The years between the end of World War II and the mid-1960s saw a flowering of railroad photography in America. Photogrpahers vied with one another to find archetypal railroad scenes that they recorded with novelistic precision. The most demanding technical efforts, however, were devoted to capturing the railroads at night. Here, in a stylish and moving book, are the last great steam engines, lonely motormen, silent stations, and more, all evoking the spirit of night railroading—as quintessentially American cool jazz—in its glory days.

Starlight on the Rails celebrates the work of mostly unsung artists in stirring duotone photographs. The authors of this book and their 20-odd fellows—all highly skilled masters of lighting and composition—created visual poetry that memorializes an aspect of American life that will long be fondly remembered.