Historic maps are always interesting and even more so when they are on the theme of transport. This book, as the title indicates, is a collection of maps of railway lines in various countries around the world, although not all are historic - the maps of New Zealand on page 133 are the current system (although they will be historic by the time Steven Joyce has finished wielding his axe) and although the originals would have been large, the reproduction of many is quite small to the point where a magnifying glass is an essential accessory for using the book.
Quite a few of the older maps are decorative, part of general promotional material for rail travel. The book also has some non-map items of ephemera such as the trans-Australia poster above.
Although a comparison of the older maps with current ones is usually depressing, there are some positive changes with the additions in the last 20 years of several purpose built high-speed lines in developed and developing countries - in Australia there has been the opening in the last ten years of the Alice Springs to Darwin line. In NZ, of course, there won't be any additions until the government changes, whenever that may be.
The book has 144 all-colour pages in 290 x 250 mm format, a hardcover and a jacket.
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