Marshall M. (Marshall Monroe) Kirkman

Born in 1842, Marshall Monroe Kirkman built his career in the railroad world and became closely associated with the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway. He later rose to high office in railroad management, including service as general secretary and then as first vice president of the company.

Kirkman is best remembered today for his many books and manuals on railroad operation, finance, construction, and management. His best-known series, The Science of Railways, gathered practical guidance and industry knowledge into an ambitious reference work that reflected the scale and complexity of rail travel in the late nineteenth century.

He died in 1921. For readers interested in transportation history, his work offers a window into the systems, habits, and business ideas that shaped the railroad age.