Today’s market is saturated with railroad books, both prototype and model. I am amazed at the number of dealers who continue to offer out of print railroad books in deplorable conditions at unrealistic over inflated prices. Many of these books from the 40s and 50s for example have either none or worn, torn, dirty, dustjackets, faded covers, and/or yellowed pages, coffee, water, or tobacco stains, and are offered at prices starting around $25.00. Most of these books originally cost less than $10.00 when first published.
I for one refuse to pay such prices for books in this category and I imigine many other railfans feel the same way but would still like a copy of a particular title on their favorite railroad. In recent years several of these classics have been and are being reprinted. Many have photos that have been remastered and are clear, sharp and printed on high gloss paper and in most cases cost less than the original printings offered by the used book dealers today! The excellent books by the late Richard Prince published by Indiana University Press are prime examples.
Are there any of these classics that you would like to see reprinted at an affordable price? I for one would like to see the return of the excellent books written by the late S. Kip Farrington, Jr. They were “working” railroad books. Farrington visited general offices, yards, shops, even rode the trains, and reported what made the railroads run from the president to gandy dancer. The books featured multiple railroads, most of which are now Fallen Flags.
Railroading has changed dramatically over the years with fully automated trains and “belly pack” locomotive controls being the norm today. Farrington’s books take one back to the times when man mastered the machine and not vice versa as it is now in most cases.
I disagree about your assessment on pricing, Trinity River. As with any antique or collectable or commodity, in the end, the price is set by the purchaser. If the asking price is too high, it won’t be bought; it’s as simple as that. Yes, the dealers ask the high prices. Sometimes dealers think that because something is “railroad” it is worth a fortune thus it gets a high price. Another problem today is this, the medium we are communicating through right now, the internet. So many rely on the internet for retrieving information and then storing in their own computer space. No need for books or collecting them. Thus the books themselves become more dear for those who actually want them. And, too, it is why reprinting or reissuing of such books becomes risky and expensive. New books, new publications, have a better chance of selling than older books. Maybe S. Kip Farrington’s books would have an appeal to a few old timers, but the younger railfans don’t understand railroading of 25, 50, 75 years ago nor often don’t want to know. History means less than photo ops and what was can’t be videoed. Unless a book brings something very new to the table, contemporary railroading or previously unpublished pictures of the past perhaps, it is a high risk venture for the publisher and the author. Unless the original printing plates are available and sharp the reprinting of such books as Farrington’s would be to rip apart a book to digitally photo and print which may or may not have any quality or quality added. If there is any merit in your idea, I think, it is a little premature if anything and would possibly be more viable say 25-50 or so years in the future, just not now.
There’s only one way that works, at least for me. You’ve just got to get out there and beat the bushes, train shows, antique shows, flea markets, antiquarian book fairs, antique shops and thrift stores, “friends of the library” donation sales, you name it. That’s what I do, and if you’re patient, it usually pays off. If you’re really lucky, there might be a hobby shop in the area where the owner actively solicits railbooks for purchase and resale, I’ve had pretty good luck at places like that as well.
Mind you, used book dealers, not the ones who specialize in railbooks by the way, have told me that railbooks don’t stay around very long if and when they get them, so a certain amount of luck is involved. Your luck might be better if you live in an area with a high population density like the Northeast or Chicagoland. In an area with a light population density you’ve got your work cut out for you.
Price? I’ve got a limit beyond which I just won’t go. If it’s too dear I’ll just live without it, I’m not going to die if I don’t get “that one item that NOBODY else has!”
As far as reprinting, I’m sure we’ve all seen those reprints of classic Lucius Beebe books where the photo reproduction is dark and smoky. I’ve been lucky enough to find some original Beebe works so the reprints I had I just donated to a museum fundraiser sale. Echoing what Henry said, if a reprint can’t be done properly, what’s the point?
