It would be impossible to imagine the rapid growth of the United States and Canada without railroads. From the industry's first tentative steps in the early nineteenth century to the railways of our day, here is a fitting celebration of that legacy-an all-encompassing tome for hardcore railfans and casual enthusiasts alike.

For more than 150 years, railroads have transformed everyday life in North America - Bringing goods to market, carrying travelers across the continent, seeing us through wars, enriching our folklore, and proving indispensible tour economic, industrial, and social infrastructures. And that's not to mention the mind-bending technologies and machines that railroads have spawned.

The Complete Book of North American Railroading celebrates the people and machines that have made this growth possible. In these pages, a cast of railroading authorities team up to tackle the industry's genesis; the development of steam, electric, and diesel-electric locomotives; the golden age of passenger travel; workhorse freight haulers; railroad infrastructure; and modern railroading operations.

Kevin EuDaly was born a stone's throw from the Monon in Bedford, Indiana, and grew up "chasing trains" with his dad, Jim EuDaly, some of whose photographs appear in this book. In 1992 he founded White River Productions and began publishing historical society magazines, and wrote and published Missouri Pacific Diesel Power that same year. He has authored dozens of articles and had hundreds of photographs published over the last two decades. WRP has grown to become the primary producer of historical society publications in the U.S., and currently produces magazines, calendars, and books for 16 organizations, as well as Railroads Illustrated and Passenger Train Journal under the WRP flag. He resides on the east side of Kansas City near the former Rock Island in Raytown with his wife, Nadean, and four children, Sarah, James, Danae, and Ashley.

Mike Schafer hails from Rockford, Illinois, where he recalls his earliest train-watching experiences on the Illinois Central, Milwaukee Road, Burlington Route, and Chicago & North Western. Mike and his little dog Archie reside in a house (which includes a 1,600-square-foot model railroad) next to BNSF's busy Twin Cities mainline in a small town outside Chicago where he also serves as village trustee and occasionally mayor pro tem.

Steve Glischinski was born in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1957 and has been interested in railroads since he was 10 years old. He began taking photographs of railroads in 1970, at the age of 13. Since that time, his photos of railroads in action have appeared in a number of books and numerous magazines, including Pacific Rail News, Passenger Train Journal, Progressive Railroading, Railfan & Railroad and Trains. His first magazine articles on railroading were published in 1982, and his by-line has appeared dozens of times, mainly in Trains Magazine, for whom he serves as a special correspondent. He is the author of numerous books on railroading, including such topics as the history of the Burlington Northern Railroad, Wisconsin Central, Milwaukee Road steam locomotive 261 and regional railroads.

Mike Schafer is long-time rail photographer and the author of several books on North American railroads and motive power. He resides in Lee, Illinois.

Steve Glischinski was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, and has been interested in railroads since he was 10 years old. He began taking photographs of railroads in 1970, at the age of 13. Since that time, his photos of railroads in action have appeared in a number of books and numerous magazines, including Passenger Train Journal, Progressive Railroading, Railfan & Railroad, and TRAINS. His first magazine articles on railroading were published in 1982, and his byline has appeared dozens of times, mainly in TRAINS, for whom he serves as a special correspondent and Internet News Wire editor. This is his fifth book on railroading. Among other titles have been Santa Fe Railway (1997) and the classic Burlington Northern and Its Heritage (1992). Steve, wife Lori, and son Andy currently reside in the St. Paul suburb of Shoreview, Minnesota.J. David Ingles is the senior editor at TRAINS magazine.