Through photographs of depots, freight houses, and other railroad structures, long demolished yet an integral part of community development, "Railroad Depots of Northern Indiana" reviews the history of the cities and towns that used the rail to transport raw materials and finished manufactured products across the state.

Did you know that Greene County in Indiana has one of the longest land-crossing railroad trestles in the Midwest? Are you aware that the Southern Railway once used half of the railroad tunnels in the state? Indiana's first railroad, built in Shelbyville, was only a mile long, but in 1847, completion of a major steam railroad from Madison to Indianapolis made the state's capital a center of transportation. Unlike canals, railroads could be built just about anywhere. Southern Indiana's quickly growing network of rail lines was able to haul tons of goods at low cost, and enabled settlers to travel great distances in a single day. Railroad Depots of Southern Indiana takes the reader on a journey through the towns and cities that shape Indiana's railroad lore. Images depict regional rail history from the inner workings of now demolished depots to one of the oldest "short lines" in Indiana. Through more than 200 vintage photographs, author David E. Longest documents locomotives, rail equipment, the moving of stock, depots, rail stations, and freight houses, and finishes with a tour of the rail museums and excursions that still allow tourists and aficionados to "ride the rails."

Chartered as early as 1832, Northwestern Ohio railroads were among the first in the Midwest. Toledo, a rapidly developing lake port at the mouth of the Maumee River, was the destination point for many lines; others were just passing through on their way to Chicago and points west. By 1907, 20 lines served the northwestern counties. All had a series of stations along their lines, often with depots or other railroad structures. Although many have come and gone, Northwest Ohio was once home to over 250 passenger or combination depots serving the traveling public. Railroad Depots of Northwest Ohio relives the golden age of railroad travel through vintage postcards and mid-20th century photos of selected depots and related structures.

Michigan has a rich railroad history, which began in November 1836, when the Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad initiated service between Toledo, Ohio, and Adrian, Michigan. That first Erie and Kalamazoo train consisted of stagecoach-like vehicles linked together and pulled by horses. Steam locomotive-hauled trains were still eight months in the future. As these new transportation entities grew and prospered, they put in place more elaborate station buildings in the communities they served. By the end of the 19th century, some of the larger railroad stations being built in Michigan were works of art in their own right. But whatever size and form they took, railroad stations were uniquely styled buildings, and there was generally no mistaking them for anything else. This volume portrays some of Michigan's finest railroad stations during their heyday in the second decade of the 20th century.

Despite the huge amount of interest in railroads, this is the first complete description and history of the railroads of Indiana from the first line, completed in 1838, up to the present. Simons and Parker follow Indiana's railroads through five distinct eras - 1830 to 1860, 1860 to 1900, 1900 to 1930, 1930 to 1960, and 1960 to 1996. The broad themes of Indiana railroad history are sketched within the framework of these periods. In addition, there is a brief synopsis of each railroad system, tracing its corporate and physical growth and evolution. A third section is devoted to commonalities among the various railroads, focusing on services, facilities, personalities, and accidents.