Many times you just have to look. I’ve been poking thru Amazon & eBay for books as I’ve had the time. Sometimes prices are a lot more then I could afford. On my wish list the late Harre DeMoro’s book on the Sacramento Northern. Another The Time of The Trolley. The 1st usually starts at about $80 and up. I’ve seen some Amazon dealers wanting $300 or more. My copy of The Interurban Era I picked up at a hobby shop for $10 some time ago. It was an ex library book with no dust jacket. I found on Amazon a copy of The Peoples Railway about SF Municipal Ry for $12. This was not in great shape and time will tell if I got a decent bargain or not. It had some minor water damage. I wanted the book to read even if only for a short time. I found on eBay a copy of The Time of The Trolley for $10. Alas it was gone before I had the money to buy.These days I have a very limited budget for hobby stuff. And I really have to look hard for stuff at a price I can afford. Yes I remember back in the 70’s& 80’s when all sorts of books could be had for $20 or less. I had built a considerable collection then. These days I’m kind of stuck and have to look online for what I can find. All I can say is keep looking. You never know what you will stumble across. Thx IGN
Yes, beat the bushes…check all kinds of flea markets and antique shows, antique and junk shops, bookstores, used book stores, book sales and library sales. And train shows, too. Look for what you’re looking for but don’t overlook what you find either. Especially if the price is right.
I guess you’re right guys. I understand that the 5th ed. of Richard Wright’s big SP Daylight book isn’t near the quality of the earlier editions. The original Beebe books are classics themselves and yes, the Bonanza reprints were really yucky compared to the first editons.
Yes I just paid $25 for a classic book at a train show, which was about double what the book cost new 40+ years ago. However, have you seen the price of new RR books. Many are $50.
Oh yeah, new train books can be expensive, but you have to look at it this way.
When someone like Morning Sun puts out one of their “Fill In The Blank Railroad in Color” books or “Trackside Along The Fill In the Blank in Color” those are pretty expensive to produce to begin with, then add in the fact you’re looking at a limited market and the price goes up even more.
Is it worth it? Well that’s up to you. In the case of Morning Sun I’ve taken the plunge fourteen times over the last 20 years and NEVER been disappointed. All are top quality and will be around and intact long after I’m gone. As far as a railbook or anything else is concerned if I like it, I buy it. As I said earlier if it’s too much in my opinion I’ll pass it by.
An example: I was at a train show and an exhibitor had a “Locomotive Cyclopedia” from 1948 for sale. There wasn’t any price on it (which makes me nervous, by the way) so I asked. The guy wanted $125 for it. Thirty years ago I’d have roared out “WHAT! ARE YOU ON DRUGS?” But now, I just gave a smile, said “thank you” , put it on the shelf and walked away.
Last weekend I was visiting with the owner of an antique shop whom I’ve known for quite a few years. He is a retired locomotive engineer, starting with the RI in 1956 and retiring off the IAIS in the 1990s. He said when he started on the RI, an 8 hour day for a fireman on a switch engine paid $12.46. He said he thought he had the world by the tail back then. That before hiring out he worked in a body shop making $40 a week, 5 full days plus a half day on Saturday.
That $10 book from the 1950s all of a sudden doesn’t sound so cheap. Nor does it now going for $25 sound too out of line.
Perhaps I missed my own point? I have no problem purchasing a pre-owned book if it is clean, complete, free of markings, torn pages, stains, and has a dustjacket (even worn). I have approached the respected well known artist of railroad paintings, Gil Bennett, to consider producing generic dustjackets in various sizes for books that have lost theirs for any reason.
They would have one of his paintings on the front cover, a profile of him on the rear cover, and advertising for his paintings on the flaps. So, if you have a book on the SP for example and want to protect the book with a dj all you would have to do is purchase one of his jackets with an Espee painting on the cover! Instead of the name of any of the books, they would include the name of the painting instead., which avoids any copyright infringes at the same time.
