Book excerpt: Traversing landscapes and expediting travel, railroads have allowed us to conquer once elusive frontiers to improve both transportation and commerce. Railroad design has changed remarkably little in the years since the invention of the steam engine, yet trains remain a prevalent form of transport and the railways. The bridges that have been developed to support them continue to be a vital part of infrastructures in countries around the world. This engaging volume examines the evolution of railways, railcars, and bridges, as well as the lives of pioneers and tycoons in the railroad business.