Preliminary Table of Contents:
Preface
1. THE QUEST FOR RAPID TRANSIT
2. THE ERA OF THE ELEVATED
3. RAPID TRANSIT GOES UNDERGROUND
4. RAPID TRANSIT AT MID-CENTURY: NEW SYSTEMS AND A NEW ERA
5. NEW METRO TECHNOLOGIES
6. LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT: NEW LIFE FOR AN OLD TECHNOLOGY
7. CONVEYANCES FOR THE MULTITUDES
8. A METROPOLITAN RAILWAYS RENAISSANCE
APPENDIX A: THE TECHNOLOGY OF RAIL TRANSIT
APPENDIX B: NORTH AMERICAN METRO AND LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT
Index
An illustrated popular history of the urban rapid transit and light rail systems in North America
William D. Middleton, a transportation historian and journalist, is the author of 18 books, including The Time of the Trolley, The Interurban Era, and When the Steam Railroads Electrified, which together with Metropolitan Railways form a comprehensive illustrated history of electric railway transportation in North America.
"Middleton, a transportation historian, has written the definitive
history of urban rail systems in North America. Although it looks
like a coffee—table book, it is much, much more. There are long
narrative chapters, short biographical sketches of major figures in
the history of urban rail development, a set of appendixes devoted
to rolling stock and track used in the various systems, and maps of
all the current urban rail systems in North America. Middleton's
survey begins with the horse—drawn street railways of New York and
the various proposals floated throughout the early 19th century for
inanimate sources of power for transit systems. He then describes
and analyzes the development of elevated systems, subways, and
finally the integrated systems that existed in most major US cities
in the mid, 20th century. Latter chapters deal with how new
heavy—rail systems were developed in the San Francisco Bay Area,
Washington, DC, and other areas, while new light—rail systems were
developed in Portland, Oregon, St. Louis, and other medium—sized
cities. The major flaw of the book is that Middleton says very
little about the decline and outright destruction of many urban
rail systems since 1945. This reviewer hopes that this is the
subject of his next book. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All
collections."—L. D. Johnston, College of St. Benedict/St. John's
University , Choice, June 2003
"Middleton, a transportation historian, has written the definitive
history of urban rail systems in North America. . . . Highly
recommended. June 2003"—Choice
|
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