I have no gripe about the current price of railroad books on the market either. The color books are a bargan regardless if they cost $50 or $80. Divide the number of color photos by the price of the book and where can you find so many color pix of your favorite Fallen Flag for a price like that? Most Baby Boomers like me (I was BLT 7-4-46 in Dallas, Tex.) were too young to remember the last of steam and early 50s diesels or electrics on our “Home Town” roads and if we do it is but a faded memory today.
I remember the last of steam on Katy, Cotton Belt, even the Hustler on the T&NO behind Daylight painted 4-6-2s and of course Dallas Union Terminal’s 8 Spot 0-6-0 (which was built to SP specs by the way) and still survives at the MAR, the former Age of Steam Museum, in Frisco, Tex. But I didn’t know the fine art of taking pix of trains nor did I own a camera. I wasn’t blessed with a railfan family member who took pix of trains either. My grandfather would take me down trackside north of Dallas in Farmers Branch (where I lived with him a
Firelock has it exactly right. The small market is the killer. Most of the expense of producing a book is in that first copy. If you can sell that first copy, plus thousands more, you’re in clover. Most railroad books, I’m sure, sell that first copy, plus hundreds – and, with that expectation, are priced accordingly by the publisher.
We book-buyers are just lucky a few people – fellow fans, usually – are dedicated enough to still be in such a small-potatoes market. They aren’t getting rich off it!
Right you are Fred, they aren’t getting rich off it, but I’m sure they’re making a decent living just the same. If you’re not greedy, that’s usually good enough.
By the way, we should all offer up a silent prayer of thanks for all those railfan photographers and filmakers from years ago who spent the time and money to document what was and will never be again, especially the ones who stretched the budget to do it in color. It gives some of us a chance to remember and others like me who aren’t old enough to remember the glory years the opportunity to get an idea of what it was like.
Amen Firelock! I agree with you 100%. I was presented with some Ektachromes from a gentleman in Florida a good number of years ago and taken in the late 40s, 50s and into the 60s. ACL purple, SAL citrus, FEC (Florida “Daylight” I call it), Jax Terminal, shortlines, even a beautiful set of F7s in perfect ABBA formation on the CGW in Iowa!
I’m scared to laon them to the publishers for fear the US Postal Service will loose them but you can still find related photos in the great selection of color railroad books on the market today. Color railroad books haven’t been around that long. The great late Don Ball sorta got the “highball” rolling on them and then along came Morning Sun and other fine publishers followed.
When you take a $60.00 book and divide the number of photos in the 128 pages they are indeed a bargan and most are Fallen Flags that I too remember but didn’t have a railfan family member who took pix in those days, so I too am thankful for the hearty who spent a dollar or two extra to shoot pix in color.
You are so right to extend a special Thank You to all of these pioneer railfans who took color pix so we can enjoy them today!
This is not an option to be taken lightly but seriously. Many books and stories have existing copyright despite their age as the estates of the original copyrighter may have renewed it or the copyright was sold and renewed or owned by a larger publishing house which owns the copyright. The safest thing is to explore the copyright history of the piece before copying by scanning or other reproductive process without written consent or arrangement with the last copyright holder.
Glad you qualified and explained that. I thought you were talking about out of print or scarce books. But often I find railfans don’t understand or respect copyrights and copyright material and start using pictures without permission of the owner.
Hi there Trinity! Listen, if you’ve got an offer from a publisher to make use of your Ektachromes there’s other ways to get them there besides the post office. UPS, FedEx, you name it. Or if the post office is all you’ve got send them registered mail, delivery is assured. So if you can make some money on them don’t be shy, we can all use a little extra dough, right?
One scary thing: Another poster advised you to have them scanned to s disc. Good advice! Ektachromes don’t last as long as Kodachromes do, eventually color shift is very likely to take place and the images can wind up useless.
That’s another good thing about publishers like Morning Sun. Once those color images are printed in book form they’re damn near permanent, they’ll never fade or shift, unless you leave the page open to direct sunlight, and even then you’ll only lose two pages at the most.