All books listed below that do not have a link can be purchased on NARP’s new bookstore at Amazon.com. If you purchase the book through this link, NARP gets a commission—yet one more way you can support NARP’s efforts!
Black, Edwin, “Internal Combustion: How Corporations and Governments Addicted the World to Oil and Derailed the Alternatives” (2006, New York). Read a review by NARP Vice Chair Jim Churchill
Brown, Christopher, “Still Standing: A Century of Urban Train Station Design” (Indiana, 2005). Outlines the history and development of large urban stations throughout the Western world
Daniels, Rudolph, “Trains Across the Continent” (Indiana, 2001). Covers the political, economic, technological, and social aspects of railroad history in the U.S. and Canada
Frailey, Fred W, “Twilight of the Great Trains” (Indiana, 2010). A thorough, first-hand account of passenger train travel in the United States between World War II and the creation of Amtrak (1970), describing all the trains that were lost (and that we hope will return) and how some railroads actively discouraged ridership on their passenger trains, while others provided top-notch service to the end. Filled with photos!
Friedly, Gary A, “Bridge over the Valley” (Langdon Street Press, 2010). This novel follows the story of two young men, one a farmer’s son from North Dakota and the other the son of a wealthy Seattle businessman, as their lives intersect aboard the Mountain Daylight, a fictional streamlined train plying the route through southern Montana and North Dakota once (and hopefully, soon to again be) served by Amtrak’s North Coast Hiawatha. The author is a NARP member.
Gilbert, Richard and Anthony Perl, “Transport Revolutions: Moving People and Freight Without Oil” (London, 2008). Proposes ways to reduce our dependence on oil-based transport. The authors argue that land transport in the first half of the 21st century will feature a revolutionary shift towards electronic drives powered from the grid. They explain why electric trains will be a non-negotiable part of most countries’ transportation future. The book goes on to discuss marine transport, whose future is less clear, and aviation, which could see the most dramatic breaks from current practice. Not available on Amazon website
Goddard, Stephen B., “Getting There: The Epic Struggle Between Road and Rail in the American Century” (Chicago, 1994). Tells the story of how government joined automakers, industry and road-builders to create a self-perpetuating highway system, and what that has done to American railroading.
Hart, Stanley and Alvin Spivak, “The Elephant in the Bedroom: Automobile Dependence and Denial” (New Paradigm Books, 1993). Examines the many ways in which the use of private motor vehicles is subsidized, including the giving of large amounts of high-value urban land and municipal services to motorists and the trucking industry. The authors, both engineers, propose full-cost pricing of all automobiles, highways, and automobile by-products as a way to correct historical mistakes.
Jennison, Christopher, “All Aboard for Christmas” (New York, 2004). A delightful collection of observations about riding on and working on passenger and freight trains at Christmastime.
Lazare, Daniel, “America’s Undeclared War: What’s Killing Our Cities and How We Can Stop It” (Harcourt, 2008). Review by NARP’s Sean Jeans Gail: Part social history, part agitprop, “Undeclared War” provides an often provocative historical account of the migration of the American population out from the city center and into the suburban periphery. Daniel Lazare crafts a scathing account of the forces behind this transformation, classing the federal government’s policies of subsidizing suburban growth–through road projects and tax breaks, to name but a few–as “urban manslaughter.” Lazare has drawn accusations of allowing his socialist-leaning political views to undermine the objectivity (and possibly coherence) of his critique of suburban life. No one, however, faults the fervor with which he sounds the call for an end to an unsustainable byproduct of the mid-twentieth-century American era of overabundance.
