Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 30
 Excellent railroading book... January 4, 2007
Nicholas Fry (Monrovia, MD USA)
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
This is a rather fast-paced book for a volume that covers 40 years and two of the most significant railroad events in the history of East Cost railroading. Despite the speed, Loving does an excellent job of putting the reader through the creation and death of Penn Central, the birth of Conrail and the bitter split of that railroad between CSX and Norfolk Southern. The PRR executives get blamed for most of the disasters that take place, and perhaps rightfully so. Still, there wasn't much said that redeemed many of the execs from the Pensy. It can lead the reader to assume he has a bias in favor of the NS and NYC.
Despite this, it's an excellent book and well worth buying for anyone who loves trains.
Excellent Business Review of Northeastern Railroads July 13, 2006
T. Tonge (Colorado)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
This book provided a fascinating behind the scenes look at the business and financial side of Northeastern railroads, particularly the PC and then Conrail, and the process by which Conrail, and 3 decades later, its breakup, occured. Have the job I desired when I first worked for the rails (yet never did get) the author seemed to be a the right place at the right time throughout his career, to be instrumental in the changes that occured in the Northeast, and in reality, throughout the rail industry in the 80s setting the stage for the rails revival. The author truely helped shape todays railroads. Dont let the business side of this book scare you away, this is a must read for railfans, historians, government administrators, business students, and those who are just fascinated by trains.
The Men Who Loved Trains:The Story of Men Who Battled Greed to Save an Ailing Industry by Rush Loving January 15, 2007
Linda (Georgia,USA)
7 out of 8 found this review helpful
I bought this book for my husband who works for the railroads mentioned in this book. Because of his busy schedule, he does not usually read books prefering to read magazines instead. However, I gave him this book as a Christmas present and he read it in one week. He said the book was excellent! He found it an excellent source of information. He was there during a lot of what happened so it was of special interest to him.
Must Read for Anyone Interested in Management July 9, 2006
Michael A. Driggs (Washington, DC US)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Don't let the title fool you. This book is not just for the railroad buff. It is that, and much more. Mr. Loving provides an inside the boardroom view of how corporate decisions are made at the highest levels; and how the most important decisions are often swayed by the most minor considerations. While describing the dramatic transformation of the U.S. railroad industry, this book also provides one of the most practical, real-world, essays on how corporations truly work. It reads like a novel but has the substance of a textbook. As a corporate CEO myself, I learned much from it that will apply to my own industry. I'm recommending it to my friends and, indeed, to anyone who is interested in management, as a must read.
A Front Row Seat on the Salvation of the Rail Industry July 10, 2006
Henry Posner III (Pittsburgh, PA USA)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Rail history is perhaps unique in its being influenced by a combination of economics, technology, regulation and personalities. It is nonetheless rare to have all four of these factors not only captured "up close and personal" but also tied together with a single thread. In this case the reader is treated to no less than a front-row seat on the restructuring of the U.S. railroads in the Northeast.
How fortunate that Rush Loving was there to both observe and interact with the key players in what has not only proved to be the salvation of the US rail industry, but has also served as a model for many other countries. An ideal companion to Richard Saunders Jr.'s "Main Lines", together these two books serve as the clearest basis for understanding the rail industry as it stands today.
Henry Posner III
Chairman
Railroad Development Corp.
Pittsburgh, PA
Showing reviews 1-5 of 30
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