Blood Iron and Gold How the Railroads Transformed the World by Christian Wolmar

$14.10

RailroadTreasures offers the following item:

The opening of the pioneering Liverpool and Manchester Railway in 183o marked the beginning of a revolution in transportation.

Invented before electricity, gas for cooking, the telephone, the typewriter, or the bicycle, the railroad truly marked the dawn of a new age. In 183o, few people other than sailors and soldiers had traveled beyond the confines of their hometown. Fresh food was virtually unheard of in urban centers - as late as 1841 the milk supply of New York City came from evil-smelling, swill-fed cows kept in the city's basements-and news and information traveled slowly, if at all. All of this would change within a generation. By 188o, there were 28o,000 miles of railroad track across the world, and by the outbreak of World War I, the United States alone boasted over a quarter of a million miles. The birth of the railroads did nothing less than change the face of the whole world and the way people lived.

At first the impetus for railroad construction was clearly economic. Linking coal mines to ports and farms to cities created burgeoning new markets for goods. Yet construction of the iron roads grew to serve social and political goals. From China to Russia to New Zealand and the Indian subcontinent, railroads were built to subdue colonies or indigenous populations, to transport armies, to bypass unnavigable stretches of river, to conquer territory, and to build and unite nations in an increasingly post-colonial world.

In Blood, Iron, and Gold, transportation historian Christian Wolmar celebrates the vision and determination of the ambitious pioneers who developed the railroads that would one day span continents, as well as the efforts of the laborers who overcame horrific conditions to enable this global network to emerge. From steam to electrification, the rise of the train triggered daring engineering feats, great architectural innovation, and the rapid movement of people and goods across the globe. Wolmar shows how cultures were enriched, and destroyed, by the unrelenting construction of these railroad networks and how they quickly took on a vital role in the U.S. Civil War as well as in two world wars.

All pictures are of the actual item. If this is a railroad item, this material is obsolete and no longer in use by the railroad. Please email with questions. Publishers of Train Shed Cyclopedias and Stephans Railroad Directories. Large inventory of railroad books and magazines. Thank you for buying from us.

Shipping charges

Postage rates quoted are for shipments to the US only. Ebay Global shipping charges are shown. These items are shipped to Kentucky and then ebay ships them to you. Ebay collects the shipping and customs / import fees. For direct postage rates to these countries, send me an email. Shipping to Canada and other countries varies by weight.

Payment options

Payment must be received within 10 days. Paypal is accepted.

Terms and conditions

All sales are final. Returns accepted if item is not as described. Contact us first. No warranty is stated or implied. Please e-mail us with any questions before bidding.

Thanks for looking at our items.