Books, Maps and Atlases

Hardcover, library-bound with dust jacket, 584 pages, 8.

5 x 11 in., 963 photographs of which 484 are in color, with over 100 maps, numerous tables, bibliography and index. Much has been written about the Southern Pacific Railroad. A focus of wealth, power and political control in the Golden State, Southern Pacific was on the scene, close behind the Spanish, molding and shaping the California we know today.

And nowhere is this more evident than in the San Joaquin Valley. Pioneer Central Pacific entered the valley building south out of Lathrop in the fall of 1870, reaching Tipton in the very heart of the San Joaquin Valley in late July 1872. At this point Southern Pacific continued the work. Surmounting the Tehachapi mountains, the railroad forked with one line heading to The Needles on the Colorado River, and the other to Los Angeles, which was opened for traffic in 1876.

Along the way, the railroad founded and platted many of the cities that exist today. For instance, Fresno was surveyed and staked out in May 1872 in an area where there was no habitation and "the ground was like a graveled school yard." Accumulating vast land grants in the progress, SP had land to sell and built branch lines to new and promising areas promoting the potential profits to be made to eastern farmers.

At its zenith, prior to World War II, the San Joaquin Division encompassed a little over 876 miles of first main track. This volume covers the rise and fall of this great enterprise, from its initial construction to its expansion, and sadly, its decline through 1996. While including new information, and many unpublished photographs in the mountains, it also covers in depth the vast network of secondary and branch lines once a part of the division.

Contents:

• Introduction, pp. 6–10
• Pioneer 1870-1900, pp. 11–50
• Expansion 1900-1930, pp. 51–168
• The Challenging Years 1930-1945, pp. 169–246
• Postwar Optimism 1945-1971, pp. 247–444
• Decline and Dismemberment 1971-1996, pp. 445–578
• Epilogue, pg. 579
• Bibliography, pg. 580
• Index, pp. 581–584

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Four Ways West, hardcover, 128 pages, 8.5 x 11 in., all color photographs.

5 x 11 in., Color and B&W photographs (about 90% color). There are some really good photos in this book, in my opinion. I admit I am biased towards first-generation diesel locomotives, early paints scheme and passenger trains. This book features these subjects in sunny California!

Contents:

• Santa Fe in the Golden State in the 1960s, pp. 4–5
• First District San Bernardino to Barstow, pp. 6–28
• Second District San Bernardino to Los Angeles via Pasadena, pp. 29–43
• Third District San Bernardino to Los Angeles via Riverside pp. 44, 60
• Fourth District Fullerton to San Diego and National City, pp. 61–68, 70-77
• Fallbrook District, pg. 69
• Needles District Needles to Barstow, pp. 78–80
• Los Angeles Division Branch Lines, pp. 81–89,1965 Trip to Barstow, pp. 90–93
• Valley Division Barstow-Bakersfield-Fresno-Stockton-Richmond-Oakland, pp. 94–128

A total of 25,220 pages with 1,828 plans and scale drawings are fully searchable by title, author, keywords and text entries. All pages are printable as PDF files. // Please note: this archive is now available on a Flash Drive.

The DVD set has been discontinued and is no longer available. /// /// This will be the last production run of this archive. No further archives after the year 2014 will be available. The company which produced the original archive is no longer doing this kind of work and it was very expensive to produce as is. /// Apple Mac users rejoice!

Windows users all is fine, but now a small Flash Drive is available. Apple changed the Mac operating system around 2019, and Mac users have been unable to use the Gazette 50-year DVD archive ever since.

Today's computers don't have DVD drives, so we've converted the archive to a 16 GB USB flash drive to make it compatible with most common operating systems. The flash drive works like a web site; any computer with a USB port can access it.

The contents can be downloaded to a hard drive for faster access. This Flash Drive contains a 50-year archive of: Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette - every page from the first issue in 1975 through the end of 2014 (239 issues) - and complete collections of the GAZETTE's predecessors: FINELINES (57 issues) SLIM GAUGE NEWS (18 issues) A total of 25,220 pages with 1,828 plans and scale drawings are fully searchable by title, author, keywords and text entries.

All pages are printable as PDF files. Insert the USB Drive into a USB port. Double click Start.html to begin.

For additional instructions, insert the USB Drive into a USB port, click on the NGSL icon, and double click on "help.html". Compatible browsers: Windows PC, Chrome, Edge, and Firefox. MAC, Chrome, Safari.

Chrome book, Chrome.

Softcover, 80+ pages, 8.5 x 11 in., Color photographs.

By Jeremy F. Plant, Jeffrey G. Plant, and Jonathan W. Plant.

Step aboard the vibrant world of the Burlington Northern in this richly illustrated volume capturing the evolution, operations, and scenic journeys of the BN system as it carved its path from the Midwest to the Pacific Northwest. Through over two decades of transformation — from the post-merger legacy of Great Northern, Northern Pacific, CB&Q, and SP&S to the dawn of the BNSF era — the Plants chronicle the railroad's locomotives, freight service, passenger operations, and the iconic Cascade Green paint scheme that defined an era.

Featuring stunning color photography from 1971 to 1995, this book is an essential record of one of America's great western railroads during a period of dramatic change.

Benchmark Publications, softcover, 64 pages, B&W and Color photographs and illustrations.

