An interview with Ed Breslin, the co-author (with Hugh Van Dusen) of America’s Great Railroad Stations, which was just published by Viking Studio.

Why did you decide to write about railroad stations?

Roger Straus is a distinguished architectural photographer, and railroad stations represent some of the finest architecture produced in America.

Why are the old, outmoded stations being preserved?

Because they are part of our heritage, because they convert brilliantly to hotels, art museums, restaurants, college classrooms, dorms, and administrative buildings, and because, restored, renovated, and repurposed, they revive the cores of many towns and cities.

If you had to choose your top three edifices, what would they be, and why?

Grand Central, L.A.’s Union Station, and, in a tie, New London, Conn. and Worcester, Mass. The first two are monumental and the second two, though smaller, are magnificent in execution and achieve aesthetic excellence.

Can you discuss some of the historical oddities that you came across during your research?

People feared their blood would boil and their heart burst if they traveled at 30 mph. Cincinnati’s Union Station has the most arresting Art Deco office suite ever built and it’s a cultural secret. Kansas City hosted a gangster gun battle during the Depression.

How did you choose the stations featured in the book?

Roger [Roger Straus III, the book’s photographer] researched them with the help of our agent Alex Hoyt and my collaborator Hugh Van Dusen, who are serious railroad buffs. Roger, the man with the eye, and whose book this truly is, made the final selection. We also looked for geographical diversity and a variety of sizes in the stations selected, ranging from small through medium to large to monumental.

How did your experience of traveling the country by train inform your writing?

It inspired me to do train travel justice, so relaxing and pleasant is it compared to flying and driving. If you love landscapes and really seeing the country you’re passing through, it’s the only way to go.