Review of "Images of Rail: The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in Maryland," by David Shackelford

 Review of

Images of Rail: The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in Maryland, by David Shackelford, ISBN 9781467121422

Five out of five stars

Pictorial history of one of the first U. S. railroads

 The Baltimore & Ohio railroad, commonly abbreviated B & O, was the first railroad to offer passenger service. It was formed when a group of businesspeople in Baltimore decided that a railroad starting in Baltimore and going all the way to Ohio would be an economic boom to the Baltimore area. They started small when rail service started in 1830 there were only 13 miles of track. Even that was challenging, for there were many geographical challenges in going west from Baltimore.

 Like most other major infrastructure projects, as the railroad moved westward, it ignited an economic boom along the entire length of its passage. The B & O eventually directly employed thousands of people with many thousands of others being employed in the businesses that grew up around the train stations.

 During the American Civil War, the B & O was the main rail connection between the northern states and Washington, D. C. Massive amounts of traffic flowed along the rails, keeping the army of the Potomac reinforced and supplied. Changing times eventually caught up with the venerable B & O and it was purchased by the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad when it came under great financial pressure. Fortunately, there is a museum in Baltimore dedicated to keeping the B & O memory alive.

 This book is a pictorial history of the B & O railroad in Maryland, where most of their repair and manufacturing facilities were located. One of the most astounding aspects of the rail line is that some of the viaducts were still being used when this book was published in 2014. If you are an avid fan of railroading or the history of railroading in the United States, then you will find this book a quick and enjoyable read.

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