Railroads: Their Origins and Problems

by Charles Adams

Who better to discuss the origins and problems of late 19th century railroads than witty, erudite, Charles Francis Adams, Jr.? As a railroad executive, he knew the business intimately. As an Adams, he understood the politics and men of his time and could write about them in the most entertaining and enlightening manner possible. Charles Adams had been a colonel in the Union Army during the Civil War. At that time, his father was Lincoln's Minister to England and his young brother was the future author of what is still regarded as one of the great nonfiction books of the 20th century, "The Education of Henry Adams." Those three men also had two U.S. Presidents in their lineage. Altogether a fascinating and entertaining book. "...in this day of hasty generalization, it will not do to forget that these are the conclusions of the man who has given more study than any other to the railroad problem, and is the best qualified man in this country to discuss it authoritatively. None can read it without profit and nobody who desires to think intelligently about railroads should neglect to do so.—THE NEW YORK TIMES For the first time, this long out-of-print volume is available as an affordable, well-formatted book for e-readers, tablets, and smartphones. Be sure to LOOK INSIDE by clicking the cover above or download a sample.

155 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

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Reviews

[Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rhymes throughout modern history

I found this book had parallels across all the different regulatory periods described in Tim Wu’s book The Master Switch. The parallels were really interesting to read and (I think) informative. It’s not that there is nothing new in heaven and earth but I think there is a lot to be learned about our present situation from history.

[Vern]

Third attempt: his writing style comes across as a lecture rather than a narrative...