The Railroad What It is What It Does: The Introduction to Railroading

by John H. Armstrong

Book Overview

Inside you'll find a comprehensive look at how today's railroads function-from equipment to procedures and marketing to maintenance. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0911382046
• ISBN13: 9780911382044
• Release Date: May 1994
• Publisher: Simmons-Boardman Books, Incorporated
• Length: 270 Pages
• Weight: 1.19 lbs.

Customer Reviews

For modelers, train buffs and anyone who wants to know!

John Armstrong is both a railroader and a railroad modeler. He wrote "Railroad: What it Is, What it Does" to help modelers create realistic layouts by understanding how a real railroad operates. But it doesn't matter if you're a modeler: whatever your reason, if you want to know how railroads operate, then this book is for you!Armstrong covers every aspect of railroading. Starting with history as far back as the Roman Empire, he surveys the evolution of rail transport from mining cars on wooden tracks through the "big steel rail". He covers the pros and cons of flat wheels on flanged track versus flanged wheels on flat track, stone ties versus timber ties, steel rails versus iron rails, and all of the engineering issues that go into building a stable, long-lasting track--and that's just in the first few chapters.From there he explains the economic issues that go into deciding where to run the track, how to route the trains, and everything that goes into establishing a railroad operation.Finally he covers all the details: how a consist is put together; the various cars and their construction; the railroad workers and their various jobs.This is one of the few books that leaves me feeling like I know all about the subject. It's incredible how he packs so much knowledge into these few pages! He obviously knows, and loves, his subject. And he writes with a storyteller's flair, so it's more like a novel than a text--I was sorry when it was finished!Do yourself a favor. If you have any interest in trains whatsoever, get this book. You'll read it more than once.

Want to know about the RR.. This book is for you.

I purchaced the book used and found it to be an asset to my RR Library. It covers all aspects of the RR especially freight service. My only complaint was the maps in my book are hand drawn and needed to blow them up on copy machine to get a good understanding of what they were talking about. They reference the maps quite a bit and turning back and forth got to be a little tough, so made the copys. Great book... buy it NOW !

Even my curiousity was satisfied

I'm the kind of person who wants to know why things are made the way they are. This book kept me busy for hours. It is incredibly comprehensive, and is a good read. It explains technology choices (locomotives, cars, track). It explains how operations & dispatch works, and it explains how different signaling systems work. It even delves into business and ownership issues. If you want a core dump of the rail transportation business, get a copy of this book.

Very Complete discription on how a railroad works.

The cover of this book makes it look cheap but inside there is literally a treasure trove awaiting the person who wants to know how and why a railroad works. Worth the price. This book was read from cover to cover and will now joint my reference material.

Armstrong's book--an intelligent, readable introduction!

Armstrong's book is intelligent, comprehensive and not alienating, and gives a wonderful introduction to all aspects of the railroading business. I bought a copy as reference for work, but intend to sell that copy to the company and buy my own--a first rate job!