How the Railways Will Fix the Future: Rediscovering the Essential Brilliance of the Iron Road

by Gareth Dennis

Railway engineer and transport policy specialist Gareth Dennis shows why the railways are key to the fight for a better world for us all.

The world's railways were almost entirely created by capital and empire for extraction and exploitation, so what right do they have to exist and how can they be harnessed for good? Railway engineer and writer Gareth Dennis builds a case not simply for railways as a common good, but argues that railways are a critical tool for humanity to survive and thrive.

Whether it's the power of organised labour, the threats and opportunities of new technology, the distribution of democratic power or the calamitous impacts of climate change, railways can act as a lens through which to understand the future and the part they can play in it.

Dennis takes us across the globe, from Virgin Hyperloop's abandoned test track in the Nevada desert to the overcrowded stations of the North of England, exploring how railways can shape and inform choices about our future, and in turn detailing how taking a long-term view can help shape transport for the better. With his deep knowledge of railways and his unique view of history and politics, he equips us with the tools to answer those imperative what and who should our railways be for?

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Trains, Urbanism, Urban Planning, Urban, Railways

288 pages, Paperback

Published November 19, 2024

Reviews

[Owen Hatherley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is great - combining the popular genre of 'why (some, especially British) railways are a bit shit' with the surely much much more important task of 'why railways, which includes trams, are by far the least destructive and carbon-intensive mode of transport and should be properly funded, staffed and expanded'. It's very comprehensive for a 250 page book, which sometimes makes it a slightly exhausting 'everything you ever wanted to ask about the future of railways', but it's also extremely well argued - and for once, with a book about the future written from the left, concrete, optimistic and plausible. Transport, as he outlines, is one of a few places (housing is another) where we actually know very well how to solve a particular problem, but refuse to do so due to sunk costs fallacies and the relatively low profitability of doing the right thing - and in the vacuum, snake oil salesmen with ludicrously crap technologies like 'hyperloop' and 'autonomous vehicles' are filling the gap (one of the underlying and highly pertinent elements of the book is an attention to the relentlessly fucking stupid treasuries of British and American central government, and their suspicion of any long-term planning whatsoever - with the result being 'car brain' and 'treasury brain' working in tandem to thwart an incredibly tried, tested and safe technology).

I'd probably have given this 5 stars, but for the almost deliberately trolling list midway through of 'top 20 railways of the world', which is measured solely by mode share, including freight (so speed, safety, comfort irrelevant), leading to some unlikely choices, let's say - though it pains me to admit he might be right about the number 1. But it'd be a 4.5, if Goodreads had them.

[F. Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Train good car bad

[Isaac Wade · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm slightly biased as I like Gareth from his campaigning and podcasts but I'd say this is definitely worth a read. Passionately outlines why railways are important and how they can be better implemented to fight some of the issues of our time.

Some of the analysis is a bit surface level and there's some memetic quips that you need to be slightly terminally online to get but it's entertaining and informative

[Syd Linders · Rating 5 out of 5]

T R E D

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

tren gud

[Jon Panetta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fund. The. Trains.

[Ben Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who listens to Gareth’s podcast religiously, lots of the points made are ones I’ve been familiar with, but having them written down in clear, considered language (rather than the gloriously chaotic rambles of Railnatter) was really useful - and I’m sure those not as Railway-minded would find this far more useful than I as a manifesto of what is to be done.

Also must be a good sign that it’s the first book I’ve finished in years - hence the signing up to leave a review!

[Teddy Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has strengthened my confidence that railways are not just the past but most definitely the future.

I've always found it bizarre the performative technological advancements that some entrepreneurs come up with to 'solve' the transit problem when such a tried, tested and effective (when operated well) system is right there - despite how superficially fun a Waymo can be for a ride in San Francisco! Dennis' fantastic deconstruction of Elon Musk's Hyperloop in Vegas and the Cambridge Autonomous Metro gave me more weapons in the arsenal when discussing this.

