The Iron Road, by Christian Wolmar, is exactly the illustrated history of the railroad its subtitle claims it to be. A DK publication, it's rife with informative maps, explanations, and illustrations on all things railroad. It talks about the first tracks, the initial spread of the technology, how the railroad came of age, the evolution through the war years, and the railroad today.
I really enjoyed this book. In addition to the topics mentioned above, it covered major railroad undertakings on each continent (to include the transcontinental US railroad, Orient Express, trans-Siberian, and proposed (but never fully realized) Cape-to-Cairo in Africa), which was interesting. The graphics and maps were especially helpful and appreciated. Written for a laymen, this is recommended for anyone with even a passing interest in "the iron road."
Rating: A-
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