The Ma & Pa: A History of the Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad

Affectionately known as the "Ma & Pa," the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad was one of the country's longest running and best known "archaic" railroads, holding on to steam locomotion and other outmoded technologies well into the twentieth century. Connecting Baltimore and York, the line had everything needed to endear itself to local residents and rail enthusiasts: picturesque equipment, marvelous scenery, antique passenger trains, handsome small-scale locomotives, and enough curves—476—for a railroad many times longer than its 77 miles. All this made the Ma & Pa one of the most popular prototypes for model railroaders, George Hilton notes, and thousands of miniature versions of the line became part of model railroads throughout the world. This new paperback edition of Hilton's classic history includes a new introduction and epilogue in which the author recalls the line's final years of service. He also comments on the continuing interest of modelers, enthusiasts, and all who fondly remember the Ma & Pa.