The role of the historian dealing with transportation is a curious one in that it has rarely, if ever, been defined. Part of the difficulty, perhaps, is inherent in the subject itself and in mankind's (not too broad a term) conception of it.

Professor Lemly explores the blind loyalty of a city to a river, describes the ambivalence that characterized the city's leaders when railroads offered an alternate means of inter-regional transporty and analyzes the eventual efforts of St. Louis to make the most of both river and rails.

In coping with large-scale problems of management, the railroads had to devise new methods for mobilizing, controlling, and apportioning capital, for operating a widely dispersed plant, and for supervising thousands of specialized workers. In these activities, Professor Chandler argues, were created basic plans for the structural form of the modern American corporation.

The railroad leader's conception of his role in business and society is the focus of this study of one of the nineteenth century's most articulate businessmen.

The contradictory and inconsistent history of the origin, interpretation, and enforcement of the “commodities clause” of the Hepburn Act of 1906 is the basis for this analysis of one aspect of government-business relations in the American transportation industry.

Professor Scott illustrates how railroads came to undertake the furtherance of agricultural education as a part of their business activities and, in some instances, pioneered projects that subsequently became widely copied models in the field.

The early patterns of finance in a twentieth-century transportation industry are examined by Professor Rae. His analysis is especially illustrative of the problems of companies manufacturing a product to highly exacting technical standards and for sale to a limited number of customers.

A progress report on the attempts being made to organize the records of a major North American transportation corporation so that they will be available and useful to historians.

The profitability of American-flag shipping has been an issue before private and public policy makers since 1789. The debate continues today as every new Presidential administration faces the task of balancing the economic and strategic values of an American merchant marine.