Transportation

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

$10.95
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Home on the Canal

Home on the Canal

$28.00
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This richly illustrated and engagingly written book tells the story of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal from its origins in George Washington's decision to link the nation's new capital with the western frontier; through the beginning of construction in 1828 (fatefully, on the same day that the cornerstone of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad was set); to the "completion" of the project. Planned to go as far as Ohio and to take twelve years in construction, the Canal company's ambitions were scaled back after 22 years of toil, $14 million in expense, and the bankruptcy of several contractors took them only as far as Cumberland, at the eastern shed of the Alleghenies.

Describing in detail how the C&O operated in its heyday, Elizabeth Kytle takes the story through the shut-down of operations in 1924, after the Canal was purchased by its competitor, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and the efforts that resulted in its preservation as a National Historical Park in 1971. Enriching this narrative, the book also provides oral history accounts of eleven men and women who worked on or grew up along the banks of the Canal.

Train Woodcraft Construction Kit

Locomotive Woodcraft Construction Kit

$8.95
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9" x 7 1/4" x 1/2" package, weighs 11oz. Includes one kit. Makes one locomotive.
Potomac Canal George Washington and the Waterway West

Potomac Canal George Washington and the Waterway West

$39.95
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The Potomac Canal: George Washington and the Waterway West is a history of a new nation's first effort to link the rich western agricultural lands with the coastal port cities of the east. The Potomac Canal Company was founded in 1785, and was active until it was overtaken by the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company in 1828. During its operation, the canal system was used to ship flour from mills in the foothills of Appalachia to the tidewater of the Chesapeake, where the flour was shipped to the Caribbean as trade for sugar and other goods. This trade soon became the basis of agricultural wealth in West Virginia's eastern panhandle and throughout the Appalachian Piedmont. Coal was also shipped via the canal system from the upper reaches of the Potomac River to workshops at Harpers Ferry and beyond. This industrial trade route laid the foundation for what would eventually become the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.

Towpath Guide to the C&O Canal

Towpath Guide to the C&O Canal

$17.99
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The classic, must-have guidebook to the C&O Canal is back! With new photos and research, updated maps, and a 21st century makeover, Thomas Hahn’s labor of love remains the most comprehensive mile-by-mile guide to the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal. Journey 184.5 miles past former wharfs and foundries on the Georgetown waterfront, through quant Potomac River towns, to the mountainous region of western Maryland, while exploring all of the canal locks, lockhouses, aqueducts, and culverts along the way. Read how raging floodwaters and Civil War armies wreaked havoc on canal structures. Discover nature, geology, and 19th century engineering feats, as well as stories of the laborers, locktenders, and canallers who made the C&O a monument to human ingenuity and endurance. Deftly balancing engineering details with colorful anecdote and lore, Hahn’s guidebook is the go-to resource for all things C&O.Author: Thomas F. Hahn. Publisher: Harpers Ferry Park Association. Paperback, 276 pages. Measures 6" x 9" . Weighs: 1 lb. 9 oz.
Trains Step into Reading 3

Trains Step into Reading 3

$5.99
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A Step 3 reader introducing trains of all shapes and sizes doing what they do best: hauling freight, carrying passengers, and zooming at speeds close to 400 miles per hour! Readers will encounter the Jacobite--a Scottish train that plays the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter films. They will learn about the great steam locomotives that crossed the United States, joining east and west in 1869. And they will learn about the different technologies­­--steam, diesel, electric, and electromagnetic­­--that continue to make trains an important part of our modern world. Illustrated with full color and black & white photos.

Step 3 readers feature engaging characters in easy-to-follow plots about popular topics--for children who are ready to read on their own.