Reviews
A labor of love... nothing short of a miracle. I looked at it again last night, and it took my breath away. It's the kind of work that only a gang of monks would consider undertaking. It really is fabulous.
In this first of several volumes, Carpenter looks at the Mid-Atlantic states with painstakingly drawn quadrant maps showing station names, mileposts, interlocking stations, coaling stations, track pans, tunnels, viaducts, and bridges... An enthusiast can cross-reference locations to visit even if the rails themselves are pulled up.
Surely one of the most appealingly eccentric publishing ventures of the year.
The year 1946 was, in short, a pinnacle of American railroading, as Dick Carpenter '55 notes in his new book, A Railroad Atlas of the United States in 1946 Volume 1: The Mid-Atlantic States, which sets out, with admirable directness and startling scope, to map every aspect of railroading in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
This is a fascinating volume for the railroad buff, those interested in the interrelationship of railroads and American history, or those merely investigating the bridge or tunnel in their town from what is now a ghost railroad.
A vital tool in understanding the layout of the rail network in the Northeast.
Carpenter's work will be welcomed by railroad enthusiasts but will also help anyone trying to understand or reconstruct rail presence in urban or rural areas. Highly recommended.
The atlas is the work of Richard Carpenter: 220 hand drawn maps—a piece of craftsmanship at once so distinctive, and also so useful, it instantly reveals the sterility of computer-generated maps.
The most detailed resource ever produced on the American railway system.
A labor of love... Mr. Carpenter's hand drawn maps speak for themselves... Railroad professionals and enthusiasts will like this book because it is so comprehensive.
Proof that inspiration can result in something astounding... a treasure that any rail enthusiast or casual historian will enjoy.
What a task! 328 pages, with 202 meticulously crafted four-color maps.
The detail is fantastic... A railfan could spend hours pouring over the maps in this hardbound book.
This book justifies its price in being essential to understanding the complexities of American railroading, signalling and otherwise.
A Railroad Atlas of the United States in 1946 could be considered an inspired work of visionary art.
A fascinating work documenting railroad facilities... at a time when they still mattered, both economically and culturally.
Carpenter knows railfans, and his multi-color atlas of rail lines as they stood in 1946 will keep them up into the wee hours... So extensive is Carpenter's work that the 276 maps and drawings included in this 360-page Volume 3 covers only Indiana, Lower Michigan and Ohio.
It is an amazing piece of work, especially the level of detail. It's a treasure tove of obscure information... It answers questions that you didn't even think to ask.
This will be the finest railroad atlas ever published. Carpenter has invented his own style of cartography. Artistically, it's a beautiful product. Not only does Carpenter's work have no close competitors, its value actually will be enhanced by using it in conjunction with other data sources... This is a splendid piece of work, a labor of love for the author, no doubt, and truly a gift for anyone interested in the industrial landscape of the recent past.
Without exception, I have found these maps to be completely accurate. They have been drawn in a very clear and appealing manner, so that any reader will understand exactly what the railroad plant looked like in 1946—immediately following the peak of World War II operations.
Book Details
Introduction
How to Use This Atlas
Acknowledgments
THE ATLAS
Key Map
Map Symbols and Abbreviations
The Maps
Appendix: List of Railroads in the Atlas
Notes on the Maps
References
Indexes
Coaling Stations
Interloc
Introduction
How to Use This Atlas
Acknowledgments
THE ATLAS
Key Map
Map Symbols and Abbreviations
The Maps
Appendix: List of Railroads in the Atlas
Notes on the Maps
References
Indexes
Coaling Stations
Interlocking Stations and Former Interlocking Stations
Passenger and Non-Passenger Stations
Track Plans
Tunnels
Viaducts