The Rise of the Railroad

How Trains Changed the World

Hardcover
$40.00 US
8-3/8"W x 10-1/16"H
On sale Oct 21, 2025 | 368 Pages | 9798217128327

From the first steam trains to the high-speed bullet trains of today, Rise of the Railroad tells the hidden stories of railway history – the inspired engineering, technical ingenuity, and sheer determination that forged the world’s railroads

Award-winning writer and broadcaster Christian Wolmar reveals how the railroads were built not just on bold vision and technical expertise, but also on wild gambles and trial and error – and how the new era of trains brought about sweeping changes in the lives of people around the world.

This book details the lives and work of railway pioneers such as George Stephenson and John Stevens, and it explores and maps famous railways such as the Trans-Siberian Railway and the Orient Express. Key technological innovations are explained with in-depth illustrations, while stunning photographs and paintings bring railroad history to life on the page. Gripping eyewitness accounts describe the railroads of the past through the eyes of people who were there.

Packed with colorful stories, technical insights, and beautiful images, Rise of the Railroad is the ultimate ride along the rails of history.
Christian Wolmar is an author, journalist, historian, and politician based in London. The author of several books on the history of the railway, including The Subterranean Railway, Fire and Steam, The Great Railway Revolution, and The Iron Road, his writing has also appeared in The Observer, The Independent, and RAIL magazine. He is active in London politics and ran for London mayor in 2016. View titles by Christian Wolmar
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About

From the first steam trains to the high-speed bullet trains of today, Rise of the Railroad tells the hidden stories of railway history – the inspired engineering, technical ingenuity, and sheer determination that forged the world’s railroads

Award-winning writer and broadcaster Christian Wolmar reveals how the railroads were built not just on bold vision and technical expertise, but also on wild gambles and trial and error – and how the new era of trains brought about sweeping changes in the lives of people around the world.

This book details the lives and work of railway pioneers such as George Stephenson and John Stevens, and it explores and maps famous railways such as the Trans-Siberian Railway and the Orient Express. Key technological innovations are explained with in-depth illustrations, while stunning photographs and paintings bring railroad history to life on the page. Gripping eyewitness accounts describe the railroads of the past through the eyes of people who were there.

Packed with colorful stories, technical insights, and beautiful images, Rise of the Railroad is the ultimate ride along the rails of history.

Author

Christian Wolmar is an author, journalist, historian, and politician based in London. The author of several books on the history of the railway, including The Subterranean Railway, Fire and Steam, The Great Railway Revolution, and The Iron Road, his writing has also appeared in The Observer, The Independent, and RAIL magazine. He is active in London politics and ran for London mayor in 2016. View titles by Christian Wolmar

Photos

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