Description
Book SynopsisRailroad historian Fred Ash tells the story of Chicago Union Station and documents the impact it had on the growing city and the entire Midwest, including over 100 stunning photographs and the fascinating stories of businessmen, politicians, workers, and immigrants whose everyday lives were affected by the bustling transportation hub.
Trade ReviewThe book includes more than 100 illustrations, a quarter of which are in color—but the real value is in author Ash's narrative; he's devoted decades to the study of terminals in the Railroad Capital, and it shows in this marvelous work.
* Classic Trains *
"The station's history is thoughtfully revealed alongside concurrent economic and political events unfolding in Chicago at given points in time, thus providing the reader with a deeper understanding of why certain station milestones occurred when they did and the way they did."
* The Michigan Railfan *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments
Introduction: The Continental Divide
1. Humble Beginnings
2. Coming Together
3. A Depot Worthy of Chicago
4. A Most Public Service
5. Colossus of the Roads
6. City within a City
7. Red Ink in the White City
8. Remodeling the Depot, Remaking the City
Bibliography
Appendix A: Chicago's Railroad Terminals
Appendix B: Naming Conventions
