A comprehensive, illustrated history that shows Alabama's-important role in the development of the nation's railroad system -Alabama Railroads is the first extensive history of the state-s railway system, from the chartering of the Tuscumbia Railway Company in January 1830, to the maturity of the system in the latter half of the 20th century, when Amtrak assumed control of the nation-s passenger service. -Railroads built Alabama. Without them the state-s vast natural resources could not have been developed. Scores of Alabama towns, including the city of Birmingham, owe their existence to the railroads. Moreover, Alabama legislators were instrumental in securing passage of momentous land grant legislation that brought the railroad-and settlers-to every section of the American frontier. -During the Civil War, the state-s rail system was a primary objective of Union raiders, and an Alabama rail connection into Chattanooga proved to be a vital key to victory. After the war, the railroad sh
