For Christmas, my daughter gave me this book. Its about 500 pages, however it is not dull reading. The authors, R E Gallmore and J B Meyer both have had real world railroad experience, so now, as economists, are not writing from their ivory towers.
The book lays out some economic basics, but before you 
, it is easy to understand without graphs and charts, and lays out terms that follow in later chapters (even explained a few things I was hazy about way back from my college business economics class). Some subjects are the Penn Central debacle, Staggers Act and its effects, Conrail, Amtrak formations, passenger service dilemma. Delves into some mechanical details, but this is not a picture book.
While it is very interesting reading and moves along, I might characterize this as a "bathroom reader" to be read and absorbed a few pages at a time. You can skip around to interesting chapters or pages without reliance on what proceeded before.
