Scottish immigrants John and Robert Pitcairn--following their friend Andrew Carnegie--worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad, transporting troops and supplies for the Union army during the Civil War. John co-founded the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company--eventually a key player in the U.S. glass industry--while Robert managed the Pittsburgh Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad through the aftermath of the 1889 Johnstown flood.

The history of the Pitcairn brothers parallels the evolution of American industry and transportation during and after the Civil War. This book provides a historical perspective on the 1877 railroad strike and other events that shaped the transportation industry and American industrialization. It also examines the spiritual and philanthropic impact of the Pitcairn brothers: Robert at the Shadyside Presbyterian Church near Pittsburgh and John at the Bryn Athyn religious community near Philadelphia. Today, the legacy of the Pitcairn brothers remains woven into the fabric of American industrialization, revealing the intricate connections among industry, transportation, and philanthropy during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.