Loomis, Jim, “All Aboard: The Complete North American Train Travel Guide” (Chicago Review Press, 2011) Written by a NARP Council of Representatives member who has logged more than 200,000 miles on Amtrak and VIA Rail, this authoritative guide includes route descriptions, a history of rail travel, and an explanation of how both passenger and freight railroads operate, all written in simple, easy-to-understand language. (Amazon.com)
Loving, Rush, “The Men Who Loved Trains” (Indiana University Press, 2008). “The fascinating saga about one of the oldest and most romantic enterprises in the land-America’s railroads - “The Men Who Loved Trains” introduces some of the most dynamic businessmen in America. Here are the chieftains who have run the railroads, including those who set about grabbing power and large salaries for themselves, as well as others who truly loved the industry.” (Amazon.com)
Macdonald, Thomas W, “Next Stop: Tips and Tales from a Train Commuter” (lulu.com, 2010). “Welcome to train travel, meet the daily commuter and see how he differs from all others, and laugh at the real life stories. You probably think that riding a train is a simple thing to do. Just get on, sit down, relax and enjoy the ride. Well, for many, that may be the case. But for those that ride the rails every day, they know that it is much more scientific. Does it matter what car to board? What seat to sit in? You may not think so. Or maybe it does.” (Amazon.com)
McCommons, James. “Waiting on a Train: The Embattled Future of Passenger Rail Service—A Year Spent Riding Across America.” (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2009). A journalist spends an entire year (2008) traveling by train across the country seeking to find out why the United States is so far behind the rest of the industrialized world in passenger rail development. “He writes of the people he meets, the scenery, the long decline in American rail travel, and its emerging renaissance, interweaving discussions he has had with dozens of the leading minds on American passenger rail [including NARP’s own Ross Capon]. ... He’s at his best when deftly connecting the lack of a salad in a dining car with bigger issues like Amtrak’s funding. Essential reading for rail fans, policymakers, and anyone curious about the future of transportation.” (Library Journal review) Read an interview with the author.
Owen, David. “Green Metropolis: Why Living Smaller, Living Closer and Driving Less are Keys to Sustainability.” (Riverhead Books, 2009). Explains why the problem with cars isn’t that they don’t get enough miles per gallon or that they aren’t alternatively fueled, but that they make it too easy for people to spread out, thereby encouraging inherently unsustainable forms of development. The coming end of cheap oil, Owen contends, will force Americans to downsize, live closer to each other, and largely move away from personal automobiles, which won’t diminish our quality of life, but rather enhance it.
Pitt, John, “USA By Rail, 7th Edition” (2008). Fully updated and released by Bradt Publications (Britain) and Globe Pequot Press (US) in 2008. Geared toward British readers considering long-distance Amtrak trips, though useful also to Americans and available in the US.
Runte, Alfred, “Allies of the Earth: Railroads And the Soul of Preservation (Truman State University Press, 2006). From Amazon: “What did America lose with the decline of the passenger train? Much more than most Americans think. The greatest loss is the alliance between technology and the land, according to public historian Alfred Runte. Once abandoning railroads would have been unthinkable, but we have virtually forgotten the importance of trains for our country and for ourselves. Now the landscape suffers in our mindless rush to get rid of old technology and blindly embrace the new.”
Sanders, Craig, “Limiteds, Locals, and Expresses in Indiana, 1838-1971” (Bloomington, 2003). Exhaustive, well-footnoted, railroad-by-railroad discussion of Indiana’s passenger train history with maps, photos and index. The author is a railroad enthusiast who teaches journalism and mass media communications at Cleveland State University.
Steiner, Christopher, “$20 Per Gallon: How the Inevitable Rise in the Price of Gasoline Will Change Our Lives for the Better” (Grand Central Publishing, 2009). Steiner takes readers on a tour of the fundamental societal changes North America will undergo as the price of fossil fuels continues to rise, including that “trains will [once again] become the mode of national transportation.”
Stilgoe, John R., “Train Time: Railroads and the Imminent Reshaping of the United States Landscape” (University of Virginia Press, 2007). From Amazon: “Unlike many United States industries, railroads are intrinsically linked to American soil and particular regions. Yet few Americans pay attention to rail lines…(Stilgoe) picks up where his acclaimed work “Metropolitan Corridor” left off, carrying his ideas about the spatial consequences of railways up to the present moment…Stilgoe posits a future for railways as powerful shapers of American life.”
