OWLS

 Great C ourse Lecturer Patrick Allitt makes his debut with OWLS. Learn about the impact of trains throughout history from 1700 to the present. You will see how railways transformed the world. This course covers the genesis of railways in England (1700-1850), then onward to the American rails and the first trans-continental railways (1830-1890) and beyond, including their impact in wars and revolutions (1860-1945) and their later resurrection in America (1920-2020).

 All Aboard Ohio will share how passenger rail is shaping the future of our state - connecting communities, expanding access to opportunity and fueling local economies. Aligned with this year’s theme, Ohio’s Future: Built by Rail, we will explore how modern rail investments can revitalize cities, reduce transportation barriers for all ages and ensure Ohio remains competitive in a rapidly changing Midwest.

Patrick Allitt is from England where he completed his undergraduate studies [at Oxford], after which his graduate and

Ph.D. studies in U.S. History took him to California [at Berkeley]. He has been a professor of American history at Emory University in Atlanta since 1988 where he teaches courses on modern U. S. history, the Industrial Revolution, environmental history and others. He is the author of 7 books (most recently A Climate of Crisis: America in the Age of Environmentalism) and 12 recorded lecture series for The Great Courses (most recently How Railways Transformed the World). 

Mitch Radakovich, who was born in Cincinnati, is the chair for All Aboard Ohio. An Ohio State graduate, he studied data science, city/regional planning and history. For him, transportation is the niche at the intersection of data, computers and society, and in this case, using data and technology to help move innovative train transportation solutions forward.  All Aboard was founded in 1973, becoming a non-profit, member-based organization in 1987 dedicated to promoting improved public transportation and passenger rail service throughout the state.