Railroad history books. And more.
Titanic Railroad: The Southern New England (1998) by Larry Lowenthal is the story of New England’s last great railroad war. If New England’s economy was worth fighting over, it was inevitable that railroads would be at the center of the conflict. In local folklore, traces of the “Old Grand Trunk Railroad” were supposedly left behind, mid-construction, when its chief advocate perished in the Titanic ocean liner disaster. Like many legends, this one has some basis in fact, but further scrutiny uncovers further mysteries…
The Central Massachusetts Railroad was envisioned early in its history as a critical link in a route from Boston to the West, but was destined instead to become the Boston and Maine Railroad’s longest branch line. One of the last railroads to be built in Massachusetts, the Central Mass. was unable to withstand the combined forces of a changing economic base, the Great Depression, and natural disasters.
The Central Mass. (Expanded Second Edition, 2008) is a publication by Marker Press under arrangement with the Boston & Maine Railroad Historical Society, reprinting the original 1975 edition with a new errata section and 30 additional illustrations, expanding on certain points of the history, and extending the narrative through 2006.
Boston’s Depots and Terminals: A History of Downtown Boston’s Railroad Stations by Richard C. Barrett (1996) is the fascinating story of the more than 30 railroad terminals downtown Boston and Back Bay had between 1834 and 1995. In the beginning, these depots were simple and small. However, it was not long before Boston’s depots were becoming landmark buildings on the Boston skyline.
Marker Press also offers free PDFs of transportation history research reference materials on a number of specific topics. These feature our usual high standards of research quality and depth but are offered free of charge to make the information more easily available to researchers and enthusiasts. Some are completed works, while others will be updated as new sources become available or as the present becomes the past. More works coming soon!
Take a look at our recent downloadable free research on the history of New England’s street railways, buses, ferries, and more.
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