25th Anniversary Benchmark Publications Edition. This project originally appeared as a series of articles in MODEL RAILROADER magazine and was first published as a book in 1984. That edition has been out for print for more than a decade.

In this Silver Anniversary Benchmark Publications' Edition, author and artist Malcolm Furlow again shows you how to build your own version of the HOn3 San Juan Central. A new chapter tells what has happened to the railroad and its builder in the past 25 years.

This book describes how its author, Malcolm Furlow, built the San Juan Central, an HOn3 model railroad. Malcolm described building this layout in a nine-part series of articles in MODEL RAILROADER magazine (November 1983 to August 1984).

These articles were re-published by Kalmbach Books in 1984-as the softbound HO Narrow Gauge Railroad You Can Build. The book went through three printings by Kalmbach over the next seven years. Now, 25 years after the first printing, this Silver Anniversary Edition has been produced by Benchmark Publications, Ltd., publishers of the NARROW GAUGE AND SHORT LINE GAZETTE magazine.

While the text, drawings, and photographs of the original book have been faithfully reproduced, the front and back covers are new, as is this introduction, and a chapter about the many activities of Malcolm after he built the San Juan Central-and what happened to it.

Contents:

• Ch. 1: Ride the San Juan Central, pp. 2–11, Ch. 2: Bench work for the San Juan Central, pp. 12–17, Ch. 3: Track for the San Juan Central, pp. 18–23, Ch. 4: Wiring for the San Juan Central, pp. 24–27, Ch. 5: Scenery for the San Juan Central, pp. 28–35, Ch. 6: Structures for the San Juan Central, pp. 36–43, Ch. 7: Bridges for the San Juan Central, pp. 44–49, Ch. 8: Locomotives and cars for the San Juan Central, pp. 50–53, Ch. 9: Operation on the San Juan Central, pp. 54–57, Acknowledgments, Dedication and Suppliers addresses, pp. 58–64.

This 166-page hardbound book contains nearly 300 illustrations, about 15% in color. A matching CD offers 45 large scale detail maps in pdf format. (Note, due to a production error, the CD inside the book is incomplete. A new CD will be included in your shipment and should replace the CD that comes in the book.)

Pennsylvania Railroad's Conway Yard is one of, if not the most important rail yard in America. This book explores the reason why it was built and studies the complex series of PRR lines that encircled and worked in tandem with Conway. It also considers many of the factors how, during the PRR's modern era, Conway evolved with the needs of the times.

Contents:
The Birth of Conway Yard, pp. 1-40,
The Story in Photos, pp. 41-78,
Conway Yard, pp. 79-124,
Eastern Division PFtW&C, Rochester to Homewood Jct., pp. 125-136,
E&A Division, Kenwood to New Castle, pp. 137-144,
C&P Division, Rochester to Canton, pp. 145-156,
PRR's Lake Erie Ports at Cleveland, Ashtabula, Erie and Buffalo, pp. 157-164,
Bibliography, pg. 165,
List of Maps on Accompanying CD, pg. 166.

Hardcover, 232 pages, 8.5 x 11 in., color photographs and maps.

Fourth in our Baltimore & Ohio series, we explore three divisions not part of the core routes connecting the East Coast and the western gateways of Chicago and St. Louis: The Buffalo Division (former Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railway), the Newark Division, and the Toledo-Indianapolis Division Western Extension.

David P. Oroszi, Stephen J. Salamon, and David P. Ori combine their talents in this 232-page hardcover book with more than 290 photos and 11 maps. In addition to the trains, you'll see towers (inside and out), stations, signs, tunnels, bridges, and many other sights seldom seen in B&O's outlying territory.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 Buffalo Division (BR&P)
Chapter 2 Newark Division
Chapter 3 Toledo-Indianapolis Division
Western Extension

By David P. Oroszi, Stephen J. Salamon, David P. Ori

Hardcover, 248 pages, 8.

5 x 11 in., Color Photo section, roster, plans and charts. During the twentieth century, the Union Pacific Railroad gained worldwide renown for the development and operation of high output locomotives powered by steam, gas-electric, and the internal combustion engine. What is less commonly known is that the railroad embraced the internal combustion engine shortly after the turn of the century, just 36 years after the driving of the Golden Spike in the form of the gasoline-powered passenger motor car.

Although overshadowed by later advancements, the passenger motor car, of which many design elements would later be adapted to the railroad's famous Streamliners, were the inaugural application of internal combustion technology on the Union Pacific. The culmination of decades of research, this liberally illustrated volume seeks to tell the definitive story of these unique entries to Union Pacific's nationwide fleet.

Contents:

• Dedication
• Introduction
• Acknowledgments, pp. 2–12
• W.R. McKeen and the McKeen Motor Car Company, pp. 13–36
• Union Pacific System Motor Cars, pp. 37–86
• Union Pacific System Trailer Cars, pp. 87–100
• Motor Car Routes and Operations, pp. 101–172
• Conclusion
• The Motor Car Experiment, pp. 173–183
• Color Gallery, pp. 184–199
• Appendix
• Roster
• Diagrams and Bibliography, pp. 200–248

Hardcover, 344 pages, quality bound with dust jacket, 560 photographs, 33 maps, 21 tables of data, Bibliography and Index.

While it could be argued that Sacramento, California was the point from which the vast Southern Pacific Railroad System grew, it was San Francisco which became the nucleus of wealth, power and political influence that was to become the Southern Pacific Company. Here the railroad system was planned, financed and managed.