Nonetheless, the book is not one stuck in the past, it offers a genuinely optimistic vision for how railways should be operated for a future that serves our changing societies well, in a mostly foundational manner (to be expected for a 250ish page book). He does a good job of considering all aspects of the future and how the railways will augment it, naturally, the consequences of climate change as a central factor. It did at times make me sad however - the author's optimism for the railways until 2100 clashed occasionally with my pessimistic (I feel realistic) awareness that the country has demonstrated no clear ability to engage in large infrastructural projects as necessary anymore - see HS2. But Dennis is acutely aware of this and it provided plenty of engaging discussion.

After listening to a podcast by Dennis prior to reading, I was perhaps worried that the book would be too technical on the railway language. But it was perfect for a layman - and I felt like I gained a significant amount of understanding not just of railway politics but also about how railways function mechanically. It also unexpectedly went into a lot of discussion about the importance of the grand stations across the world and an urban design discussion of this which I very much enjoyed - all I could think of throughout were the horrors of Euston.

As some other reviewers have pointed out, I did find the top 20 list of railway systems a bit strange and unnecessary when considering the context of the discussion. It didn't add much.

Whilst repetitive at times, this book has given me a clear understanding of how the railway system works and should work in the future, making sure to consider all actors in society - including those typically ignored in such grand futurism debates such as the average railway worker. Would recommend!

[Daniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

A disappointing book that was a struggle to get into. The book is all over the place. The book reads like a Neo-Marxist sociology publication that happens to have an interest in trains.

Put it down from December 24 until August 25. Although there are some fascinating insights into how efficient trains can be, the book fell flat. The book often contains jumbled thoughts, unclear links between topics and randomly switches tone at points.

The final chapter feels very much like Paul’s letters from the bible, bizarre and influenced by an illicit substance.

This book should be have been a lot shorter and a lot more interesting if: a. The points and thoughts were more structures
b. It did what it said on the front cover (stick to being an engineering book
c. Went deeper into the issue at hand, it feels very much like a drunken pirate blunderbus approach, lurching from example to example with tenuous connections.
d. The structure of the book could have been much improved through presenting examples more like case studies. This would have allowed for deeper analysis and more cohesive points. It also would have improved the convincingness of the book rather than points just feeling like ad hominem attacks.

[Michael Gillespie · Rating 5 out of 5]

ready to move jobs 🫡 for the railways 🚃 🚂 🚆 water sucks

[Eve Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a topic for which I am simply a member of a choir who is happy to be preached to

[Ben Lever · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good guide for how and why we should be investing in railways for a better, greener future. Simply swapping petrol and diesel cars and trucks for battery-powered equivalents is not the way to fix our transport system, and nor are the techbro wet dreams of hyperloops and flying taxis - railways are an immensely capable and future-proof technology, and we should be investing in them without delay.

I will say the title of the book is a little misleading, as the book spends a lot less real estate on why railways are good and important to the future than I thought it would, and more on what makes a good railway and what needs to be done to set them up for the future we need; more "How to fix the railways for the future", I guess. But the points made are still good and important; we do need to think about everything from governance to workforce to supply chains, if we're going to maximise the benefits railways can offer. Dennis' focus is on the UK and its particular foibles, but a lot of the lessons are applicable internationally. I can tell you that while Australia has avoided some of the problems that plague the UK, we certainly haven't avoided all of them, and it's useful to understand how we can get things back on track.

I'll also say that I had one big frustration with the book - the lack of citations. I know it's not a technical book and it's designed for a lay audience, so I don't expect the fully rigorous citations of an academic paper. But as a rail advocate myself - precisely the kind of person this book is aimed at - if I want to repeat a claim I read in a book like this in my public advocacy, I really need to know the details. Which means going back to the original source, reading it for myself, and making sure I've understood what it says, the context, the limitations, and so on. Frustratingly, a sentence like "...successive studies have determined that high speed rail is the only mode of transport that is cost positive when accounting for all externalities" is not supported by any clue as to what those 'successive studies' might be, or where a curious reader might find them.

