What did America lose with the decline of the passenger train? Much more than most Americans think, observes Alfred Runte, a leading historian of our national parks.
 
Including parks and wilderness, the greatest loss has been to the American land. No technology was ever more respectful—protective—of what it means to have a national landscape. In song and story we call it America the Beautiful. And yet we let our best beautifiers disappear. Now the landscape suffers in our mindless rush to get rid of old technology and blindly embrace the new. Wind farms and solar power plants cajole us to redefine beauty itself, allowing access even to protected wilderness. No railroad ever asked for that'
Originally published in 2006 as Allies of the Earth: Railroads and the Soul of Preservation, the book today is even more timely, now we see what policy-makers have in mind as replacements for railroads. Offering a new preface and epilogue, Runte stands his ground. Absent restraint, no technology is practicing conservation. Railroads renew the hope that the trains, i.e., the restraint, we so carelessly threw away may still be restored to preserve the remaining glories of our continent
 
Discover how America's abandoned passenger trains hold the key to preserving our nation's scenic treasures and wilderness landscapes.
In this timely and provocative work, renowned environmental historian Alfred Runte challenges our blind embrace of highways and airports, revealing how the decline of passenger rail has scarred America's legendary landscapes. From national parks to urban corridors, Runte demonstrates how modern transportation choices are destroying the very vistas we claim to cherish.
 
Drawing on decades of research and his experience as advisor to Ken Burns's acclaimed National Parks documentary series, Runte offers a compelling vision for reuniting transportation with conservation:
Reveals how European nations successfully preserved their scenic landscapes through rail transportation
Explores the hidden environmental costs of abandoning America's passenger rail system
Demonstrates how restoring rail service could protect wilderness areas from destructive development
Challenges conventional wisdom about "progress" in transportation policy
This expanded edition, featuring a new preface and epilogue, arrives at a critical moment as wind farms and solar installations threaten even protected wilderness areas. For anyone concerned about preserving America's natural heritage while addressing climate change, this passionate appeal for the return of passenger rail offers hope for a more sustainable and beautiful future.