Thompson, Gregory Lee, “The Passenger Train in the Motor Age: California’s Rail and Bus Industries, 1910-1941” (Columbus, Ohio, 1993)
Vuchic, Vukan R., “Transportation for Livable Cities” (New Jersey, 1999)
Vuchic, Vukan R., “Urban Transit Systems and Technology” (Michigan 2007)
Rail Tripper...excellent resource for new and veteran Amtrak travelers. Contains travel tips, suggestions and much more. Maintained by NARP members Mike and Brenda Frezzel.
Railfan & Railroad Magazine ...monthly publication of of railroad news and photos, including the policy-oriented Capital Lines column by NARP member Wes Vernon.
Railway Age...trade magazine covering the railroad industry for over a century
Note: This list is not thorough. If you have a link you would like us to add, please email us.
RailEurope: One-stop source for American travelers going to Europe, containing train schedules and fares, including information on Eurail passes for unlimited travel between countries within a certain time period.
The Man in Seat Sixty-One: Guide to train travel around the globe, including links to ticketing sites and first-hand accounts of trains in all six continents (minus Antarctica).
Texas Department of Transportation...Supports the Heartland Flyer in conjuction with Oklahoma; website has information about the proposed San Antonio - Austin - Georgetown commuter rail service
VIA Rail Canada...Canada’s principal intercity train service
Ontario Northland Railway...Operators of service between Toronto, North Bay, and Cochrane, the seasonal “Polar Bear Express” between Cochrane and Moosonee, and the year-round Little Bear mixed train between Cochrane and Moosonee (one of only two regularly-scheduled, non-tourist mixed trains remaining in North America; see below for the other)
Keewatin Railway Company...operator the other remaining mixed train in North America: between The Pas and Pukatawagan, Manitoba (connection at The Pas to VIA’s Northern Spirit). Call (204) 627-2013 for more information.
Tshiuetin Rail Transportation Inc....operators of passenger rail service (isolated from Canadian rail network) between Sept-Iles, Quebec and Schefferville and Labrador City, Newfoundland. Call (418) 960-0982 for more information.
TransLink...Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority, operator of transit services in the Vancouver, B.C. area, including SkyTrain and the West Coast Express commuter rail line
Calgary Transit...Operator of light rail line in Western Canada’s largest city
Edmonton Transit...Operator of a successful light rail line on the Canadian High Plains (click on “Transit” at the top of the screen)
AMT...The agency that runs Montreal’s commuter rail lines (default language is French, you may select English at the top of the screen)
STM...Montreal’s subways and buses; site in French and English
(Arizona) Grand Canyon Railway...daily service from Williams to Grand Canyon (South Rim), with shuttle bus connection to Amtrak’s Southwest Chief at Williams Junction. Offers discounts to NARP members!
(Arizona) Old Pueblo Trolley...historic streetcar line running in Tucson, mostly weekends, with plans for expansion
(Colorado) Ski Train...Runs winter and summer schedules from Denver to Winter Park
(Pennsylvania) Strasburg Rail Road...4.5-mile steam-hauled excursion in beautifully restored 1900s-era coaches through Amish farm country in Lancaster County.
Leisure Trips
Accent on Travel...travel agency specializing in individual rail trip bookings; includes links to tour operators and clients’ trip reports.
America By Rail...group tour operator providing full-escorted tours in the United States and Canada.
Grand Luxe Rail Journeys...providing luxury train service on an excursion schedule (formerly American Orient Express)
Rail Travel Center...group tour operator that provides fully escorted tours in the United States and Canada and Europe.
The Society of International Railway Travelers...Monthly publication specializing in rail adventures around the world; includes several club rail tours around the world, many to very exotic or unique destinations.
USA By Rail...Homepage for a complete guidebook to train travel in the United States, also available at the NARP Bookstore.
John W. Barriger III National Railroad Library...part of the St. Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri - St. Louis, has several collections of interest to railroad history reasearch (including a large archive donated by the Association of American Railroads)
The Morse Telegraph Club, Inc....an international non-profit organization dedicated to the perpetuation of the knowledge and traditions of telegraphy and American Morse Code.
