The first international history of railroads and railroad infrastructure told through stunningly reproduced maps.

Since their origins in eighteenth-century England, railroads have spread across the globe, changing everything in their path, from where and how people grew and made things to where and how they lived and moved. Railroads rewrote not only world geography but also the history of maps and mapping. Today, the needs of train companies and their users continue to shape the maps we consume and consult.

Featuring full-color maps primarily from the British Library's distinguished collection—many of them never before published—A History of the Railroad in 100 Maps is the first international history of railroads and railroad infrastructure told through maps. Jeremy Black includes examples from six continents, spanning a variety of uses from railroad planning and operations to guides for passengers, shippers, and tourists.

Arranged chronologically, the maps are accompanied by explanatory text that sheds light on the political, military, and urban development histories associated with the spread of railroads. A final chapter considers railroad maps from games, books, and other cultural artifacts. For anyone interested in the history of railroads or maps, A History of the Railroad in 100 Maps will offer new and unexpected insights into their intertwined global history.

Introduction
Chapter 1. Origins
Chapter 2. Spreading the New Age 1860–85
Chapter 3. Geopolitics and War 1885–1918
Chapter 4. Alongside Road 1919–39
Chapter 5. War and the Air Challenge 1939–70
Chapter 6. Rail Developments 1970–Present
Chapter 7. Facing the Future
Chapter 8. Rail and the Collective Imagination

Further Reading
List of Maps
Index
Picture Credits and Acknowledgements