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Trains of Discovery is a wonderfully beautiful history book that tells the history of the railroads and the National Parks system in the United States. The history is deftly written and I found myself drawn to the fantastic art, photos, and historic reproductions that are featured heavily throughout the text. Recommended for those interested in the history of the parks, railroads, and even those who just like looking at fantastic historical illustrations.

Trains of Discovery tells the story of the connection between the National Parks and the railroad. The pictures are fantastic and draw a viewer into the book. The story line is interesting if this is a topic that appeals to you. As a NPS buff, I found the information on how intertwined the railroads were to the parks fascinating. The author touches upon how the automobile not only changed the rails, but also the intimacy of the national parks.

Great book. Recommended. ( )

Trains of Discovery is a look at the lengthy ties between passenger rail and America's national parks.

The primary draw of this book is the beautiful reproductions of some of the art work that has been used to advertise the national parks and the railways. The railroads commissioned magnificent artists to produce this advertising and it shows.

That said, the book's imagery grabbed me but the story did not. It was well written but the overall story was simply not that engaging to me.

Ultimately, I enjoyed paging through the book with my young, train-obsessed son but it is not a book that I am likely to try and read again. ( )

The author tells the history of the connection between our national parks and the railroads. When I first started this book, I was feeling that Alfred Runte was a publicist for the railroads. But by the time I finished, I felt he was giving more of a balance between what was good for the railroads and what was good for our environment.

Runte tells us a bit of the history of the national park system. The railroads were an important element as they made it possible for large numbers of people to visit the parks in their early development. But the mass production of the automobile changed the dynamic and many of the rail routes to the parks became unprofitable and were dropped. Now the parks themselves are threatened by an excessive amount of auto traffic.

Runte contrasts the use of travel by rail in Europe with its use in the United States and suggests that the Europeans have it right.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the book for me is the extensive reproduction of period art and advertising brochures and other railroad items.

The final chapter gives information for travelers who might be interested in using the rails for a visit to national parks. Runte suggests this is the way to enjoy the landscape as you travel.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in the national parks or the history of the railroads. ( )