Railroads in U.S. History (1830-2010)

Hosted by actor Gregory Wagrowski, this four-volume series reminds viewers that the introduction of railroads signaled a revolutionary socioeconomic change. The historic spectrum covered here ranges from the first steam engines and lines built in the early 1800s, through the creation of the transcontinental railroad at the end of the 19th century, up to the current state of the industry (although no longer a large part of daily human transportation, trains still distribute goods nationwide, carrying 42 percent of the country's freight). Underlying this saga are the stories of the engineering marvels of the engines themselves and the building of the infrastructure required to traverse mountains, plains, rivers, and canyons. Railroads also spurred the development of new management structures, with cash-flow and accounting systems that delivered profits across a complex network. Economically, the capital investments required for the enterprise helped create the blueprint for cost-benefit analysis, while the legacy of property deals involving right-of-way along rail lines continue to be felt today (what started with telegraph and telephone companies running their wires along the tracks has now evolved into creating fiber optic networks). Combining informative narration, illustrative stills, archival footage, and helpful graphics, DVD extras include subtitles in Spanish, a teacher's guide, an image gallery, quizzes, timelines, and maps. Highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (C. Block)