By all accounts the book has sold pretty well, and it deserves to - so hopefully this is something that could be rectified in a second edition if there ever is one.

[Aaron Watling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yeah it’s fine I guess. I agree with a lot of Dennis’ arguments but I felt the writing style was sometimes a bit too casual-yet-frenetic which made me struggle to get into it/read it for extended periods.

[Alex Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

good book, i do think it’s a bit all over the place though. gareth dennis has some great ideas and he is a lot more articulate in person than in writing (interview on novara media is a good start point), but overall he is spot on with his connection of socio-ecological change and rail.

[Jerome Cacace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plenty of food for thought, positive future if only.... Language sometimes a little convoluted, specialist terms not always explained (glossary would have been good)

[Kriegslok · Rating 4 out of 5]

"If you build an economic system (and the physical environment that enables it) specifically to isolate people by design, then of course you will be creating unsustainable levels of isolation for those living in that system, not just of older people but for anyone disadvantaged, disabled, dispossessed or otherwise dissociated from their fellow humans by the world around them."

This is an ambitious but well argued book. Transport is recognised as having a key part in climate change, both in contributing to and in mitigating its effects.

Gareth Dennis introduces us to the place of railways in developing the world we live in for worse and better. He notes the disorganised and wasteful way railways were developed by the private sector creating duplication, cutting corners and ripping off investors. That railways were allowed to develop in such a laissez faire way has hobbled them ever since. It is interesting to note that Russia, where the state guided the development of the railway system, has the most efficient and effective system by many assessments.

Having an engineer write this book is a major plus. His take down of the transport flights of fancy (Musk's "hyperloop" etc) is refreshing. He rightly notes how those without technical knowhow tend to be easily duped by purveyors of novel and untested transport solutions which lack the tested resilience of traditional rail based transport. It is this long and continually improved original that Dennis argues should remain the focus of governments globally.

Dennis writes, "...we've solved the technology challenges for urban and long distance transport. It is the political will, not technological capability, that is lacking. We don't need invention, we need implementation." And this is the depressing thing about this book. It employs a holistic approach to transport, who it serves, who it should serve and how, it looks at the climate crisis challenge and the role of transport in this. The holistic solution offered seems quite clear and essential, however, reading these pages you just know that the arguments and ideas presented here will be ignored because, like most expert analysis, they effectively challenge the neo-liberal system to which all our politicians are enthral too and call for its replacement by a human focused approach that also addresses the survival of human civilisation. This of course is unacceptable in a world where profit is more important than sustainability, enjoyment and longevity.

That said it is a refreshing read and one which should be read by all those who work in transport policy and delivery.

"Travel should not be stopped, it should be democratised and recognised for its ability to build bridges and understanding between peoples."

[Oscar Jelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A highly admirable manifesto, crisply written and very thorough, which argues for the obvious and pressing need for a massive expansion and reorganisation of the railways (the whole system, not just the infrastructure), as a response to the challenges posed by climate change as well as a significant social enhancement in its own right. Am in total agreement with the political thrust of the book, though it's worth reading just as a reminder of how much accumulated expertise, passion and sheer effort goes into the development and maintenance of a system that most of us take completely for granted - much more amazing, actually, than the various Silicon Valley grifts ('hyperloop' et al) that Dennis rightly scorns. I'd probably rate this even more highly if there were proper citations or a 'further reading' section; as it is, there's a fairly random smattering of references, which makes the argument look weaker than it should and left me unsure about where to go to find out more. Also enjoyed the en passant takedowns of, among other things, the 'STEM' acronym, the railway-station-as-architectural-vanity-project (his example is Santiago Calatrava's Garo de Oriente) and cod-futurist boondoggles like the Very Light Railway (which I saw being tested in Coventry when I visited last weekend).

