Friends of the Rail Forum

What the evolution of standardized time zones has to do with train travel in Zimbabwe.

We love maps, especially subway and train-related maps. So we’re all over Mark Ovenden’s Railway Maps of the World — the fantastic follow-up to his excellent 2007 Transit Maps of the World and 2009 Paris Underground. The lavish, large-format tome culls the world’s most interesting railway maps, posters and related ephemera, from the historical to the modern.

From early maps-printing techniques to beautiful vintage travel advertising ephemera to the latest digital real-time maps for mobile devices, Ovenden scours rare archives and architectural dreams alike, from the Liverpool and Manchester Railway of 1830 to China’s proposed 2020 high-speed train networks, to explore the evolution of cartography and the social role of train travel. Besides the lust-worthy design candy, the book also offers fascinating historical context and tells the story of how railroads became the vehicle for cultural change, bridging nations, driving economic growth, changing our diets by putting previously unavailable foods on the table, and even giving us standardized time zones.

With over 500 images and maps representing more than 120 countries from Algeria to Zimbabwe, Railway Maps of the World is a beautiful treasure chest of fascination for map lovers, design aficionados and history geeks alike, a rare record of a civilization in perpetual motion.

Product Description
A gorgeously illustrated collection of the world's greatest railway maps and posters, historical and contemporary.

Transit Maps of the World was an extraordinary and unexpected success and is now a cult favorite. In his irresistible follow-up Mark Ovenden has produced a mesmerizing compendium of historical and contemporary railway maps and posters from every corner of the world. Hundreds of images, covering two centuries of railway advertising, surveyors' plans, travel posters, satellite photos, and station wall maps, are combined with text brimming with vivid historical details and charming anecdotes.

Part One presents the stunning visual material chronologically, from the Liverpool and Manchester Railway of 1830 to the proposed 2020 high speed networks of China. Part Two is an atlas of maps from more than one hundred countries from Algeria to Argentina to Zambia and Zimbabwe. Appendixes include a trove of factoids, track stats and information about rail operators and rail museums. Railway Maps of the World is a visual delight for your eyes, making it a must have for every train fanatic-armchair or ticketed-history buff, and lover of graphic design.

About the Author
Mark Ovenden is a British writer and broadcaster whose previous books include Transit Maps of the Worldand Paris Underground: The Maps, Stations, and Designs of the Metro. He lives in Paris, France. Visit markovenden.com