Railroad Ferries of the Hudson and the Stories of a Deckhand is a complete business, economic, technical, and social history of the ferryboats that were once operated across the Hudson River to Manhattan from New Jersey and that were owned and operated by various railroad companies in conjunction with their commuter and long-distance passenger trains. The work also covers the Staten Island Ferry (formerly operated by the B&O Railroad) and New York Waterway's present-day revival of services connecting with New Jersey Transit commuter-train services.

For over a century, water has connected the communities on Puget Sound, starting with days of the iron-hulled steamers of the Black Ball Line and continuing to the vessels of Washington State Ferries. Puget Sound continues to be a vital link between cities, well into the era of smart phones and self-driving cars. From the recycled ferries of San Francisco Bay to the elegant pocket liners of the Canadian Pacific Railway, transporting people from one isolated community to another has grown to carrying 25 million commuters and tourists every year. Modern ferry travel on Puget Sound begins with the converted passenger steamers at the early part of the twentieth century. Built in the days before cars became the main mode of travel, these small steamers morphed into the blueprint of today's largest double-ended ferries in the United States. Ferry travel today is as scenic as in the days of Model Ts and steamships. Puget Sound remains a nautical highway as much now as it was in the era of high button shoes and derby hats.

The book covers the history of the development of each type of British vehicle ferry.