Railways - USA: books - history and rolling stock

The Historical Guide to North American Railroads (3rd Edition)

This revised railroad encyclopedia offers a comprehensive overview of 170+ North American railroads, featuring their history, photos, route maps, and key facts.
A newly implemented searchable index facilitates quick access to information. Explore the stories behind abandoned or merged railroad lines and gain insights into major railroads currently in operation.

Designed for rail enthusiasts and history buffs, this ultimate railroad reference book encompasses both major and numerous minor railroads spanning the last century.
Statistical data highlights key aspects, including miles of operation, locomotives, and rolling stock, providing a thorough resource for those interested in the rich history of US railroads.

Trains Across the Continent - North American Railroad History (Second Edition)

The complete and concise introduction to North American railroads. Introductory text and concise history of the railroads in North America.
Briefly covers virtually every conceivable aspect of railroading from "Hand, Flag and Lantern Signals" to the impact of NAFTA, and the electrification of the northeast corridor.

Rails Across North America : A Pictorial Journey Across the USA

The railways of the USA have a great following, not only in the United States (where there are large numbers of rail fans) but also increasingly in Europe, where there are enthusiasts who regularly visit and model North American railroads.

The number and variety of these railway operations is both colourful and interesting. In addition to the major mainline companies, there are numerous short line and industrial concerns who run equally interesting train operations.

David Cable has visited the USA on fourteen occasions and has travelled extensively across most of the states, photographing railroads of every shape and size.

Railways in the North American Landscape

Windswept vistas. Scorched canyons. Glorious scenes of snow and ice. This book shows the North American landscape in all its breathtaking glory, cleaved by the continent's powerful locomotives and captured in a series of stunning original photographs by leading railway artist Mike Danneman.

Evoking the romance, drama and beauty of the railways, this wonderful collection of images presents the full breadth of jaw-dropping backdrops offered by this vast expanse of land.
The contrast between raw motive power and bucolic peace creates scenes that will delight anybody who wants to enjoy the full majesty of North America from their own home.

America's Rail Pictorial

Featuring 362 all-color photographs of steam, diesel, freight and passenger trains from the 1940s, 50s, 60s and 70s, this hardbound 152-page book covers 37 different rail lines across the country.
It focuses on large and small railroads, including Santa Fe, B&O, CB&Q, C&O, CN, CP, E-L, GM&O, GN, GTW, IC, NKP, NYC, N&NW, Pennsy, RI, Soo, UP and Wabash among others.

Rayonier

To pioneers of the late nineteenth century, timber was as good as gold, and one of the biggest logging "shows" in the Pacific Northwest began when Alex Polson came onto the scene in the 1900s. Polson Brothers Logging Company eventually became part of ITT Rayonier, a company that rostered a variety of steam-powered logging equipment. This is the story of Rayonier's logging-railroading operations, featuring numerous photos and a complete steam and diesel locomotive roster.

This hardbound book details steam at its height, when trains ran daily out of Railroad Camp near Hoquiam, Washington, and through the treacherous Clallam Branch, near the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The Rayonier logging story is told in text, train crew stories that "tell it like it was," and 233 black and white action and roster shots of men and equipment.

Show Trains of the 20th Century

Show trains have been transporting their mysterious cargo across America for over a century. Now, the enchantment of these show trains is captured for all to enjoy in this fascinating book.
Rare photographs presented by the Circus World Museum in Baraboo, Wisconsin, display the unusual construction and exotic cargo of show trains. Witness all types of eye-popping traveling show cars including carnival trains, Wild West show cars, Dog and Pony show cars, Theater and Magic show cars and more!

Railway Depots, Stations & Terminals

A unique book about some of the finest, most interesting, and most famous railway stations. Contemporary photographs, historic images, and postcard views provide an in-depth look at the architectural gems that dot the railroad landscape.

The railway station has a special role in people's lives. Stations have served as the gateway to the world's great cities and the point of contact for remote towns. The inherent nature of the station is different from that of other buildings; it is an entrance, an exit, a place to rest, and a stop along the way.
It can be the first thing a traveler sees and the last memory of a favorite city. Facing both the street and the tracks, the station is naturally a point of departure and a face of the city it serves.

Brian Solomon, one of today's most accomplished railway historians, leads you through a one-of-a-kind exploration of the history and architecture of depots, stations, and terminals.