20th Century Railroad Club...Based in Chicago, this large organization draws both people who are interested in trains as a hobby, and those who want to preserve and expand scheduled services
Alstom...supplier of propulsion systems for Amtrak high-speed Acela Express, and other products
American Passenger Rail Coalition...APRC represents railroad equipment suppliers and rail businesses working together for a better and safer passenger rail system
Bombardier...Manufacturer of many kinds of rail equipment, including Horizon cars, Superliner II’s, and Acela Express for Amtrak
Colorado Railcar...Rolling stock manufacturer, including prototype diesel-multiple-unit cars
Operation Lifesaver Inc....a nationwide, non-profit public information program dedicated to reducing collisions, injuries and fatalities at highway-rail crossings and on railroad rights-of-way; site has news reports, educational materials, statistics, safety tips, upcoming events, and information on how to get involved
Railway Technology...Web site for the international rail transport industry; with news on current projects and developments, an equipment, products and services guide, exhibition and conference listings, an industry associations directory, as well as a comprehensive links page to relevant rail transportation resources.
Siemens Transportation Systems...International manufacturing concern, leading supplier of light rail cars in North America with assembly plants in Carson and Sacramento, Cal.
Talgo...manufacturer of tilt trains used in Pacific Northwest Amtrak service
Office of Inspector General...designated by law to “to supervise and conduct audits and investigations of fraud, waste, and abuse affecting” Amtrak
Trails and Rails...partnership between Amtrak and the National Park Service to educate passengers on a selected area’s natural and cultural heritage
Amtrak California...Caltrans’ site for state-supported Amtrak corridors
Amtrak Capitols...Frequent corridor service between the the Bay Area, Sacramento, and points East, with state support from California
Amtrak Cascades...Services on the Pacific Northwest Corridor running from Vancouver to Seattle, Portland, and Eugene, using Talgo trains, with state support from Washington and Oregon
The Downeaster...Service between Boston (North Station) and Portland, Maine, with state support from Maine, see also Downeast Riders, a website for passengers, including crew pictures and biographies
Hiawatha Service...Frequent corridor service between Chicago and Milwaukee, supported by Wisconsin and Illinois
Heartland Flyer...Service supported by the State of Oklahoma between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth, TX
Keystone Service...Frequent corridor service between New York, Philadelphia, and Harrisburg, PA, with state support from Pennsylvania
Michigan Services...Amtrak service from Chicago along three lines to many Michigan destinations
Texas Eagle...Amtrak Intercity’s service from Chicago to St. Louis, Little Rock, Dallas, San Antonio, El Paso, Tucson and Los Angeles
Greyhound...The largest intercity bus carrier in the U.S. is also an important Amtrak Thruway bus service provider and has schedule information for other carriers too
Regional, Commuter, Transit and Other Rail Service By State Includes service that is existing, under construction or in the final planning stages
Proposed Metro Purple Line...Advocating for a new, crosstown, inner-beltway transit route in suburban Washington, D.C.
Alabama
No regional or local rail transit service.
Alaska
No regional or local rail transit service
Arizona
Grand Canyon National Park: Grand Canyon Railway: Service between Williams, AZ and the South Rim of the Canyon
New Haven-New London: Shore Line East: Rail service connecting with Metro-North at New Haven, with some trips west to Stamford.
New Haven/Danbury/Waterbury-New York City: Metro-North Railroad Frequent 7-day service connecting Connecticut points to New York City operated jointly by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York State and the Connecticut Department of Transportation.
South Bend-Michigan City-Gary-Chicago: South Shore Line (Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District): all-electric commuter service from Chicago to Gary, Michigan City and South Bend; America’s last true “interurban”
New Orleans: New Orleans Regional Transit Authority: Operates the St. Charles Avenue, Canal Street and Riverfront streetcar lines, and the under-construction Loyola Avenue streetcar.
Maine
Brunswick-Rockland: Maine Eastern Railroad: Daily service, operates March through November. Will connect to the extended Amtrak Downeaster at Brunswick.
