Great American Railroad Stations (Paperback)

In 1828, with the founding of the Baltimore & Ohio, America had its first railroad. As tracks crisscrossed the landscape, railroad stations sprang up across the nation. Many of them were monumental buildings, the pride of their cities and towns. But with the advent of the American romance with the automobile, the railroad industry fell into decline and many of these grand structures lost their use. Some were destroyed, others survive today as landmarks. With words and photographs, this book captures the spirit of over 700 American railroad stations that remain today, in all fifty states. Some are still stations, some are restaurants, some are museums. All are worth exploring as remnants of the great railroad system that once spanned the nation.

• Foreword by Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, a vocal proponent of train station preservation
• Over 500 historic and contemporary detailed photographs and line illustrations
• Discussion of the importance of preservation issues and the difficulties encountered in rescuing railroad stations

JANET GREENSTEIN POTTER (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a writer, lecturer, and film producer. Her interest in historic preservation led to the production of a PBS program entitled "Whistle Stops to Railway Palaces: The Legacy of American Train Stations."

Bustling nerve centers of a dynamic young society on the move, grand last farewells and first welcomes for millions of weary travelers, enduring monuments to the birth of the world′s first truly modern nation, railroad stations played a central role in the shaping of the United States and its unique culture. Now, in this, the definitive guide to America′s great railroad stations, writer and architectural historian Janet Greenstein Potter tells the stories of more than 700 of these masterpieces.

An excellent resource for on–site and armchair travelers alike, this lavishly illustrated guide provides a generous mix of historical and practical information. Potter provides a detailed biographical profile of each station, covering the year of construction, name of original railroad, designer, style, and materials. Focusing on buildings that are still standing, she discusses depots that have been restored as well as those on the verge of distinction, explains what the station is used for today, and describes its current condition from a preservation/restoration standpoint. And, with the help of more than 500 beautiful archival photographs and detailed drawings, she helps you to gain a fuller understanding of what these structures were like in their heyday.

For quick, easy reference, the book has been organized by region. Stations in all 50 of the United States are covered, and the street addresses of each building have been provided.

Offering an unparalleled opportunity to experience the grandeur and vitality of a bygone era, Great American Railroad Stations is an indispensable resource for travelers, architects and design professionals, preservationists, and train and transportation enthusiasts.