The Railroads by Leonard Everett Fisher is an overview of the American railoroads in the 19th century, from John Stevens' locomotive in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1825 to the railroad barons at the end of the century.

In the first half of this short book, Leonard tells of the making of transcontinental railroad across America and the challenges that it met. The second half of the book deals with the birth of the road and how it transformed the United States.

Leonard's dramatic wood block illustrations add beauty to the book.

To say that this is an overview of the American railroad is an exaggeration. Any part of this history, the Indian wars, the train robbers, the innovations could have been books by themselves. Though the book is thin and sparse, it gives the reader the basics of colorful history of the railroad. ( )