Maryland
Baltimore-Washington: Maryland Transit Administration: Operates Baltimore’s subway and light rail lines, MARC commuter trains (including service north to Aberdeen and Perryville and from Washington west to Brunswick and Frederick), and regional bus service
Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties: Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro): Subway and bus service throughout the Washington region, including Maryland and Virginia suburbs.
Detroit (downtown): The People Mover: Elevated rail transit line circling around downtown Detroit.
Minnesota
Minneapolis-Big Lake-Saint Cloud: Northstar CorridorCommuter service operating between Minneapolis and Big Lake, with bus connection to St. Cloud, to be converted to rail in the near future
Northern New Jersey-New York City; Atlantic City-Philadelphia:New Jersey Transit: operator of light-rail, commuter trains, and an extensive bus network in the Garden State, including the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Line (Bayonne-Hoboken-Weehawken), Newark’s light rail lines, and the Trenton-Camden River Line.
Cape May Peninsula: Cape May Seashore Lines...offering a rail transit alternative on the traffic-choked Cape May peninsula
Newark Liberty International Airport: AirTrain EWR: Monorail linking the Amtrak/NJT Airport station to all terminals
Trenton-Philadelphia: Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA): Regional Rail, subway and trolley services, including two Regional Rail lines connecting Trenton and West Trenton with downtown Philadelphia
New Mexico
Greater Albuquerque-Santa Fe: New Mexico Rail Runner: 7-day-a-week frequent train service
John F. Kennedy International Airport: AirTrain JFK: Monorail linking the airport to the New York subway at Howard Beach and Jamaica, and to the Long Island Rail Road at Jamaica.
Long Island-New York City: Long Island Rail Road: Frequent 7-day train service on 9 lines radiating from New York City all the way to the Island’s eastern tip
New York City and points north: Metro-North Railroad: Frequent 7-day service on 3 lines radiating from New York City’s Grand Central Terminal (to New Haven, White Plains-Brewster-Wassaic, and Yonkers-Croton Harmon-Poughkeepsie) and 2 lines continuing into New York State (Suffern and Port Jervis) from Hoboken Terminal and Secaucus, NJ
New York City: New York City Transit: Subways and buses in the five boroughs of New York, including the Staten Island Railway
Syracuse: OnTrack: Shuttle train in downtown Syracuse
Utica-Thendara; Saranac Lake-Lake Placid: Adirondack Scenic Railroad: Thursday-Sunday service June through October connecting with Amtrak at Utica.
North Carolina
Charlotte: Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS): Operates LYNX light rail line, with additional lines in the planning process.
Light rail is planned for Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill and there is proposed Raleigh-Durham-Greensboro commuter service
North Dakota
No regional or local rail transit service
Ohio
Akron-Rockslide-Peninsula: Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad: Year-round service, operates Wednesday-Sunday June to October, Saturday & Sunday only other months.
Greater Portland: Tri-Met: 4-line light rail service connecting downtown Portland to North Portland, Gresham, Beaverton and Hillsboro, plus a commuter rail line between Beaverton and Wilsonville.
Pittsburgh: Port Authority of Allegheny County: Operates light rail service in and to the south of Pittsburgh, as well as the city’s two famous incline railways
Puerto Rico
San Juan: Tren Urbano: Metrorail in San Juan (website in Spanish only)
Salt Lake City-Sandy-Ogden: Utah Transit Authority: Operator of 4 light rail lines in Salt Lake City and FrontRunner commuter rail between SLC and Ogden
Vermont
No regional or local rail transit service
Virginia
Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax County: Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro): Subway and bus service throughout the Washington region, including Maryland and Virginia suburbs.
Fredericksburg/Manassas-Washington: Virginia Railway Express: Monday-Friday commuter service in Northern Virginia.
Norfolk: The Tide: Light rail line operated by Hampton Roads Transit, with bus connections to Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, Hampton and Newport News.
