Coming of the Railway A New Global History 1750-1850

This is a new book. Condition: Brand New.

The first global history of the epic early days of the iron railway

Railways, in simple wooden or stone form, have existed since prehistory. But from the 1750s onward the introduction of iron rails led to a dramatic technological evolution-one that would truly change the world.

In this rich new history, David Gwyn tells the neglected story of the early iron railway from a global perspective. Driven by a combination of ruthless enterprise, brilliant experimenters, and international cooperation, railway construction began to expand across the world with astonishing rapidity. From Britain to Australia, Russia to America, railways would bind together cities, nations, and entire continents. Rail was a tool of industry and empire as well as, eventually, passenger transport, and developments in technology occurred at breakneck speed-even if the first locomotive in America could muster only 6 mph.

The Coming of the Railway explores these fascinating developments, documenting the early railway's outsize social, political, and economic impact-carving out the shape of the global economy as we know it today.

Book details and technical specifications

Format: Paperback / softback
ISBN13: 9780300284300
Published: October 2025

Number of pages: 432
Width: 127 mm
Height: 197 mm
Depth: not specified

Publisher: Yale University Press