"[S]ociety so often allows masterpieces of architecture...to be destroyed or altered as though real estate ownership supersedes any other value system....The best railroad stations were conceived in the dreams of architects and civil engineers, and then brought to life by talented craftspeople....This guidebook is a tribute not only to those who built these stations, but also the railroaders who worked within the depots and on the platforms...." — Janet Greenstein Potter Bustling nerve centers of a dynamic young society on the move, grand last farewells and first welcomes for millions of weary travelers, enduring monuments to the birth of the world's first truly modern nation, railroad stations played a central role in the shaping of the United States and its unique culture. Now, in this, the definitive guide to America's great railroad stations, writer and architectural historian Janet Greenstein Potter tells the stories of more than 700 of these masterpieces. An excellent resource for on-site and armchair travelers alike, this lavishly illustrated guide provides a generous mix of historical and practical information. Potter provides a detailed biographical profile of each station, covering the year of construction, name of original railroad, designer, style, and materials. Focusing on buildings that are still standing, she discusses depots that have been restored as well as those on the verge of distinction, explains what the station is used for today, and describes its current condition from a preservation/restoration standpoint. And, with the help of more than 500 beautiful archival photographs and detailed drawings, she helps you to gain a fuller understanding of what these structures were like in their heyday. For quick, easy reference, the book has been organized by region. Stations in all 50 of the United States are covered, and the street addresses of each building have been provided. Offering an unparalleled opportunity to experience the grandeur and vitality of a bygone era, Great American Railroad Stations is an indispensable resource for travelers, architects and design professionals, preservationists, and train and transportation enthusiasts.

A blend of archival photos combine with modern color shots to relate the stories behind the design, the architecture, and the use of terminals like Grand Central Station and Pennsylvania Station in New York City, and Washington, D.C.'s Union Station. 150 photos.

An evocative and stunning photographic tribute to America's railroad stations. For much of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the railroad station or depot was the communal hub of every American town that could boast of train service. There, citizens gathered before they sent loved ones off to college, marriage, or war-and where they greeted them on their return. Most of these buildings were architectural gems, and while many are still in service, certain others now house museums, banks, restaurants, and more. In fact, in cities like Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, renovated stations are destinations unto themselves even for those not boarding the train. And in other places, whole sections of towns have been remade around these structures, restoring their vitality in novel and interesting ways long after the last train has left the station. In America's Great Railroad Stations, award-winning photographer Roger Straus III, and two lifelong railroad buffs, Ed Breslin and Hugh Van Dusen, join forces to tell the astonishing story of these enduring structures and the important role they still play in the country's landscape. Journeying from the Pennsylvania Railroad to the Union Pacific to Michigan Central and more, readers will be dazzled by the Beaux Arts monuments of New York and the adobe buildings of the Southwest. Filled with both new and archival photographs and drawings, this volume is a glorious salute to the institution that transformed our nation.

A rich, illustrated - and entertaining -- history of the iconic Grand Central Terminal, from one of New York City's favorite writers, just in time to celebrate the train station's 100th fabulous anniversary. In the winter of 1913, Grand Central Station was officially opened and immediately became one of the most beautiful and recognizable Manhattan landmarks. In this celebration of the one hundred year old terminal, Sam Roberts of The New York Times looks back at Grand Central's conception, amazing history, and the far-reaching cultural effects of the station that continues to amaze tourists and shuttle busy commuters. Along the way, Roberts will explore how the Manhattan transit hub truly foreshadowed the evolution of suburban expansion in the country, and fostered the nation's westward expansion and growth via the railroad. Featuring quirky anecdotes and behind-the-scenes information, this book will allow readers to peek into the secret and unseen areas of Grand Central -- from the tunnels, to the command center, to the hidden passageways. With stories about everything from the famous movies that have used Grand Central as a location to the celestial ceiling in the main lobby (including its stunning mistake) to the homeless denizens who reside in the building's catacombs, this is a fascinating and, exciting look at a true American institution.

This is the definitive guide to North American train travel, complete with booking procedures, on-board etiquette, maps, floor plans for typical coach and sleeping cars, and more. This new edition reflects all the recent changes at Amtrak, North America's largest passenger rail system.

"Inter-city rail travel is one of the dominant facts of modern life. From the early nineteenth century, when the first train stations - "cathedrals of technology," buildings without precedent in the history of architecture - were constructed, these focal points of transportation have enjoyed a unique status in public life. They have come a long way from the simple wooden shed erected in Liverpool, England, in 1830." "In the wake of the rail renaissance of the 1980s and 1990s, new train stations, from the U.S. to Japan, must respond to increasingly complex challenges, as high-speed trains become more and more common and the next generation of magnetically levitated trains approaches. The state-of-the-art examples featured in Modern Trains and Splendid Stations are analyzed from several perspectives: as generators of urban renewal; as new architectural icons; and as connecting points from different means of transportation. Such internationally renowned architects as Helmut Jahn (in the United States), Nicholas Grimshaw (in England), and Arata Isozaki (in Japan) have all been involved in station design."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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