Washington
Seattle-Everett-Tacoma: Sound Transit: Commuter trains from Seattle north to Everett and south to Tacoma, and light rail lines in Seattle and Tacoma
Martinsburg-Harpers Ferry-Washington: Maryland Transit Administration: Operates weekday rush-hour MARC commuter service serving three stations in the state’s Eastern Panhandle
Wisconsin
Kenosha: Kenosha Transit: Information on the city’s circulator streetcar
Congress.org “Write Elected Officials”...service provided by a private company to send correspondence to your elected officials. Basic service free of charge; Western Union telegram and fax services for a fee.
White House...web site of the President and the Executive Branch; for direct access to information on e-mailing the White House, click here
Senate homepage...Click on the dropdown menu and choose your state to get information for your two Senators. Be sure to include your name and address on any e-mail messages you send to Congress!
Thomas...Run by the Library of Congress, this is a good place to start for Congressional matters. Resources include bill texts, floor debates (from Congressional Record), and addresses for Members of the House and Senate
OneRail...a coalition of freight, passenger, transit, environmental and labor groups, OneRail advocates for increased investment in the nation’s railroad infrastructure to ensure our continued mobility, economic competitiveness and job creation, as well as to meet the energy and climate challenges of the 21st century
Culture Change...hilighting issues surrounding peak oil and conservation
Carbusters...international organization promoting alternatives to “car culture,” including mass transit and rail
Center for Neighborhood Technology...a group located in Chicago concerned about sustainable transportation policy, including rail, with many other resources
Center for Transportation Excellence...a non-partisan policy research center that includes rebuttal information about common criticisms of rail transit
Community Transportation Association of America...a non-profit organization whose members are dedicated to mobility for all people, advocating affordable and accessible community transportation
Environmental Law and Policy Center...a Midwestern public interest environmental advocacy organization working to achieve cleaner energy resources and implement sustainable energy strategies, promote innovative and efficient transportation and land use approaches - including high-speed rail
(California) Los Angeles Rail Transit...the “Union Station” site is a private site with information on intercity, commuter, light rail and subway services
MassTransport.com...a portal site for “users of international public transportation,” including in the U.S.
(Virginia) TransDominion Express...Information on proposed intercity passenger rail service from Bristol to Roanoke, Lynchburg, and Washington/Richmond
Transport 2000 Canada...The national group for users of public transportation in Canada, including rail and transit
Idealist...a global directory of 14,000 non-profit groups of all types (including NARP)
National Station Car Association...lots of interesting information on proposals to have electric cars available at mass transit stations for use by transit riders
Transportation Alternatives...a local group in New York City whose primary focus is bicycle use, but which works in a broader context of less automobile use, more transit use, and better pedestrian facilities
Tri-State Transportation Campaign...a non-profit corporation working to reform transportation systems and policies in the 32-county New York/New Jersey/Connecticut region, site includes weekly newsletter, Mobilizing the Region
(California) Friends 4 Expo Transit...Citizens working for a light rail option in the Los Angeles Mid-City/Westside transit corridor now under study
(California) Modern Transit Society...Group promoting transit and rail use with chapters in Sacramento, Fresno, Davis, Napa/Sonoma, East Bay, South Bay, San Francisco and Los Angeles
(California) BayRail Alliance...an all-volunteer transit consumer group working to promote an upgraded and expanded rail service in the Bay Area (formerly Peninsula Rail 2000)
National Corridors Initiative...business, environmental, government, academic leaders advancing rail-corridor development as economic development, congestion mitigation, and environmental tools; linking those corridors into a network that maintains a true national rail system a high priority
(New Jersey) Lackawanna Coalition...focuses on issues related to New Jersey Transit’s Morris & Essex lines (e.g. schedule enhancements and station improvements). Website under construction; contact Chairman David Peter Alan for more information
(New York) Village Crosstown Trolley Coalition...Organized by neighborhood residents to develop plans and community support for a trolley line linking the East Village, West Village and Greenwich Village.
Verkehrs-Club der Schweiz (VCS) (“Traffic Club of Switzerland”) Organization promoting sustainable transportation in Switzerland, including walking, cycling and public transit, supporting “an optimal combination of different transport modes.” (Note: Website is in German. English translation here.)
