John and Robert Pitcairn were born in Scotland and emigrated to the United States, where they played crucial roles in the Civil War. Following their friend Andrew Carnegie, the brothers worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad, transporting troops and supplies for the Union army. After the war, John co-founded the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company which came to dominate the U.S. glass industry. Meanwhile, Robert managed the Pittsburgh Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad through the destruction and rebuilding that followed the 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, the 1889 Johnstown flood, 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 between industry, transportation, and philanthropy during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.