Southern Pacific was one of the first large corporations to make San Francisco its headquarters and was for many years California's largest employer, and largest landowner - except for the federal government - in most of the states it operated in. Underscoring the city's importance, San Francisco was milepost zero in a system that identified the locations of all points on the vast Southern Pacific Railroad west of El Paso, by their distance from San Francisco.

Within the city itself, SP employed thousands of people over the years in its offices, shops, yards and on its trains, streetcars, ferries and steamships. The railroad gave unselfishly to the relief work that followed the earthquake and fire of 1906. Yet it is in San Francisco that we find the origin of the sobriquet, "the Octopus", which appeared in editorials criticizing the company's monopoly of the city's streetcar systems, long before the popular novel of the same name was published.

The opulence of its high-ranking officials added fuel to the fire. San Francisco was the only point on the former Southern Pacific system - or west of the Mississippi for that matter- that has enjoyed daily commuter rail service for nearly 160 years, mostly under SP management. And it was out of San Francisco that the last of the SP mainline steam locomotives operated.

Southern Pacific moved into what would become its final decades of activity in San Francisco with a spirit of optimism and innovation, yet railroad freight operations eventually withered under intense pressure from other forms of transportation, competition from the Port of Oakland, mergers, and the flight of rail-served industry and warehousing from the city in the face of escalating property values.

At this point, Southern Pacific's greatest asst was the critical real estate it controlled in the city, which it attempted to leverage for much-needed cash. Ultimately by 1996, and the merger with Union Pacific Railroad, Southern Pacific for all intents and purposes had disappeared from San Francisco entirely.

This then is the story of the rise and fall of this once great corporation in San Francisco in all of its manifestations spanning 132 years, focusing primarily on its rail operations within the San Francisco Terminal.

Contents:

• Introduction/Acknowledgements, pp. 6–11
• Pre-Fire 1864-1906, pp. 12–63
• Disaster April 14, 1906, pp. 64–75
• Expansion 1907-1930, pp. 76–154
• Late Steam Era 1930-1960, pp. 155–285
• Railroading to Real Estate 1960-1996, pp. 286–337
• Epilogue, pp. 338–339
• Bibliography, pg. 340
• Index, pp. 341–343. Features: New Hardcover John R. Signor Southern Pacific H&T Society 2023

Expand your collection of SP Trainline back-issues with Archive Volume 3: Issues 81-120! Covering Winter 1994 to Summer 2004, Archive Volume 3 is a collection of 40 issues in easy-to-use PDF format. Also included is an exhaustive index, making finding specific information quick and easy.

Available on a USB thumb drive. Features: New thumb drive various authors Southern Pacific H&TS 2025

For more than half a century, Railway Express Agency moved America’s commerce from coast to coast and to nearly every town across the country. This comprehensive new volume traces the full history of REA, from its origins and corporate structure to the realities of daily express operations. Detailed chapters examine rolling stock, terminals and facilities, air express service, logos and emblems, and the vast green truck fleet that carried the familiar red-and-white shield into nearly every city and town in America until 1975.

More than 300 photographs, diagrams, and technical drawings, including original illustrations by author Vic Roseman, provide unmatched visual and technical depth. Extensive appendices and a chapter on modeling REA equipment make this the definitive history of Railway Express Agency. 8.5 x 11 Hardcover, 164 pages By V.S.

Roseman

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Hardcover, 8.5 x11 in. landscape with dust jacket, 206 pages and over 240 pictures, maps and documents.

The Ghost Trains of SP's Overland Route, Train Nos 21-22 – Second Section
By Randall E. Cape and Robert G. McKeen

Overshadowed on the Overland Route by the rest of Southern Pacific's passenger fleet, Nos. 21 and 22, Mail, ran between Oakland and Ogden from 1947 to 1967. Operated primarily for the United States Post Office Department and the Railway Express Agency rather than passengers, these workhorse trains conveyed vast amounts of head end traffic, quietly, efficiently - and very profitably. The Ghost Trains of SP's Overland Route provides a comprehensive review of the history, operations and makeup of these little-known trains. The book takes readers "on board" and describes activities in all of the working areas of the train - from the engine cab to the rear rider car, and everything in between.

This expanded second edition adds to the prior edition's presentation with new images, many in color, and related documents that have become available, helping fill out the story of Train Nos. 21 and 22. This Second Section - Westward takes readers on a photographic journey headed from Ogden to Oakland. Along the way, it provides new insights as it covers the trains, locations they frequented, and operations along the route. Operations at the previously under-examined SP West Oakland Mail Dock and REA Express Oakland Key Point terminal are the subject of special attention in this expanded volume.

Hardcover with dust jacket, 256 pages, 9 x 11 in., color photographs and roster information.

The American Locomotive Company (Alco) had a long history of manufacturing steam and diesel locomotives in America, Canada, and around the globe through subsidiaries or licensees. Alco had developed a strong reputation in the 1940s and 1950s with its successful road switchers, but as railroads competed to carry more tonnage at faster speeds, the market demanded more horsepower.

The "Century" series was introduced in 1963, remaining in production until Alco closed its famed Schenectady, N.Y., plant to domestic production in 1969. The Century name celebrated the corporate history of Alco and its predecessors manufacturing locomotives for 100-plus years.

