Railroad Advertising

About Railroad Advertising

Relive the glory years of American railroading

Return to an era when passenger trains represented the height of luxury and riding the rails was the only way to travel. Classic Railroad Advertising covers nearly a century of memories – of powerful steam locomotives and elegant streamliners, of the brute force of diesel power and the patriotic effort to keep America on the move during a tumultuous world war.

During their heyday, railroads employed the top ad agencies and some of the era’s best-known illustrators to create compelling magazine advertising. The ads are a wonderful time capsule into a different era, a time when travel meant less about speed and economy and more about comfort and style. Through these ads you’ll watch technology advance as railroads embrace streamlined designs and diesels locomotives; ride along as America fights a war, with railroads at front and center of the effort; witness a long, slow decline as passenger trains nearly succumb to competition from automobiles and airplanes, only to re-emerge with a new revitalized role in the guise of Amtrak.

Join us for a great railroad journey in print – one that you won’t soon forget.

   •  Enjoy nearly 200 color advertisements and authoritative commentary
   •  Remember America’s greatest railroads: Pennsylvania, Santa Fe, New York Central, Southern Pacific, and many more
   •  Experience the finest passenger trains, including the Super Chief, 20th Century Limited, California Zephyr, Broadway Limited and others