On Track by Tom Adams

On Track tracks the development of worldwide rail lines and their significance to both industry and history.

On Track: The Remarkable Story of How Trains Have Changed Our World by Tom Adams, illustrated by Tom Jay. Wide Eyed Editions (Quarto), 2024, 93 pages.

Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10

Recommended for: ages 8-12

All kids (especially boys) love trains, and those who pursue their interest into independent reading are probably familiar with the birth of the industry from the Newcomen stationary steam engine (used to pump water out of coal mines) to the Union Pacific Big Boy. On Track is more comprehensive, surveying railroads from the beginning to the speculated future, not only in the US but globally.

Railroads changed the world in often-overlooked ways. Not only did they allow humans to travel faster than ever before, they widened the experience of ordinary people by allowing them to travel farther. They even changed the way we think about time. Once “railroad time” was pegged to London noon in Great Britain, every continent had to establish, first standard times, then global time zones. Railroads facilitated the industrial age, jump-started civil engineering, and settled previously-remote areas like the American Midwest.

The oversize volume takes a browsable rather than chronological approach. Content includes legendary routes (like the Orient Express), “Rail Heroes” (including minorities and women), and “Oddballs” (unique rail arrangements that mostly didn’t work).  The writing style is accessible and often lively, though readers may wonder about some of the terms, like “sleepers” (Americans call them ties) or “bogies” (known here as trucks). The computer-generated illustrations are unremarkable, but diagrams are clear and understandable.

Bottom Line: Fun and fascination for young rail fans.

Also at Redeemed Reader:

• Reviews: Find much better illustrations in Locomotive and Train.
• Reviews: From Here to There highlights innovations in transportation, while Machines in Motion covers much the same territory in more detail.

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