The product of decades of research by Tom Carver and edited and designed by Dale Sanders, this new book contains more than 300 beautifully reproduced color images, representing some of the best selections from a number of railroad photographers and historical archives.

An informative text, paired with detailed photo captions, supports photos and diagrams of each of the ten Century series models. Presented together for the first time in our premium 256-page railroad book format, these images will surely delight aficionados of the second generation of Alco's diesel locomotives on the railways of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Australia.

Showcased in their elements from gritty industrial scenes to beautiful vistas along the rails of their owners, all models from the Century 415 to the Hydraulic 643 are thoughtfully portrayed for each of the 43 original purchasing railroads.

Contents:

• Chapter 1: Introduction, Chapter 2: Alco 251 Progression, Chapter 3: Century 415, Chapter 4: Century 420, Chapter 5: Century 424, Chapter 6: Century 425, Chapter 7: Century 430, Chapter 8: Century 628, Chapter 9: Century 630, Chapter 10: Century 636, Chapter 11: Century 855, Chapter 12: Hydraulic 643H, As-Delivered Roster, Dedication/Bibliography

Hardcover with dust jacket, 584 pages, 8.5 x 11 x 3 in. 1,043 photographs (about 40% color), 76 maps, Bibliography and Index.

John Signor is a great author on United States railroad subjects and combined with his illustrator skills, this is a great book to have in your library - all 6+ lbs. of it! This book is filled with so much information on Southern Pacific's Los Angeles Division.

Maps, diagrams of yards, lists of local freights, tonnage diagrams, passenger trains and schedules, through freight times and names, historical B&W photographs, Color photographs of the late steam era up the late 1980s and a short discussion of SP's electrification study and so much more! From the first stirring of a Los Angeles & San Pedro Railroad locomotive in January 1869, to the merger with Union Pacific on September 11, 1996, Southern Pacific's Los Angeles Division in all of its manifestations was an engine of growth and prosperity in Southern California.

It employed many thousands over the years in its offices, shops and trains. It brought settlers west, established towns, brought war workers in and sent the troops home. Much has been written about the Southern Pacific and its subsidiaries in the Southland.

This volume was conceived to augment these works by tracing the long and involved operating history of the Southern Pacific as it first helped to create Southern California, then later adapted to cope with its explosive growth.

Accompanying the text are over 1,000 photographs-most never published, including 456 in color plus timetables and other ephemera, and 76 maps, many of which are rendered in the author's unique "bird's eye view" style.

With Los Angeles as a destination of significance from the beginning, the author has been able to draw from a wealth of historic material on the subject, preserved by the railway itself, official repositories, interested employees and other individuals which includes photographs, firsthand experiences and the day-to-day paperwork that documented how SP operated in Southern California.

Southern Pacific's Los Angeles Division is sure to find a place on the bookshelves of those interested in the SP, or the history of Southern California as a whole.

Contents:

• New
• Hardcover
• John R. Signor
• Southern Pacific H&T Society
• 2020

This is another quality publication by Signature Press highlighting a short line railroad operating in beautiful northern California. The railroad is but a ghost of its former self operating only 3.3 miles of track on an as-needed basis. The historical photographs are obviously in B&W and most from the modern era are in color.

The appendix includes a detailed roster of locomotives (both steam and diesel) plus other rolling stock. The McCloud River country, south and east of towering Mt. Shasta, was one of the premier potential logging territories of California in the late 19th century. A number of small operators were already in the area, though limited by inadequate transportation, when the McCloud River Lumber Company was incorporated in 1896.

The following year, the McCloud River Railroad Company was begun by the same owners. From its inception, into the 1950s, the McCloud lumber mill was busy, and contributed steady traffic to the railroad. But as the available timber harvest declined, the lumber company and its railroad were sold to United States Plywood in 1963.

The remnants of log movement by rail were terminated, and both timber harvest and railroad operations altered. In 1967, U.S. Plywood merged with Champion Paper, and a few years later the merged entity became Champion International. Leasing company Itel purchased a number of short line railroads in the late 1970s, including the McCloud River Railroad.

Some of those lines primarily served as lessors of Incentive Per Diem or IPD box cars (as did the McCloud), but the large, well-equipped railroad shop at McCloud was an additional attraction for the leasing company. The boom in IPD boxcar leasing was lucrative for a time but virtually collapsed by 1981.

At around the same period, the timber industry all but departed from the McCloud River country, removing the primary freight traffic from the railroad. In 1992, Itel sold the railroad to the Forbis family. They incorporated a new company, the McCloud Railway Company, to conduct operations, and continued through 2008, including the popular Shasta Sunset Dinner Train.

But by 2009 traffic had all but vanished, and most of the railroad was scrapped. Included here are more than 385 photographs, many in color and published for the first time, and 41 maps and drawings. The book contains detailed chapters on the history of the different periods of the railroad operation.

Traffic data, rosters of locomotives and rolling stock, and financial data are also included. Maps were drawn by John R. Signor using information from the author, with an end sheet map also by Signor. Shortline fans everywhere, and particularly those enthused about logging operations, will be enthralled with this book, but the McCloud's mainline connections mean that many fans of Western railroading will find it interesting and enjoyable too.

