A Railroad Life: On the Road with Mike Bednar Volume 4

A Railroad Life: On the Road with Mike Bednar Volume 4 features 196 color photos and two maps. This volume includes Mike's complete articles from issues 2 through 13 of Trains & Railroads of the Past Magazine. Many of the photos that had been printed in black and white in the magazine appear in full color in this book, and the color has been upgraded to today's standards.

You will see the outsides of towers, the insides of towers, road power, yard power, track layouts, signals, structures, crews and almost anything that you can think of relating to railroading. And you will see diesels belonging to the Lehigh Valley, Central Railroad of New Jersey, Reading, Delaware & Hudson, Lehigh & New England, Conrail, Reading & Northern, and more! Alcos? You bet! Baldwins? Yup, got them, too. From the cab, in the cab, from a bridge, trackside, through the mountains, in the yards, along the river, through the snow - you'll see these classic diesels from every angle. Mike Bednar's "A Railroad Life" series presents one of the most comprehensive narratives of the people, equipment, and operations associated with railroading in Anthracite Country and the Cement Belt.

This hardcover publication provides first-hand knowledge of what it was like to be a railroader in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, supplemented with 196 vintage color photos. Mike Bednar has had quite a railroad career, working in many capacities for Lehigh Valley, Conrail, and Reading & Northern. He knows railroading inside and out, from dispatching, to running big trains over Penobscot Mountain, and everything in between. He was blessed with the ability to recall nearly every detail and his gifts of storytelling and humor show in his personable writing style. When you read Mike's articles, you'll feel like you are in the cab with him or in the tower sitting next to the dispatcher.

Contents: (page 1 starts in volume 1)
The Lehigh Valley's Escape Route, pp. 388-397,
25 Miles from Home, pp. 398-407,
The Legend of the Mustang, pp. 408-415,
You Can Never Go "Home" Again, pp. 416-421,
Off the Beaten Path, pp. 422-429,
Slatington Train Wreck, pp. 430-437,
The Mountain Cut Off, pp. 438-447,
The Railroad of My Youth, pp. 448-461,
Alco Hall of Fame, pp. 462-471,
The Clown That Completes the Circus, pp. 472-481,
The Coat of Many Colors, pp. 482-495,
From Clunkers to Saviors, pp. 496-507,
A Railroad Life Album, pp. 508.