freight conductor for Penn Central/Conrail for 40 years, and I always loved spending time with him as we visited Waverly Yard in Newark, NJ where he worked. I took unsanctioned rides with him in the engine many times, and we were always given the best treatment when we visited other railroad yards or took touristy train trips out of state. All he had to do was show his union card and we were instant VIPs!

TRAIN is full of tiny bits of information that will make you stop and think. The creation of multiple railways was key to the growth of the United States. Fresh fruit, meat, equipment, and of course, passengers, were able to move effortlessly from one side of the country to another. People were frightened of trains initially, as they were behemoths, making otherworldly sights and sounds as the steam puffed out of their smokestacks, the boilers devoured their coal, and giant pistons pumped up and down, turning the wheels around and around.

When crowds gathered in 1825 to watch the debut of the world’s first real railroad – the Stockton & Darlington of northern Britain – the correspondent from the Morning Herald reported that multiple spectators “fled in affright” from the locomotive and others looked at the train with a “vacant stare” as if in a trance.

I loved this book for all its bits of trivia and history. One of my favorite snippets was the section in the chapter Bound for Glory that noted the multiple songs that have been written either with a train mentioned in the lyrics or having a beat that mimics the hypnotic “click-clack” one hears while on board. Artists such as Kenny Rogers, Berlin, Gladys Knight, Sheena Easton, and Soul Asylum all reference trains in their lyrics. And who can forget the Doobie Brothers classic “Long Train Running”?

Zoellner also goes into detail about how railroads have been running at a deficit for years, what happens when someone commits suicide by train, how Disneyland was created out of the animator’s obsession with trains, and the excruciating monotony during the ride on the Trans-Siberian railway.

The Trans-Siberian is 5,772 miles long and spans eight time zones. As you will find out, it is not the romantic journey that the name invokes. History and literature are cited in the chapter Blood on the Tracks, and it is quite a dark chapter.

The author’s writing style is both simple and grandiose at times, as rarely used words (such as echt or obsequious) pop up where a simpler synonym could be used. This is not a terrible thing. I absolutely love reading books that force me to look up definitions, thus expanding my vocabulary. It is a rare book that does this, as my vocabulary is quite comprehensive, and I thoroughly love adding words to my collection.

Zoellner’s love for trains shines through in every sentence and it’s quite heartwarming for a train lover like me. I’m so glad I stumbled upon this wonderful book during my vacation. The feelings invoked within me were poignant, as my father is no longer with me, and I miss him. TRAIN gave me the opportunity to revisit memories while learning new things about these magnificent machines that we both held very dear.

[Zach Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very fun, light read that goes back and forth between being a travelogue and pop-history book about railroads. I enjoyed the history-and-sociology sections more, with the sections on India and Amtrak being the most fascinating. Those where he simply talked to people on a UK railroad and rode on the Trans-Siberian, not able to talk to anybody (way to derail my dream of hopping on the Trans-Siberian, this sounds DULL) were pretty meh.

QUOTES
“Make No Little Plans, For They Have No Magic To Stir Men’s Blood” - Daniel Burnham

Peer under the surface of almost any American city that lies away from the eastern seaboard and you are almost certain to find a railroad buried in its nativity story.

“Sometimes,” he said quietly in the club car, “yo ufeel like you’re just going around in circles. IF you’re just looking around all the palces you’ve been, you think to yourself, Was I good enough? Did I touch enough people? But for now I’m happy to be here. Do what I can do. Say what I can say.”

It was like that old parable of time: A man lies on his back on a raft floating down a river, gazing up at the sky through a paper tube. A fragment of blue is all he can see. But he moves with the unchangeable flow of the river. That is our perception of the universe, so limited and slow and imprisoned.

(on using a set time across the US, which didn’t happen until 1883) “The sun is no longer to boss the job,” said the Indianapolis Sentinel, with heavy sarcasm. “The planets must, in the future, make their circuits by such timetables as railroad magnates arrange. People will have to marry by railroad time and die by railroad time.”

If there is a more peaceful accompaniment to sleep than the tidal motion of the cars, the receding song of grade-crossing signals, the knowledge that you will wake up with a different country scrolling by outside your window, I do not know of it.

There was one part about railroad stations being "structural climaxes" and "neo-classical temples to the technology that had made the journey possible" which was kind of beautiful too.

[Judd Street · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're a train aficionado, this is the book for you. In it, Zoellner runs through his experiences riding various rail lines around the world. The book leans quite heavily to his experience on the cross-continent journey in the US, and feels light in its tellings of the other rail lines (not unexpected, given the language difficulties he ran into in meeting passengers in Peru, Russia, Spain, and India... but unfortunate, given how interesting those stories would be).

To be honest, I found the book a little skippy in its style. Zoellner weaves together personal anecdotes, the stories and accounts of the people he met along the way, and various history, policy, and engineering related to the history of rail. At times, these transitions feel a little lurchy, and the style means that some of the core questions (e.g., why isn't rail like Europe available in America?) get asked repetitively without really being answered or advanced.

That being said, if you're interested in the topic to begin with, it will be an engaging read. And, the history, policy, and 'big-picture' it weaves in is interesting, if a little thinner and disconnected than I would have liked.

[Danny Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me some time to read this book, mostly due to not allowing enough time for myself to read. Overall I enjoyed it. Tom does a great job doing research on railways as well as outlining each journey it took. As a railfan I found it fascinating to learn about railroads around the world. As a Canadian, it reminded me just how behind my country is in regards to rail infrastructure.