Contents:

• Acknowledgements
• Introduction, pp. 5–10
• The setting, pp. 11–22
• Birth of an Empire: 1896-1902, pp. 23–46
• The Minnesota Influence: 1902-1918, pp. 47–90
• Changing Directions: 1918-1945, pp. 91–154
• Postwar Prosperity: 1946-1963, pp. 155–210
• U.S. Plywood Years: 1963-1977, pp. 211–240
• The Itel Years: 1977-1992, pp. 241–274
• McCloud Railway Company: 1992-2003, pp. 275–300
• Retrenchment and Redirection: 2003-2015, pp. 301–334
• Epilogue, pp. 335–336
• Appendix: Pit River Railroad: 1920-1934, pp. 337–339
• Rosters, pp. 340–353
• Bibliography, pp. 354–358
• Index, pp. 359–368. Signature Press, hardcover with jacket, 368 pages, 8.5" x 11 x 1.5", 385 photographs, 41 maps and drawings, bibliography, index. Features: New Hardcover Jeff Moore Signature Press

Softcover, 74 pages, 8.5 x 11 in., Color photographs and illustrations. Explore the twilight years of one of America's most storied railroads in Erie Lackawanna in the Northeast: New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, 1961 to 1976. This compelling visual and historical account follows the Erie Lackawanna from its early post-merger struggles through its spirited fight for survival in the face of economic headwinds, competition, and consolidation. With a regional focus on the heart of EL territory — New Jersey, New York's Southern Tier, and Northeastern Pennsylvania — this book paints a detailed portrait of a railroad that was both resilient and beloved. Featuring a vibrant array of full-color photographs, meticulously researched captions, and thoughtful commentary, this volume captures the locomotives, rolling stock, facilities, and daily operations that defined the Erie Lackawanna. Whether charging through the Lackawanna Cut-Off or winding through the Delaware Water Gap, the EL is brought to life with the reverence and attention it deserves. Perfect for railfans, modelers, and historians alike, this book is a nostalgic yet authoritative tribute to a railroad that maintained pride and purpose right up to its 1976 absorption into Conrail.

Softcover, 86 pages, 8.

5 x 11 in., B&W and Color photographs and illustrations.In 1868, the Buffalo Creek Railroad was incorporated as the first terminal railroad in the United States. Designed to tap into the growing grain milling business and Lake Erie commercial traffic, this five-mile railroad, concentrated entirely in Buffalo, New York, became the busiest terminal railroad of its size by the early 20th century.

Even though the railroad’s service became synonymous with Buffalo's grain milling and flour industry, it also served a significant amount of the chemical and oil business in the area. The railroad began to dieselize in the 1930s, completing the process in 1948. It was an all-ALCo road after 1956.This book covers the railroad's last 26 years of operations from 1950 to 1976 and its integration into Conrail.

Additional chapters cover the detailed histories and dispositions of the railroad's fleet of diesel locomotives (primarily ALCo end-cab switchers) and its wide-ranging fleet of 2,000 40-foot boxcars, used to transport Buffalo's grain products to locations as far away as Mexico City and Vancouver. Illustrated with over 150 photos, with about 75% of those in full color.

Features:

• New Softcover Stephan M. Koenig and Ronald R. Dukarm The Garbely Publishing Company

Hardcover, 600 pages, mostly B&W photographs and illustrations with Color photographs of more recent times.

This book has been reprinted and is available again. The Shay Locomotive - An Illustrated History is the most complete, thorough, and accurate book ever produced on this unique and storied locomotive. The authors have spent decades researching, collecting photographs, and organizing the information in this all-new volume.

The book

Features:

• More than 600 pages
• more than 1000 photographs
• illustrations
• and drawings
• Complete listing of every Shay built by shop number
• by owner/operator
• and by location
• Lima's involvement in the Shay from the first locomotive by Ephraim Shay in 1881 to the last Shay built in 1945
• Photographs of every single surviving Shay
• 3 Appendices of Patents
• Drawings
• and Specifications
• Wrecks and mishaps
• Mechanical evolution
• and so much more! No fan of steam will want to miss this instant classic. By Richard A. Henderson
• John C. Benson
• George R. Kadelak
• Steve Hauff

Special Sale, Limited Quantity! This is the second title in a series of four planned Volumes on Southern Pacific's heavyweight and lightweight passenger car fleet. Heavily illustrated and complete in an 8.5 x 12 in. horizontal format and library bound this book includes 582 pages, floor plans in HO scale, over 225 color and 850 black & white images, 109 plans, plus rosters, car builders and definitions of terms, car exterior colors, train assignments, glossary, bibliography and index.

SPH&TS, hardcover with full-color cover jacket, 464 pages, 8.5 x 12 x 3 in., color and B&W photographs, diagrams and illustrations.

This is the fourth Volume in a series on Southern Pacific freight cars. It covers box cars, the most numerous type in the SP fleet. The era is roughly from 1865 to 1965. The book contains an extensive array of rosters, photographs and, where possible, drawings of the major car classes, along with other material as available, such as construction photographs, publicity photographs, lettering drawings, and so forth.

Survival of the cars over the years is presented, as are numerous photographs of the cars in service. The first section of the book contains an introductory section of background information, then covers the early box and combination cars, along with fruit, ventilated and refrigerator cars, and presents the important Huntington-era standard cars.

The coverage then turns to the Harriman and post-Harriman designs, and to the World War I era, with several design differences, including USRA cars. The very numerous cars of the 1920s, followed by the all-steel standard designs built before and after World War II are presented in additional chapters.

