Named one of the "75 People You Should Know" by Trains Magazine, Jim McClellan is one of the railroad industry's last living titans. An iconic and innovative executive, McClellan participated in the creation of both Amtrak and Conrail and worked for the Norfolk Southern, the New York Central, US Railway Association, and the Federal Railroad Administration. My Life with Trains combines a world-class photographer's love of railroading with the insights of a government and railroad official. The book provides a short historical overview of the changes in the industry, recounts McClellan's experience at various railroads, and offers personal reflections on a lifetime of working with and chasing trains. Expertly detailed with over 250 stunning color photographs, My Life with Trains covers sixty years as observed by a legendary railroad strategist.
"The shared experiences and observations of Jim McClellan from both a public and private sector perspective lend the reader an appreciation for the state of our interwoven freight and passenger systems. My Life with Trains capsulizes rail industry planning dynamics and the evolving accomplishments during an era of financial weakness to the emerging Renaissance."
Ronald L. Batory, President & Chief Operating Officer, Conrail
"Jim McClellan has gathered up a treasure trove of inside stories and tells them with precision and gusto. This book should be required reading for anyone seriously interested in the "whos," "hows," and "whys" of recent railroad history."
Herb Harwood, author of The Railroad That Never Was: Vanderbilt, Morgan, and the South Pen
"We've seen a lot of railroading's giants pass in recent years, but I can't recall anyone who triggered the kind of deep, emotional response accorded Jim.... We'll learn more about him in May 2017 when Indiana University Press releases his book, My Life with Trains."