[Catface · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're at all interested in the climate, in actual ways to move forwards rather than just doom-scrolling or in systems thinking, this book is worth your time. Gareth Dennis is better known as a podcaster than as a writer but he lays out a convincing set of arguments for how and why trains really are the future of transport, backed by professional knowledge. Something I particularly liked was his passion for the people that run the railways - all the extra time and effort that really does go in to a creaking UK system, even though it may not be obvious when you're stuck at New Street *again*.....

As a bonus, the book also includes a convenient way to spot and label nonsense techbro schemes such as the hyperloop!

[Steven R · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid introduction to railways and why they are a necessity for any kind of policy to tackle climate change. The politics and economics are often underthought and don't deal with the thorny problem of political power. At times it seems that Dennis simply sees railways as a common sense reform in the best interest of everyone, which means there is no real explanation as to why "bad" decisions are made.
The international comparisons early in the book are fascinating and counterintuitive. As are the clear plans for how to design an inclusive long term railway strategy at a policy level.

[David Lowther · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very valuable book in the sense that it outlines solutions to the many communication and environmental threats facing the planet.
The author is a railway engineer living in York.
Written in a straightforward manner, this superb book is not to be missed.

David Lowther. Author of The Blue Pencil, Liberating Belsen, Two Families at War, The Summer of '39 (all published by Sacristy Press) and Ordinary Heroes (published by I M Books)

[Jack Myrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hopeful view for the future that very closely aligns with my values. Gives a lot of actionable advice for society and very well reasoned and informed. I particularly liked the modal share metric. Highly recommend reading to anyone feeling let down by the direction modern society is going as a vision for the future.

I read a large chunk of this on trains around Barcelona as well, which is awesome!

[Ben Luoma · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intriguing overview of what railways were and are today, as well as, the problems societies face and what they/we need to overcome in order to build a brighter future using the most sustainable transport mode available to humanity.

Thoroughly enjoyed this (after all, who doesn't love trains?)and learnt a lot.

[Stew Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breezy and accessible prose underpinned with a great depth of knowledge and suggestions for practical solutions. Such books are often dry affairs but this really proves that a genuine (and by the author's own admission somewhat misty-eyed) passion for something can make it infinitely more readable. An easy recommendation for anyone with an interest in the railways.

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant book; I really enjoyed the way Gareth Dennis is able to so brilliantly explain complex things in such a straightforward way. This book genuinely inspired me to think optimistically about the future of the railways, and I cannot thank it enough. Even if you're not that interested in transport when you start the book, you absolutely will be by the end. Top stuff.

[Gerard de Bruin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eigenlijk *** 1/2. Goed gedocumenteerd verhaal over de teloorgang van het spoor in de VS, en de belangen die daar een rol in spelen. Het Europese spoor is te redden, moet gered als betrekkelijk goedkoop en milieuvrienelijk(er) alternatief voor vliegen op korte afstand. Goed verhaal, beroerd geschreven. De schrijver was een kritisch geluid in de Britse spoorweg wereld en werd eruit gegooid.

[Félix · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. The book reads like a blog post that was stretched to over 250 pages. I don't understand who the target audience is, there are some good ideas and thoughts, but the text is all over the place. I think this type of content works as a blog, essay, or something like a podcast, but as a paperback book, I don't think so.

Maybe I will give it a shot another time when I have more patience.

[Bryanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intersectional, Energizing, and Engaging. I loved the thoughtful and informed dive into how railroads exist today - and how they could play an integral role in public transportation, mobility justice, climate change, and more. Dennis’ expertise shines through while still explaining everything in a way even a train novice can understand.

[Patrick Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good explanation on the history and continued need for railways for transportation in all sectors of life. From people moving long distances to freight moving long distances steel wheels on steel rail is the most efficient of doing it.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

tren

[Justin KUNCAITIS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tren