Separate chapters describe modifications to the various classes, the first of the specially-equipped cars, the last of the 50-ton box cars, and finally the box cars of the 1960s. Box cars, of course, make-up an essential part of the history of any railroad. The book's 846 photographs (36 in color), most from company and museum archives and never before published, together with 92 drawings, extensive rosters, and bibliography, make it unusually complete and authoritative.

This book provides a coverage that every railroad enthusiast, and of course Southern Pacific fans in particular, will enjoy. Noted rail artist John Signor has created for the book the painting shown here, depicting a Southern Pacific yard scene containing the subjects of this series of books. The well-known SP freight car historian Anthony W.

Thompson has authored magazine articles on many SP cars, as well as researching and writing the car section of the book, Pacific Fruit Express, previously published by Signature Press, as well as Volume 1, Volume 2, and Volume 3 in this series. Volume 4 is now newly revised, and is 8 pages longer. Once again, a strong contribution to the history of the Southern Pacific and of the West has been furnished by Signature Press.

Enthusiasts of those subjects will find this a superb book.

Contents:

• Prologue and Acknowledgements, pp. 5–8
• Introduction, pp. 9–14
• Freight Car Basics, pp. 15–30
• Early Box Cars, pp. 31–56
• Fruit
• Ventilated and Refrigerator Cars, pp. 57–80
• Huntington Common-Standard Box Cars, pp. 81–106
• The Harriman Period, pp. 107–136
• The Post-Harriman Period, pp. 137–152
• Box Cars of the World War I Era, pp. 153–192
• Return to Traditional SP Design, pp. 193–218
• Box Cars of the Late 1920s, pp. 219–254
• Steel Box Cars of AAR Design, pp. 255–288
• Post-War Box Cars, pp. 289–358
• Post-War Box Cars: Modifications, pp. 339–366
• The First Specially Equipped Box Cars, pp. 367–402
• Last of the 50-ton Box Cars, 1955-1961, pp. 403–424
• Box Cars of the Early 1960s, pp. 425–460
• Appendix 1: Additions to Volumes 1, 2 and 3, pp. 461–474
• Appendix 2: Diagrams, pp. 475–484
• Appendix 3: B-50-2
• B-40-2 CS Specification, pp. 485–488
• Bibliography, pp. 489–496
• Index, pp. 497–512 Signature Press, hardcover with jacket, 512 pages, 8.5 x 11 x 1.5 in., 868 photographs, 92 maps and drawings, rosters, bibliography, index. Features: New Hardcover Anthony W. Thompson Signature Press

The railroad depot was once a vital part of local communities as well as essential to railroad operations. And particularly in the West, depots were often landmark structures. Southern Pacific and its predecessor railroads constructed and maintained depots throughout their territory. Between 1877 and 1894 a series of 26 numbered standard plans for depots was developed, and each plan was successively in use for a few years.

By the beginning of the 20th century, there were more than 600 SP depots and telegraph offices. By then, many older depots, as well as most new ones at that time, had been or would be built to these standards. This book describes those depots. The story of depots in SP's far-flung territory is an interesting one: when they were built, what they looked like, and when they were destroyed or were saved.

Particularly for smaller communities, the depot was once an integral part of local life, so the life stories of these depots are an integral part of town history. In addition to the 26 numbered standard depot designs, SP also built a number of other de facto standard depots, such as the colonnade style, and several such designs are described here.

Also included are a group of stuccoed depots, modernized from older buildings, as well as standard-design depots built by predecessor railroads, such as the El Paso & Southwestern. Southern Pacific built each depot with an eye to what was expected to be needed. The overall size of the depot often reflected current or anticipated town size.

The agent had quarters upstairs in a two-story depot, essential in places where suitable local housing was not available, but otherwise a one-story depot would be built. Freight rooms were sized according to the expected Volume of business. Well-known depot historian Henry Bender has extensively researched this subject, and presents here an authoritative account of hundreds of SP standard depots, illustrated with a fine collection of photographs.

The jacket painting is by noted railroad artist John R. Signor. Enthusiasts of the Southern Pacific Railroad will find this detailed account of particular value, but fans of other railroads, and local historians throughout the territory of the Southern Pacific, will also find much of interest. Contents Preface, pp.

9–14,Additional Acknowledgements, pp. 15–16,A Word About the Station Agent, pp. 17–22,Early Board and Batten Standard-Design Depots, pp. 23–42,Numbered Standard Depot Designs, 1877-1893, pp. 43–184,Southern Pacific Standard-Design Freight Houses, pp. 185–188,Predecessor Railroads' Standard Depots, pp.

189–196,Southern Pacific Lines Standard Depots in Oregon, pp. 197–208,Southern Pacific Lines Depot Hotels, pp. 209–214,Queen Anne Depots, New York and 1891, pp. 215–222,Southern Pacific Telegraph Offices, pp. 223–238,Colonnade-Style Passenger Depots, pp. 239–256,El Paso & Southwestern System Depots, pp.

257–269,Southern Pacific Small Depots, pp. 270–274,Southern Pacific Remodeled, Stucco Depots, pp. 275–289,Southern Pacific Lines Depot Colors, pp. 290–298,Epilogue, pg. 299,Selected Bibliography, pp. 300–301,Index, pp. 302–320. Signature Press, hardcover with jacket, 320 pages, 8.5 x 11 x 2 in., 437 photographs, 46 drawings, bibliography, index.

