On June 27, 1835, New Hampshire chartered the Boston & Maine Railroad, and a juggernaut was born. By 1900, the B&M operated some 2,300 miles of track in northern New England, having taken over an astonishing forty-seven different railroads since its inception. The B&M loomed particularly large in the Granite State, where it controlled 96 percent of all tracks and was the primary conveyance through the rugged heart of New England s most formidable mountain range.From the gravity-defying Mount Washington Cog Railway to logging transport trains to the famous Depression-era Snow Train, A History of the Boston & Maine Railroad traces the fascinating history of New England's most renowned railway.

Maine is populated with intriguing characters who set in motion a fascinating, compelling story of railroads and the unique communities they helped to build. One of the first states to build railroads and trolleys in the United States, Maine at one point had more than ninety communities with trolleys. Standard-gauge and "two-footers" crossed the state, including the St. Lawrence & Atlantic and the Bangor & Aroostook. From an international electric trolley to the attempted World War I dynamiting of a railroad bridge between the United States and Canada, the state is home to a rich rail heritage. Join Bill Kenny as he takes you on a journey from the first tracks made of wood to today's high-speed Downeaster Amtrak train.

Steam Trains of Yesteryear: The Monadnock, Steamtown & Northern Story is a comprehensive institutional history of the Monadnock, Steamtown & Northern Railroad, F. Nelson Blount's standard-gauge tourist excursion railroad, from its inception in 1960 and 1961 to its dissolution and transfer into the Steamtown Foundation in 1971.The colorful world of steam preservation in the early 1960s comes to life! Discussed at length are the MS&N's early operations on Claremont & Concord, Boston & Maine and Rutland Railroad lines in western New Hampshire and eastern Vermont. Also discussed are the subsequent political dealings and negotiations involving the search for a permanent home for Blount's museum, Steamtown USA, and the start of the freight-hauling Green Mountain Railroad.Scores of rare photographs-many in color-from premier photographers and collections throughout New England illustrate the history. Extensive research was conducted with newspaper and document archives as well as with the Blount family, historical societies, Steamtown NHS, and individuals who worked with Blount personally.Perhaps most importantly, Steam Trains of Yesteryear sets out to provide clarity, correction, and colorful details on the crucial and often-forgotten New England roots of the MS&N, Steamtown USA, and F. Nelson Blount.