March 2006    

The Indiana Rail Road Company: America's New Regional Railroad Author: Christopher Rund Publisher: Indiana University Press $45.00 Cloth (253 p.) ISBN: 0253346924 B&T         YBP Reviewed by David White, Customer Service Bibliographer What first drew me to this book was the following blurb from the book's dust jacket and catalog copy: "The Indiana Rail Road Company is unique among chronicles of these small railroads, because it draws together a historical perspective with a detailed narrative of the business aspects of rehabilitating the rail line and transforming it into a profitable enterprise." While the statement is true, I had hoped for more emphasis on the 'business aspects' as opposed to the 'historical perspective'. Most titles published about railroads fall into two main categories - popular historical writing or highly technical engineering studies. The technical books certainly have their uses in academia and the trade, and histories of specific rail lines can be fascinating to read, but what is rare is a book that focuses on the day-to-day business realities of running a railroad in today's less regulated railroading world. Unfortunately, while business is talked about to some degree, much of the book is a fairly stock railroad history. A good stock history, but a history none-the-less. Far less time is spent on cutting edge technologies such as using remote-control in switching, one-man train crews, and GIS for traffic control. That is what sets the Indiana Rail Road (INRD) apart from many other short-line and regional railroads. The first five chapters provide a good history of the rail line - from inception in the late nineteenth century as part of the Illinois Central Railroad through the 1986 formation of the INRD. The next four chapters cover the creation of the new railroad, and the various growing pains and successes it had in its first 20 years of existence. The final chapter follows an average 'day in the life' of the INRD. The book is recommended for collections on railroad history and for local history collections covering Indiana. It is also recommended for collections covering the business of railroads - not because it is exceptional in this area, but simply because there are very few other books that cover this aspect at all. Published by YBP Library Services 999 Maple St., Contoocook, NH 03229 USA v: 800.258.3774   f: 603.746.5628 w: www.ybp.com   e: academia@ybp.com All rights reserved.