The Railroad Never Sleeps: 24 Hours in the Life of Modern Railroading

For well over a century and a half the railroad has rolled on, crisscrossing the continent in the ceaseless activity that keeps the North American economy moving. This never-ending workday unfolds hour by hour in The Railroad Never Sleeps, a remarkable photographic chronicle of North American railroading over twenty-four hours.

On May 10, 2007, the anniversary of the Golden Spike ceremony marking the completion of the first U.S. transcontinental railroad, several of todays top railroad photographers set out for every corner of the continent to capture the railroad in action at every hour of the day and night. The result is a magnificent portrait of railroading across the vast canvas of North America, from rural outpost to urban center, port city to Great Plains, dawn to dusk to deepest night.

The breathtaking photographs and detailed captions depict every type of railroading--heavy-haul unit trains, intermodal, modern passenger and commuter lines, short-line services, and more. Together they create a complete picture of the motive power, rolling stock, workers, and operations that keep North American life and business on the rails.