On Railways Far Away

In addition to the careful research that went into his writing, Middleton was a gifted photographer who had an eye for creating interesting “trainscape” scenes. . . . Unknowingly with this book, Middleton managed to save his best effort for last – a volume that is sure to please anyone who enjoys exceptional photography and a good story.

― Michigan Railfan

[T]his hard-bound collection of photographs is an apt memorial to a man who was known to say, ‘yet there isn’t a train I wouldn’t catch.’

― Rail Magazine

William D. Middleton will go down as the only producer of popular railroad history . . . who was able to present such a broad coverage of railways during his lifetime. To my way of thinking, there has never been a person with his wide range of talents (as a researcher, writer, and photographer), his personal discipline to be a steady producer of historical publications, and his unrivaled zeal to record railroad activity in interesting spots around the globe. Many have excelled in one or even two of these categories, but no one has ever come close to his overall record. It will take a generation for the breadth, depth, and significance of his total contribution to be appreciated.

— J. Parker Lamb