In the 200 years since trains first started clattering on the rails, they dramatically changed industry and commerce — and inspired technological innovations that changed the world.
But we like them because they’re romantic and comfortable, allow us to interact with other travelers, and are the most fun way to get out of town.
With the transcontinental railroad in the US — followed about 30 years later by similar achievements in Canada and Russia — far-flung destinations were connected for the first time. Entire continents were opened up to new trading opportunities, and people could travel farther and faster than they ever had before.
The world got a bit smaller, but also far grander, and a new era in travel was born. Just about anyone could take a seat in a rail car and find themselves very shortly in a new place. But in a few short decades, luxury trains like the fabled Orient Express offered the curious and the posh opportunities to see the world in opulent comfort. No wonder there are so many great stories set aboard Pullman cars and steam engines.
In this episode, we briefly explore train history and discuss why train travel might just be the best mode of transportation. Then we share five books we love that capture the innovation and adventure of trains around the world, including a visual encyclopedia, a stirring history, a noir thriller, a murder mystery, and a story of Dame Agatha Christie, but not the one you probably expect.
Read the full transcript of Episode 21: Trains.
Our podcasts: We mentioned two of our previous podcasts during this episode. If you haven’t listened yet, be sure to check out The Circus: Found Family and Daring Feats and Restaurants: Hot Stoves and Steamy Relationships.
The real-life mysteries of Agatha Christie: History Extra explores the circumstances around Dame Agatha’s disappearance in 1926, and National Geographic delves into her experiences in archaeology after her 1928 trip on the Orient Express.
DK Publishing: As he explained in the show, David is a massive fan of the visual books published by DK. They also have a website that offers a glimpse of some of the content from their books. Here’s the History of Trains.
The Center for Cartoon Studies: This is the graduate school where David earned his master’s degree in cartooning.
Dick Francis: This obituary for Dick Francis was published in The Guardian when he died in 2010. His life was as amazing as the stories he wrote.
Lake Louise: Enjoy these snaps of the glacier-fed lake in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies. (And you might want to book a room a the painfully beautiful Chateau Lake Louise.)
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Top image courtesy of Ashley Richards.
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