"Volume 3 shows the details of some of the most complex RR terminals in the USA, such as Chicago, Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, etc. In recent years, all of those layouts have been greatly reduced, due to mergers and changes in types of traffic. So the 1946 Atlas will be a suitable ‘monument to what once was’—at the peak of railroad passenger and local freight activity!"
"An incredible wealth of information... a fine addition to library collections that support interests in railroading, transportation issues, post-World War II history, or the midwest region."
"Superb series... As in Carpenter's previous editions on the Mid-Atlantic states and New England, the detail in his hand-drawn, exhaustively researched maps is astonishing... This atlas and its companions are excellent snapshots of railroading's 'classic era.'"
"A winning reference."
"Mr. Carpenter's labor of love appeals to railroad professionals, railroad enthusiasts, sociologists, historians, local historians, cartographers, and collectors of unusual maps. The book belongs on your reference shelf. There's nothing else quite like it."
"This atlas is a gem, and certainly should be considred for your bookshelf."
"Carpenter's idiosyncratic freehand style might surprise some, but the technique is highly effective in conveying layers of detail, almost like storytelling with a map. And don't miss Carpenter's penetrating, highly readable essay at the front of the book, in which he provides the necessary context for fully understanding what was, for the purposes of this book, a very good year for railroads."
"There have been railroad atlases before, but none providing this level of detail and information in a convenient 8 1/2 by 11 inch format."
"Belongs in the library of every serious rail historian."
"Surely one of the most appealingly eccentric publishing ventures of the year."
"A labor of love... nothing short of a miracle. I looked at it again last night, and it took my breath away. It's the kind of work that only a gang of monks would consider undertaking. It really is fabulous."
"Proof that inspiration can result in something astounding... a treasure that any rail enthusiast or casual historian will enjoy."
"This is a fascinating volume for the railroad buff, those interested in the interrelationship of railroads and American history, or those merely investigating the bridge or tunnel in their town from what is now a ghost railroad."
"A piece of craftsmanship at once so distinctive, and also so useful, it instantly reveals the sterility of computer-generated maps."
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