The Great Northern Railway: A History

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By: Ralph W. Hidy, Muriel E. Hidy, Roy V. Scott and Don L. Hofsommer
(4 customer reviews)
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EDITORIAL REVIEW

In the sprawling Northwest, from the upper Mississippi River valley to Puget Sound, no railroad shaped the landscape and society like the Great Northern Railway Company. This is the complete history of that enterprise, from 1856, when the first charter was granted, through the era of James J. Hill—known as the Empire Builder—to its maturation and eventual merger in 1970, when the eight-thousand-mile Great Northern was incorporated into the massive Burlington Northern.

The Great Northern Railway highlights the changes brought on by economic, political, social, and technological advances, including world wars, increased competition from other modes of transportation, and tighter government restrictions. The first part of the book (1856–1916) examines the railway’s early strategies and philosophy, relations with employees, and vigorous campaigns to develop the service area. The second part of the history (1916–1970) offers an assessment of a dramatic period of transition for the railroad—international conflicts, the Great Depression, the rise of motor vehicles, increasing labor costs, and stronger unions.

Illustrated with more than two hundred maps, period photographs, and drawings, the volume also includes appendixes listing the original track-laying history, track removals, ruling grades on main freight routes, and main line ruling grades from Minneapolis to Seattle.

PRODUCT DETAILS

Publisher: University of Minnesota Press
Pub. Date: 29th February 2004
Catalog: Book
Media: Paperback
Number Of Pages: 376
Ean: 9780816644292
Isbn: 0816644292

ABOUT THIS BOOK

USER REVIEWS

Great Book
~ Written on Dec 29, 2008. out of users found this review helpful.

My husband is a fan of and models Great Northern and loved this book. I bought it as a gift.

Railway Decendant
~ Written on Feb 20, 2007. 2 out of 4 users found this review helpful.

This book is a rather dry account of the financial conditions and a listing of the upper administration of the GNR. It would have been more interesting if it contained more information about the human side of the railway--that is its interactions with its various employees; e.g. the engineers, conductors, trainmen, middle managers.


An Excellent Reference
~ Written on Jun 5, 2004. 5 out of 5 users found this review helpful.

While it would be nice to find a copy of the original hard-bound version, this paperback version is well-done and is an excellent price. Anyone with an interest in the Great Northern, or railroad history in general, will enjoy this book. Highly recommended.

Great Northern Railway: A History
~ Written on Mar 29, 2004. 7 out of 7 users found this review helpful.

This is a wonderful book covering the in-depth history of the Great Northern Railway. I have several other books covering the G.N., and this book includes 'new' information and photos not included in the other books. I have been anxious to acquire this book before, but was hesitant to spend the amount asked for in used book shops, etc. This book is excellent for both it's text and photos. If you are a Great Northern fan, this is a wonderful research resource or book to be read for pleasure.

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