Iron Road in the Prairie State

Simon Cordery researches, writes, and rides on railroads on both sides of the Atlantic. He is Chair of the History Department at Iowa State University and heads the Inductions Committee of the National Railroad Hall of Fame. A member of the Lexington Group in Transportation History, he has published two other books and numerous articles.

"Cordery details the history and construction of Illinois railroads and the colorful cast of characters who played a part in its creation."—The Chicago Tribune"What makes this work a true rarity is the author's inclusion of larger scholarly themes, such as corporate consolidation and US cultural trends. As a result, the story of one state's railroads becomes a narrative on the larger history of railroads in the US from the 19th to 20th centuries.  A significant contribution to the study of rail transportation in Illinois and the US. . . . Highly recommended."—Choice"[An] effective overview of the state that gave us railroad lawyer Abraham Lincoln, Pullman, rail labor strife, Electro-Motive, Civil War heroism, Samuel Insull, and a host of other milestones."—Classic Trains"Though readers might reasonably expect a volume twice, even thrice the size of this one, it's Cordery's welcome accomplishment to have told this complex story so concisely and accessibly — all the while skillfully situating Illinois railroad development in a national context."—The Lexington Quarterly"Author Simon Cordery possesses a detailed command of the extensive literature on the subject . . . and has a particular talent for concise and effective descriptions of the complex financial and organizational histories of the many railroads that served Illinois."—The Annuals of Iowa"One of the book's remarkable strengths, in fact, is its contextuality: labor, social, political and economic issues driving Illinois railroad history are all deftly interwoven in its fabric. . . . Cordery is a pleasure to read and the book is peppered with informative allusions and anecdotes."—The Lexington Quarterly"In this first-of-its-kind history, full of entertaining anecdotes and colorful characters, Simon Cordery describes the explosive growth of Illinois railroads and its impact on America."—S. Gaugian"The author skillfully weaves the story into the larger context of national events and developments which had a significant impact on railroads in the Prairie State. This excellent volume gives the fascinating subject matter here the treatment it truly deserves."—The Michigan Railfan"This is a richly detailed, well-documented, and nicely illustrated volume, fully in keeping with the high standards set by series editors George M. Smerk and H. Roger Grant."—Ohio Valley History"This remarkable and insightful book offers for the first time a rich narrative about Illinois history through the lens of emerging railroads from their muddy beginnings to the present day. Simon Cordery has succeeded in capturing a unique national understanding of the industry's history by focusing on how railroads and the state of Illinois evolved simultaneously in separate yet interdependent ways."—William E. Greenwood, COO Burlington Northern Railroad, retired"The Iron Road in the Prairie State is an informative and beautifully written overview of railroading in Illinois, the hub of the national transportation network. Through the birth, growth, decline, and resurgence of the railroads, Simon Cordery has admirably set local developments in the broader context of national changes in business, labor, and regulatory patterns."—Albert J. Churella, author of The Pennsylvania Railroad: Building an Empire

• Preface Acknowledgments List of Abbreviations 1. Preliminaries 2. Development Delayed 3. Optimism Revived 4. Cultivating the Prairie 5. Financing Railroads 6. Civil War, Fire, and Expansion 7. Illinois Railroad Labor 8. A Kaleidoscope of Regulations 9. Panic and Innovation 10. Bridge Building and "Over-Building" 11. Excursions and Interurbans 12. Coal and Competition 13. Progressive Regulation 14. World War I and the 1920s 15. Depression, Dieselization, and War 16. Post-War Challenges 17. National Solutions? 18. Salvation Epilogue NotesBibliography Index