Iowa's Railroads

H. Roger Grant is Kathryn and Calhoun Lemon Professor of History at Clemson University. He is author of 25 books, including Visionary Railroader (IUP, 2008). Grant has written company histories of the Chicago & North Western, the Chicago Great Western, the Erie Lackawanna, the Georgia & Florida, and the Wabash railroads. He lives in Central, South Carolina. Don L. Hofsommer is Professor of History at St. Cloud State University and president of the Lexington Group. He is author of Katy Northwest (IUP, 1999) and Steel Trails of Hawkeyeland (IUP, 2005). A native of Iowa, he now resides in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

"Iowa's Railroads is a solid visual introduction to the railroad history of the state."—Industrial Archeology"With more than 400 black and white photographs, an inventory of depots and locations, and new information that will please railroad fans, [Iowa's Railroads] will be an essential reference for historians, fans, and model railroad builders. 2010"—Abtracts of Public Administration, Development, and Environment"This excellent volume is sure to appeal to anyone with an interest in Midwest railway history.March-April 2010"—The Michigan Railfan"Grant and Hofsommer, both native Iowans and respected railroad historians, have mined a wide variety of public and private photo collections, and the result is a visual feast of Iowa's railroad experience.69, Number 2"—The Annals of Iowa"[T]his detailed history of the state's railroads . . . will be an essential reference for railroad fans and historians, artists and model railroad builders. May/June 2010"—S Gaugian"Filled with 461 black and white photos, this is a wonderful trip back in time when most of America's goods and people traveled on the nation's extensive rail systems. September 1, 2009"—bookviewsbyalancaruba.blogspot.com". . . Iowa's Railroads is a fabulous presentation of more than 400 black and white train photographs, all taken in Iowa. . . . It would be a wonderful gift — and well-used reference guide — for any model railroader, Iowa or railroad historian, and every railroad fan.August 8, 2009"—The N'west Iowa Review"Authors Grant and Hofsommer have teamed up to publish this excellent photographic account of Iowa's railroads . . . a must for any enthusiast's shelves."—Thomas G. Hoback, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Indiana Rail Road Company"Don L. Hofsommer and H. Roger Grant have assembled a remarkable photo album, one that illustrates and complements the Iowa railroad story with more than 400 photographs and drawings of extraordinary diversity. These splendidly chosen photographs should set a new high standard for similar railroad histories."—William D. Middleton, co-author of Encyclopedia of North American Railroads"When two masters of railroad history combine talents in one book, they provide readers an undeniable treat. Grant and Hofsommer's complementary combination of visual and verbal text results in a very evocative and highly appealing study."—Carlos Schwantes, author of Going Places

• Chapter 1: Age of SteamChapter 2: Under the WireChapter 3: Down at the DepotChapter 4: Shipping by RailChapter 5: Working on the RailroadChapter 6: Diesel RevolutionChapter 7: In Recent Times