Sunset Limited: The Southern Pacific Railroad and the Development of the American West, 1850-1930

The only major U.S. railroad to be operated by westerners and the only railroad built from west to east, the Southern Pacific acquired a unique history and character. It also acquired a reputation, especially in California, as a railroad that people loved to hate. This magisterial history tells the full story of the Southern Pacific for the first time, shattering myths about the company that have prevailed to this day. A landmark account, Sunset Limited explores the railroad's development and influences especially as it affected land settlement, agriculture, water policy, and the environmental and offers a new perspective on the tremendous, often surprising, role the company played in shaping the American West.
Richard J. Orsi 2005 - Hardcover