The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, which journalist Lucius Beebe once called the "Mother of Railroads," was the brainchild of Baltimore city planners who hoped to outstrip New York in the race for western trade, wealth, and populace. Although Baltimore lost the race, it gave New York a run for its money early in the 19th century and certainly achieved many firsts: the first timetable in 1830, the first eight-wheel passenger coach in 1831, and right-of-way for the first telegraph in 1844. In later decades, it would be a pioneer in the introduction of electric locomotives, diesels, and air conditioning. Author of six earlier books about United States railroads, John F. Stover packs this narrative history with careful scholarship and colorful description which will appeal to the railroad buff and the professional historian, as well as to any reader who wishes to travel with the "Mother of Railroads" through an exciting period in United States history.