Becky P.Y. Loo is Professor in the Department of Geography, The University of Hong Kong, China and Claude Comtois is Professor in the Department of Geography at The University of Montreal, Canada.

• Contents: Foreword, David Banister. Section I Railways and Sustainability: Prospects for sustainable railways, Becky P.Y. Loo. Section II Transforming Place and Space: Geographical Dimensions: Structuring effects of rail terminals, Jean-Paul Rodrigue; National railway system, John Black; Railways and borders: the international dimension, Roger Vickerman. Section III Save Our Earth!: Environmental Dimensions: Transit-oriented development and the urban fabric, Robert Cervero; Airline and railway (dis)integration, Moshe Givoni; The transfer of freight from road to rail transport, Antoine Fremont. Section IV Equity and Accessibility: Social Dimensions: The promotion of social equity through railways, Linna Li and Becky P.Y. Loo; The rise of localism in railway infrastructural development, David Chapman; Regional and local line rail freight transport in North America, John C. Spychalski. Section V Making Ends Meet: Economic Dimensions: Exporting railway technologies, Tin Kin Ho; Property models for financing railway development, Siman Tang and Hong K. Lo; Intermodal transportation, Brian Slack. Section VI Looking Forward: The resilience of railways, Claude Comtois. Index.

’Despite the hopes for a worldwide railway renaissance there was as yet no comprehensive coverage of its multiple dimensions and challenges. This book now fills this gap. It brings together some of the best international experts to discuss the different aspects of the interface between railways and societal development in a very well informed, balanced, and accessible way. For those wanting to understand how railways might help making transport more sustainable, there is no better place to start.’ Luca Bertolini, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and co-author of Cities on Rails, and Transit Oriented Development: Making it Happen ’Loo and Comtois offer a comprehensive assessment of the promise of enhanced railway systems as a key component of the infrastructure needed to assure sustainable mobility of people and goods. Their co-edited volume shows how railways are critically needed to support economic development while minimizing human impacts on the environment. Transport policymakers, students and academics will benefit greatly from the compendium of challenges and opportunities facing future railway system developments outlined in this book.’ Blas L. Pérez Henríquez, University of California, Berkeley, USA ’This co-edited volume provides a unique look into the future of railways through the lens of sustainability. Contributions covering passenger and freight, urban and inter-urban, and developed and developing systems, critically examine the geographic, environmental, social and environmental characteristics of a technology that, if not yet undergoing a full-blown renaissance, is very much alive and kicking.’ John Preston, University of Southampton, UK