As many reviewers have said, trying to condense an encyclopedia on such a vast subject into 160 pages is a big ask. However, despite a reasonable proportion of the information being available elsewhere, it does provide an intriguing glimpse into many aspects of the past and present rail system. The format is reasonably unique for a New Zealand railway book but there are some great images and a good array of information for the price. The many branches that once formed part of our rail network are particularly well covered.