My main critique was the flow of the book. I felt the content of this publication could have been two separate books: one about the history and one about the journeys and trains itself. This was especially apparent in the final chapter. Zoellner would spend 2-3 pages on the journey and then 10+ on history both directly and indirectly relevant to the train/country in question. I found I would forget where I was on the journey after these moments, and almost felt I should be taking notes!

That being said I enjoyed reading this. Would recommend.

[Marvin Goodman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the mix of history, social and business perspectives, and first-hand travelogue to be quite enjoyable and diverting. I often find one of those things missing from a book that seems intended as a travel book (which I presumed to be the case, with a subtitle of "Riding the rails..."

It seems like there's not a lot of middle ground in our culture with regard to trains. People are either fervent "railfans" or pretty disinterested. I like trains, I find them interesting, and am interested in the mechanical and social history, in where they fit into modern transportation paradigms, and in their potential role in combatting climate change, but I rarely have dreams about trains, and wouldn't put one of those conductor's caps on to save my life, so the paeans that some train-related books turn out to be can wear on some readers after a bit. This was not so. This felt measured, matter-of-fact, and respectful, without sounding like an ode to all things rail. Well done.

[Linda C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zoellner spent 4 years riding the rails - “Each … journey had something important to say about the past and future of railroads; each a physical road that led to the heart of an idea.” His trips covered the length of Britain (Scotland to Cornwall), India, US (NY to LA), Russia (interrupted by a dog bite that sent him home for rabies treatment), China (bullet trains to Tibetan plateau), Peru (high in the Andes), and Spain (high speed transit). His narrative covered bits of history concerning the places he passed or stopped at, train history and development, and anecdotes by and about people he met and talked to. It was an interesting travelogue but definitely for someone who is enthralled by train travel. I'm more interested in a shorter experience based on a specific trip with a purpose and destination.

[Dylan Winchester · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept of this book is interesting, riding all of the major, famous railways around the world. This could be a great way to illuminate the cultural differences of these areas, how that's reflected in the train systems and the people met on the train. Instead Zoellner gets into the nitty gritty details of the trains themselves, spending far too much time with minute details. I understand that he's trying to appeal to the hardcore train fanatics who obsess over these details, but he doesn't balance this well with trying to create a narrative, and seems to fall short in both arenas. There is no prose here, the writing isn't aesthetically pleasing by any means, but some of the broader details like the history and makeup of jobs in the Indian railways system are mildly interesting. A promising topic that Zoellner fails to do adequate justice.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this for free at the united book swap at the airport and I thought it was gonna be a book about trains but it was actually a book about this man’s journey riding trains (and also trains) and I think I just don’t like books that are about someone’s personal journey with something (unless it’s a memoir that’s JUST about their journey) bc the something (in this case, trains) is just SO MUCH more interesting. What was up with Tom hitting on these women in this book??? And getting denied for various reasons each time??? But the parts about trains themselves was SO INTERESTING I loved it, trains are cool and I’m ready for republicans to get onboard so we can have bullet trains in the states too (although trains do cost so much and make so little profit which is a little sus)

[Dakota · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the book because it talked about trains and it gave a lot of information about diesel and steam trains. I think anybody who likes stories about trains, history, and geography would like this book.
The book talks about the economic and technological impacts of trains and how they change the world. The author tells these stories and history by traveling on some of the greatest train rides from around the world. These include the trans-Siberian railroad to the railroad that connects China and Tibet. I would recommend it to anyone middle school age or older.

[Kiri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly delightful adventuring and wordsmithing. I enjoyed gliding along with Zoellner as he rode trains in the U.K., U.S., India, Russia, Peru, Spain, and more. Along the way, he shared a healthy dose of fascinating railroad history and how it has evolved, grown, crumbled, and risen again, in different ways in each country. (His chronicle also made me grateful that I never was able to ride the train while in India.) Looking forward once again to my next train journey!

[Skylar · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you look beyond the odd-to-creepy treatment of women and ideas about women (why does the reader need to know all the times the author hit on women, or thought about hitting on women), and his lack of knowledge of basic physics despite writing about steam engines (boiling water increases pressure or volume, not mass), occasionally the author delivers some interesting historical and engineering trivia.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zoellner rides several trains - in China, Russia, Spain, Great Britain, the US - describing the trips, the people he meets, the sights he sees. He also writes about the history of train travel, the current state of train travel - great for freight, not so much for passengers (at least in the US) - and speculates about the future of train travel. Zoellner is a great story teller, with an eye for detail that adds a lot to the story.

[David Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zoellner rides the rails around the world and across the United States, returning with fare heartier than anything Amtrak serves, a stew of traveler stories, history and current events. (India's goo and lack of automation are equally unbelievable.) He'll make you understand how people were initially thunderstruck by and even frightened of a conveyance that traveled at an ungodly 20 mph.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author tells us an awful lot about trains. He even includes songs and references to trains in literature. He traveled on passenger and freight trains and relates his experiences along with the rail history and lore on four continents, thus missing my favorite – Australia’s tea and sugar train. Very readable or listenable to the audio version.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book. Thought it was going to be more about his current trips on these different rail lines around the world, but turned out he used his a little bit about his travels to set up a lot of history about various railways & railroading in general