Features:

• New Hardcover Henry E. Bender Jr. Signature Press

The sixth Volume in this distinguished series of books describes Arizona's Northern Roads, the railroads in the northern part of the state. The major roads among these were the mining roads of Jerome and the coal roads of later years, there were also lumber roads and the tourist lines such as the Grand Canyon Railway.David F.

Myrick, distinguished railroad historian and an unparalleled expert on Arizona railroad history, published the first five Volumes of this series from 1975 to 2001.Artist Ernie Towler painted the cover illustration based on a historic photograph of articulated locomotive 500 of the Verde Tunnel & Smelter Railway with a typically short train of ore cars.

Contents:

• Acknowledgements, pp. 8–10
• Introduction, pp. 11–12
• Jerome and Its Four Railroads, pp. 13–24
• United Verde and Pacific Railway, pp. 25–56
• Verde Valley Railway, pp. 57–68
• Verde Tunnel and Smelter Railroad, pp. 69–96
• Arizona Extension Railroad, pp. 97–112
• Arizona Central Railroad/Verde Canyon Railroad, pp. 113–118
• Arizona and Swansea Railroad, pp. 119–136
• Mohave County Mines, pp. 137–150
• Arizona and Utah Railway, pp. 151–168
• Black Mesa and Lake Powell Railroad, pp. 169–176
• Coronado Railroad, pp. 177–184
• Grand Canyon Railway Construction, pp. 185–206
• Grand Canyon Railway: Operations
• Demise & Recovery, pp. 207–238
• Appendix. Grand Canyon Railroad Corporations, pg. 239
• Bibliography, pp. 240–241
• Index, pp. 242–248.Signature Press, hardcover with jacket, 248 pages, standard portrait book 8 x 10 in., 235 photographs, 28 maps. Features: New Hardcover David F. Myrick Signature Press

Hardcover, 756 pages, 11 x 9 in., contains 543 black and white photographs, 283 color images, and 16 maps.

This is a huge, great book. Many non-Santa Fe rail enthusiasts may want a copy of this book! The Santa Fe Railway is well remembered for its passenger trains. Indeed, articles on these trains and their operations written by many different authors with contributions by even more individuals, have appeared many times for over nearly a half century in the publications of the Santa Fe Railway Historical & Modeling Society and its predecessors under the names of the High Iron, Santa Fe Modeler, The Santa Fe Route, and The Warbonnet.

Compilers Michael W. Flick, an acknowledged expert on Santa Fe passenger trains, and John R. Signor, long time editor of The Warbonnet, have brought to this compendium not only articles of their own, but have gathered together dozens published as far back as the early 1970s. Many required updating. Corrections were made as needed.

Color images were added if available, some original articles were produced when only black and white was suitable for publishing, though some of the source images had actually been in color. For some articles, additional material was added, and some original material was created to fill some gaps for specific trains and operations for which nothing had been written prior to this compendium.

While this compendium is by no means a complete, or comprehensive review of all Santa Fe passenger trains, it does place within one cover the board scope of Santa Fe passenger train articles published by the SFRH&MS and predecessors, in a convenient and accessible single volume.

Contents:

• Preface
• Introduction, pp. 5–9
• Dearborn Station, pp. 10–27
• California Limited, pp. 28–51
• Trains 3 and 4, pp. 52–71
• Santa Fe de-Luxe, pp. 72–103
• The Navajo, pp. 104–111
• The Scout, pp. 112–123
• The Fast Mail Express, pp. 124–147
• The Chief, pp. 148–176
• The Grand Canyon, pp. 177–205
• Super Chief, pp. 206–270
• El Capitan, pp. 271–292
• San Franciso Chief, pp. 293–310
• Texas Express, 311-318
• The Ranger, pp. 319–323
• Kansas Citian-Chicagoan, pp. 324–334
• Texas Chief, pp. 335–354Red Express, pp. 355–369
• Kansas City Chief, pp. 370–380
• Oil Flyer, pp. 381–390
• Streamliner to Tulsa, pp. 391–402
• A Survey of Denver Service, pp. 403–410
• California Special, pp. 411–428
• The Pecos Chief, pp. 429–434
• El Paso-Denver Service, pp. 435–437
• El Pasoan, pp. 438–442
• Grand Canyon Service, pp. 443–457
• Peavine Passenger Service, pp. 458–469
• San Bernardino Locals, pp. 470–479
• San Diegans, pp. 480–503
• Saint & Angel, pp. 504–507
• Golden Gates, pp. 508–529
• Valley Flyer, pp. 530–533
• LaGrande Station, pp. 534–550
• LAUPT, pp. 551–571
• Appendix A, pp. 572–576.

  Features:
  New
  Hardcover
  Michael W. Flick and John R. Signor
  Santa Fe Railway H&M Society 2023

Softcover, 184 pages, 8.5 x 11 in., over 190 photographs and maps, 13 tables, appendices, bibliography, and index.

This small volume is designed to be of interest to several audiences. For the Santa Fe history buff, it tells the story of an important chapter in Santa Fe history. For the Santa Fe modeler it provides information critical for those wanting to model the Santa Fe in World War II.

For the military historian it provides a case study of how one railroad contributed to the Allied victory in World War II. The story of the Santa Fe in World War II includes Santa Fe served military installations, government installations and construction projects, industries that produce material for the military, and industries that support military production.

