First book-length biography of the "doctor of sick railroads"
"Grant has developed an extremely well-researched and well-written account of Langdon's development, both as a person and as a railroader . . . the story of an important railroad man who has not been adequately covered in previous books. . . . A valuable addition to railroad history." —William D. Middleton, author of When the Steam Railroads Electrified
Visionary Railroader chronicles the life of a key figure in the history of rail travel in the United States. As president of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, Jervis Langdon Jr. had the opportunity to put progressive concepts into practice.
In 1964, Langdon took charge of the Rock Island, and by the time he left in 1970, he had spearheaded major improvements for this struggling carrier. The same year, he became lead trustee for the bankrupt Penn Central and three years later assumed the presidency. From his role in passing the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 to his work on creating the quasi-public Conrail, Visionary Railroader examines the impact of Langdon's active life with clear text, unique representations of media of the day, and select family photos.
H. Roger Grant, Kathryn and Calhoun Lemon Professor of History at Clemson University, is author of 24 books, most of them on railroad history. He has written company histories of the Chicago & North Western, the Chicago Great Western, the Erie Lackawanna, the Georgia & Florida, and the Wabash railroads. He lives in Central, South Carolina.
The B&O Railroad Museum established the Jervis Langdon Fund, and contributors underwrote H. Roger Grant's work on this book. The contributions came primarily from RABO (Retired Administrators of the B&O Railroad).
Table of Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
1. The Making of a Railroader
2. Railroad Lawyer
3. B&O President
4. Running the Rock
5. Rerailing Penn Central
6. Still Railroading
Notes
Index
Indiana University Press has the honors.
"Grant has developed an extremely well-researched and well-written account of Langdon's development, both as a person and as a railroader . . . the story of an important railroad man who has not been adequately covered in previous books. . . . A valuable addition to railroad history." —William D. Middleton, author of When the Steam Railroads Electrified
Visionary Railroader chronicles the life of a key figure in the history of rail travel in the United States. As president of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, Jervis Langdon Jr. had the opportunity to put progressive concepts into practice.
In 1964, Langdon took charge of the Rock Island, and by the time he left in 1970, he had spearheaded major improvements for this struggling carrier. The same year, he became lead trustee for the bankrupt Penn Central and three years later assumed the presidency. From his role in passing the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 to his work on creating the quasi-public Conrail, Visionary Railroader examines the impact of Langdon's active life with clear text, unique representations of media of the day, and select family photos.
H. Roger Grant, Kathryn and Calhoun Lemon Professor of History at Clemson University, is author of 24 books, most of them on railroad history. He has written company histories of the Chicago & North Western, the Chicago Great Western, the Erie Lackawanna, the Georgia & Florida, and the Wabash railroads. He lives in Central, South Carolina.
The B&O Railroad Museum established the Jervis Langdon Fund, and contributors underwrote H. Roger Grant's work on this book. The contributions came primarily from RABO (Retired Administrators of the B&O Railroad).
Table of Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
1. The Making of a Railroader
2. Railroad Lawyer
3. B&O President
4. Running the Rock
5. Rerailing Penn Central
6. Still Railroading
Notes
Index
Indiana University Press has the honors.
Proficient on the Southern Tier Line, The former PRR Elmira Branch, A little LV, A lot of EL, And of course, the Corning Secondary. Someone always knows more than me. Remember the Binghamton yardmaster that routinely said in a high voice, "No! No! No! That's not what I told you to do!"?
