Best train books?

Based on the little info you have provided, I could perhaps recommend some generic coffee table kinds of books, but my experience is that I find that I now rarely go back to those kinds of books for information.

Getting a little more specific, the Kalmbach Locomotive Cyclopedias (Vol 1 Steam and Vol 2 Diesel) provide a good summary of how the locomotives work, what all the appurtenances do, and how locomotives evolved. Their small format Diesel Spotters Guides provide a good summary of the different types of diesels, and I like their Guide to North American Steam Locomotives. After years in the hobby, I still frequently refer to these volumes.

I believe modelers fairly quickly tend to focus their attentions on a specific era and a specific railroad, or perhaps several railroads in a region. These days there are many good books with information on the locomotives and rolling stock of specific railroads. What era and what RRs are you interested in?

One can get a feel for what cars were generally pulled by what loco by studying pictures in books. Some of the general books on the discount tables at Borders, etc. such as "Streamliner Memories" provide a good general summary. If you are interested in a specific, line, I think you will do much better to look for a book the addresses that RR's passenger trains ("UP Streamliners" by Kratville, the recent "PRR Passenger Trains" book, etc.). At the most specific level, advanced modellers seek lists of the specific loco and car numbers that made up a certain train at a given station on a specific date.

Similarly, there are many, many books about the locos used by various RRs. For freight rolling stock, I like the Morning Sun Publishing "Color Guide" series of books which give a good overview of the rosters of different RRs, their paint schemes, and times the cars and paints schemes were used. Gary Q

The "Color Guide" books are excellent. Lots of good photos (clear, well lit, sharp) of freight and passenger cars. I always look at relevant photos in the Color Guide before starting a model. Any books by Lucius Beebe or O. Winston Link or John Armstrong are worth obtaining. I have also enjoyed "The Iron Horse" by Henry B. Comstock, "Nothing like it in the World" by Stephen Ambrose, and "The Wreck of the Penn Central" by Daughen and Binzen.

David J. Starr

Anything by Beebe. Anything by White. "Down at the Depot" by Alexander

Now if you want to include traction .....

I enjoyed reading "The Delaware & Hudson" book. I had trouble putting it down in fact. :-)

-- DW

The prototype industry puts out a set of books every few years on what is available from the makers. They alternate between the cars and the locos it seems. Title is usually Loco Cyclopedia and Car Cyclopedia. These books usually have fairly accurate mechanical drawings of the cars and locos. After that, most of the railroads have had books put out about the history of the railroad, the history of the locos and often history of passenger service. The quality of the books varies all the way from coffee table books to serious reading for the detail nut with scaled drawings of the locos, tenders and passenger cars. In addition, other books on a subject like logging in the woods have their own lists of books, with logging, the best is probably the Koch bookset on the Shay locomotive, the first volume of which contains a llist of all the Shays ever built by Lima. There's a lot of books out there! I've got about 7' of shelf space devoted to the books on one one railroad and I've got several other railroad's stuff in there also plus the general histories of railroading.

-- Why isn't there an Ozone Hole at the NORTH Pole?

wizzzer wrote: What do you think are the best books about full size trains (not models)? ***

------------------------------------------------ "The Encyclopedia of Trains and Locomotives" by C. J. Riley would be a good start:

A number of other good railroad books:

Many of these are up to 32% off list price and include free shipping on orders over $25.

Bill Bill's Railroad Empire N Scale Model Railroad:

History of N Scale: Railroad Bookstore: to 1,000 sites:

Anybody know of a book that

Go to

Mine

Beyer Peacock Locomotive builders to the World Some interesting stuff there.

When the Steam Railroads electrified 2 edition - A good primer on North American Electrification What is interesting for me is a short section on a electrification in Brazil by BICC at 1500V dc In the case of the rolling stock they looked rather like Sydney suburban cars and the Overhead and wiring structures look like parts of the NSW Western electrification of the

1950's of which BICC was the prime contractor to the NSWGR.

The British Steam Locomotive Vol's 1 and 2 by O.S Nock there is some good info in this. Lots of info on the Austerity and BR standard designs.

Shay Titan of timer ??? Will this book come back into print.

Shale Railways of NSW updated edition. Includes info on the Newnes Shays.

Green Diesels story of the MLW/ALCO RSC-3 40 class and the BTH 41 class loco's on the NSWGR.

They've been recalled until the author pays for permission to display photos of UP decorated locomotives.

No contest, British Steam Since 1900 by W.A.Tuplin, David and Charles

1969, Pan Books paperback 1973.

Ken.

So?