A century of dealmaking and government misdeeds forms the backdrop of this entertaining account of sternwheelers, iron horses and mountain roads. Battling factions of rail builders crossed many a line in the sand as they carved up both the land and the spoils of industry. Did both federal and provincial politicians wittingly sabotage road-construction programs to the benefit of the rail barons? Were Cornelius Van Horne, Major A.B. Rogers and Andrew McCulloch fully deserving of the accolades bestowed on them? Was railway man J.J. Hill a genius or an opportunist? R.G. Harvey has applied a keen mind and deft pen to uncover skulduggery in politics and critical routing errors by the early surveyors and engineers who "carved their western paths." In turn he has exposed new scars and wrinkles to add to historic portraits otherwise untainted.

Take an eclectic journey across Canada to seek out our world-renowned natural and historic landmarks, such as the relics of a famous gold rush, North America’s only walled city, indigenous deep heritage, spectacular landscape features, and awe-inspiring feats of engineering.

In a province where mountain ranges are at odds with road and rail builders, and its capital city and a large portion of its population are on an island, it's no surprise that provision of an effective transportation system has been a challenging undertaking—or that mistakes have been made. In many cases, BC's political leaders not only didn't solve problems, they added to them. And many of the mistakes made resulted from premiers exploiting their time in office to further their own political preferences, theories and agendas. This insider's examination looks at premiers' errors and exploitations, along with their triumphs and achievements, from the first days of the provincial government. Whether it be trouble with bridges (premiers Prior and Pattulo), railways (McBride and Bennett) or ferries (Clark), R.G. Harvey calls it like he sees it.

The new edition of McCulloch's Wonder provides train buffs with a long-awaited update to a classic railway history. New visuals capture the dramatic landscape that had to be conquered to complete the railway. Updated sources provide more information about the individuals, from Andrew McCulloch himself to the laborers who made the railway a reality. Governments rose and fell over the project, which linked the Kootenay Mountains with the Pacific Coast, and the railway dominated headlines for a quarter of a century. Although it is no more, the Kettle Valley Railway is just as newsworthy today and lives on in this fascinating story of the world's most difficult and expensive railway.

Explore western Canada’s rich railway history, travelling from the grand railway hotels and rustic stations to the creative engineering that created spiral bridges and soaring trestles. Relive this time through a trip on one of the many steam trains, visit a railway museum, or walk the trails where trains used to rumble.

B.C.'s largest remaining, unspoiled historic site is no longer forgotten. Covering 12 square miles atop Mount Lodestone, over 250 structures still exist. Finally, Blakeburn has been revealed for the jewel that it was. The first ever comprehensive map and travel guide has now been assembled. Together with the people's stories and detailed site discriptions, new life has come to Blakeburn, B.C.