Iron Horses: America's Race to Bring the Railroads West

by Walter R. Borneman

A "masterly" account of the origins of the transcontinental railroad (Douglas Brinkley) by the author of the bestselling The Admirals.

After the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in 1869, the rest of the United States was up for grabs, and the race was on. The a better, shorter, less snowy route through the American Southwest, linking Los Angeles to Chicago.

In Iron Horses , Borneman recounts the rivalries, contested routes, political posturing, and business dealings that unfolded as an increasing number of lines pushed their way across the country. Borneman brings to life the legendary robber barons behind it all and also captures the herculean efforts required to construct these roads -- the laborers who did the back-breaking work, the brakemen who ran atop moving cars, the tracklayers crushed and killed by runaway trains.

From backroom deals in Washington, DC, to armed robberies of trains in the wild deserts, from cattle cars to streamliners and Super Chiefs, all the great incidents and innovations of a mighty American era are made vivid in Iron Horses .

Genres: History, American History, Nonfiction, Transport

447 pages, Paperback

First published November 18, 2014

About the author

Walter R. Borneman, b.1952, an American historian and lawyer, is the author of well-known popular books on 18th and 19th century United States history. He received his B.A. in 1974 from Western State College of Colorado, and received an M.A. in history there in 1975 for a thesis on "Irwin : silver camp of the Ruby Mountains"; in 1981 he received a law degree from the University of Denver, and practiced law. His latest book, published in May 2012, is The Admirals Nimitz, Halsey, Leahy, and King--the 5-star Admirals Who Won the War at Sea.
wikipedia

Reviews

[Liam · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Just how wild and lawless Dodge City really was during these cattle years will always be debated, but there is one oft-told story to some it up. There are as many versions as there were saloons in Dodge City, but the general line has a surly and at least slightly inebriated cowboy boarding a train somewhere along the Santa Fe line through Kansas. When the conductor demanded his ticket and asked where he was going, the fellow retorted that he had no ticket and was going to hell. 'Give me a dollar,' replied the conductor, 'and get off in Dodge.'" (73)

"The claim of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific to have completed the first transcontinental railroad at Promontory Summit, Utah, on May 10, 1869, contained several qualifications. To be sure, it was a grand achievement, but one could not yet ride rails without interruption from the Atlantic to the Pacific. There was a 1,500-foot gap across the Missouri River between Omaha, Nebraska, and Council Bluffs, Iowa, and another gap between Sacramento and Oakland, California." (84-5)

"'It is our business to please cranks, for anyone can please a gentleman.'" (quoting Fred Harvey, 278)

[David Clifton · Rating 3 out of 5]

You will need a scorecard to keep track of all the names. As a result it is not much of a page turner.
There's a lot of information about railroad planning, but not as many details about construction, and fewer details about riding trains in the 19th century. However, there are many great pictures, and Mr. Borneman makes good use of maps for each chapter.
The original title of "Rival Rails" is more descriptive of the book.
That said, I did enjoy learning about Fred Harvey (developed the Harvey House lunch rooms, restaurants, souvenir shops, and hotels, which served rail passengers), Nellie Bly (journalist), Mary Jane Colter (architect and designer) and their contributions to the railroad story.
My favorite chapter was "Dueling Streamliners" which covers the period of 1911-1957.

[Kent Archie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book, lots of interesting detail. The maps are very helpful and interesting all by themselves.
Over a 20 year period, the railroads built about 1 mile an hour. And that was just west of Chicago.
The Acheson, Topeka and Santa Fe is the center of the story and it eventually became the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and I rode their trains everyday commuting into Chicago.

I have taken the train to Flagstaff and New Orleans from Chicago and enjoyed both trips.
It was nice to read the history of all that.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and obviously meticulously researched, sometimes this book actually gets bogged down in too many details. I don’t understand enough about railroads to be interested in narrow gauge vs standard gauge, so some of the parts dragged for me. What stands out the most, honestly, is how businessmen have always been shady jerks for money. Sometimes that ends up benefiting the public, like in this case, but usually they’re just playing games for themselves.

[Jay Atwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly researched, I cannot imagine there's a better source of information about the western expansion of American railroads. My only minor qualm with the piece is I wish it were more narrative & character driven but I suspect the author could only do so much on that front without dipping into historical fiction so... yeah.

[Bre Miller]

Note to self: haven’t read yet

[Frans Rijnbout · Rating 1 out of 5]

A extremely dense and overwritten report of the COMPETITION between the railroad "lords" fighting for the railroad lines. An overload of names. Little about the actual construction, workmen, and work conditions. The title "Iron Horses" is misleading.