The book then moves on to focus on the Santa Fe itself. It first examines the impact of the war on company assets such as personnel, equipment, and infrastructure explaining how the Santa Fe overcame personnel and equipment shortages and bottlenecks caused by its infrastructure. The book then moves on to Santa Fe's traffic and operations.

It examines the traffic challenges the Santa Fe overcame. It discusses the Santa Fe passenger train traffic which increased 12 fold over the prewar level and Santa Fe freight trains which quadrupled over prewar. Next it discusses the three types of military trains, the mixed troop train, passenger troop trains and hospital trains, and finally special trains are examined.

This 2018 reprint contains 16 more pages of text and photographs including Jawbone construction data and information on Southern Pacific narrow gauge locomotive #18, and additional information on the railroads herein. The story of California railroading in Owens Valley and Inyo County and the upper Mojave Desert.

This book begins with the history of Southern Pacific's standard-gauge Owenyo Branch (Mojave to Owenyo), built in conjunction with the Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1908. The aqueduct was necessary to bring water to the growing Los Angeles urban area. This branch line was later known as the Lone Pine Branch and more affectionately as The Jawbone.

Also included are construction and operation material on the Trona Railway, the Naval Ordnance Test Station (NOTS) short line at China Lake, California and the beloved narrow gauge railroad between Laws and Keeler, the southern portion of the old Carson & Colorado Railroad. Contains many old B&W photographs with some Color, timetables and station plats.

Contents:

• Foreword-Acknowledgements, pp. 7–10
• Los Angeles Aqueduct, pp. 11–16
• The Owenyo Branch: Mohave to Owenyo, pp. 17–33
• Stations Along the Route, pp. 34–74
• Trona Railway Co.: The Brine Line, pp. 75–94
• N.O.T.S. Railroad: China Lake, pp. 95–100
• Behold the Slim Princess, pp. 101–119
• Bibliography and Index, pp. 120–128.Addendum: 2018, additional photographs, some correspondence, data, pp. 129–144. Omni Publications, hardcover, 144 pages, standard portrait book 8 x 10 in
• B&W plus 10 pages of Color photographs. Features: New Hardcover Philip C. Serpico Omni Publications

The Garbely Publishing Company, softcover, 80 pages, 8.

5 x 11 in., Color photographs.Immerse yourself in the final, transformative years of one of America's most iconic railroads with the photography of prolific authors Jeremy F. Plant and Jeffrey G. Plant. This full-color photo book is a visual celebration of the Chicago & North Western Railway's rich history during its last 25 years of operation.Through stunning photographs and insightful commentary, the book captures the railroad's evolution from a struggling 1970s regional railroad through its eventual merger into Union Pacific.

The images vividly depict the C&NW’s diverse locomotives, bustling freight yards, scenic routes, and the dedicated people who kept the railroad alive. From the dramatic challenges of the 1970s to the modernization efforts of the 1980s and its final days in the 1990s, this book provides a compelling photographic narrative of resilience, innovation, and change.Perfect for railfans, historians, and photography enthusiasts, The Last Three Decades of the Chicago & North Western offers an unforgettable journey through a pivotal chapter of American railroading history.

Whether you’re reminiscing about the iconic yellow-and-green locomotives or discovering this era for the first time, this book is a must-have addition to your collection.

Features:

• New Softcover Jeremy F. Plant and Jeffrey G. Plant The Garbely Publishing Company 2025

Southern Pacific Historical and Technical Society's Trainline Magazine Archive Volume 1: Issues 1-42 and Archive Volume 2: Issues 42-80 This two-disc set contains the first 80 issues of S•P Trainline in easy-to-use PDF format, preserving the original layouts and images.

Also included is an exhaustive index of the first 80 issues, making finding specific information quick and easy. Windows and Mac compatible. Buy these two volumes together as a bundle for a 10%savings off the retail price!

Features: New Windows and Mac Compatible

Softcover, 80 pages, 8.5 x 11 in., Color photographs. By George W. Hamlin with Photography by Matt Herson from the Matt Herson Collection.

This book is made up of a nice collection of sharp photographs printed on high-quality paper. There is a brief history of the PRR electrification, and the book moves on to the power starting with the DD1 motors. Then the freight-haulers are presented and then the famous GG1 including the 4800 painted in bicentennial colors.

About 30 percent of the book are pictures of GG1s in various locations and liveries. MU equipment gets 10 pages of coverage. Amtrak also makes the pages with E60CHs, Metroliners and Amfleet equipment. The EMD GM1 model and 2 pages of yellow maintenance-of-way motors finish the book.

Hardcover, 296 pages, Color photographs and illustrations.

This color tour of the railroads of southern Illinois geographic coverage includes Galesburg and Kankakee and locations south. Main line railroads and short line railroads are shown. The Peoria & Pekin Union and Toledo, Peoria & Western plus the Rock Island line to Peoria are included with all of the main lines headed to and from Chicago and St. Louis.

Chapters:
Introduction, pp. 1-9,
To Springfield, pp. 10-57,
Decatur - Danville, pp. 58-105,
Champaign - Kankakee - Bloomington, pp. 106-145,
Peoria - Pekin, pp. 146-185,
Western Illinois, pp. 186-233,
Santa Fe, All the Way, pp. 234-289,
Depots, Towers and Departure Notes, pp. 290-296.