Iron Horses: America's Race to Bring the Railroads West

I enjoyed the book, lots of interesting detail. The maps are very helpful and interesting all by themselves.
Over a 20 year period, the railroads built about 1 mile an hour. And that was just west of Chicago.
The Acheson, Topeka and Santa Fe is the center of the story and it eventually became the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and I rode their trains everyday commuting into Chicago.

I have taken the train to Flagstaff and New Orleans from Chicago and enjoyed both trips.
It was nice to read the history of all that.