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Showcases Pennsylvania's rich railroad history and modern operations through striking photography, highlighting its vital role in U.S. railroading.Although the road names and equipment have radically changed over the past century, Pennsylvania has long been a railroading crossroads. Thanks to the four major trunk lines (Pennsylvania Railroad, Baltimore and Ohio, New York Central, and Erie) that ran through the Pennsylvanian mountain ranges and connected the East Coast with the western states (as well as others that linked the northern states and Canada), Pennsylvania has always been a vital piece of the U.S. railroad infrastructure. Though most of the state's trackage is operated by Norfolk Southern and CSX, the Keystone State is also home to over fifty shortline railroads.
Keystone State Rails: Modern Railroading in Western Pennsylvania captures the region and brings the railroad to life through photography, documenting the unique and challenging operations that the Keystone State is famous for, from the high-speed mainline action in northwest, the challenging mountain grades of the NS Pittsburgh Line near the Horseshoe Curve, to the beautiful rolling hills and rivers of Southwestern Pennsylvania along the CSX Keystone Subdivision.
About the author
Matthew Craft is a Pittsburgh-area photographer. Born and raised in Western Pennsylvania, he grew up in a railroad hot spot that sparked a lifelong interest in rail transport. He discovered a love for photography in college and continued to develop it after school while living in the American Southwest. Upon returning to Pennsylvania, he was able to combine his love of nature/wildlife photography and document the unique, challenging railroading operations of the region.
