I second this one and would like to add anything railroad related by Albro Martin, Maury Klein or John White. Also David Howard Bain’s Empire Express: Building the First Transcontinental Railroad.
Too true. When I was young and none too scrupulous I used to borrow books from the local library and never bring them back (nasty habit, but at least I can come clean about it). Three barrels of steam was one I left on the shelf.
What you want in your library depends on what the focus of your library is: BUT, any library should begin with a good Dictionary and a Thesaurus. Maybe a book on Grammer, too.
As for me, my interest is in Steam Locomotive design and operation, so I start with these
The Locomotive Up To Date
By Chas. McShane
Copyright 1899 by Chas. McShane
Revised by Chas. L. McShane
Copyright 1920 by Chas. McShane
GRIFFIN & WINTERS
New York Life Building,
Chicago, Ill.
1923
The previous edition of this book has been republished as the following two books and at least one is still available new someplace:
Classic American Locomotives
The 1909 Classic on Steam Locomotive Technology
By Charles McShane
Originally published in 1899 by Griffin & Winters.
The special contents of this edition are copyright 2003 by The Lyons Press
The Lyons Press
Guilford, Connecticut
An Imprint of The Globe Pequot Press
ISBN 1-59228-054-4
(Available from http://www.astragalpress.com/)
The Locomotive Up To Date (1906)
By Charles McShane
Copyright 1906, Griffin & Winters
New York Life Building, Chicago, Ill.
Republished by: Little River Locomotive Company
Townsend, Tennessee
1999
The above two books are actually the exact same text and illustrations, inspite of the differences indicated by the titles. The only difference in the publications being that the second one includes 15 pages of period advertisements for other books by Charles McShane, other publications by Griffin & Winters, locomotives from various well and lesser-known locomotive builders, and artificial limbs from George R. Fuller. (The latter possibly being witness to the danger of working on the railroad in the late 1800s.)
The second edition (first one listed above) is MUCH more inclusive of more modern things.
Nothing Like It In The World, by Stephen E. Ambrose. Simon & Schuster.
If this is his story about the Trans-Continental RR, I wasn’t very impressed. I like Stephen Ambrose, but this story seemed to me to be just a glossed over view of what I already knew.
How Steam Locomotives Really Work, by P. W. B. Semmens and A. J. Goldfinch. Oxford University Press.
Well, if you want a WHOLE bunch of stuff on British locomotives, this is the book for you! Otherwise, I’d look for something else. I’ll gladly sell my copy if anyone wants it.
The Steam Locomotive in America, by Alfred W. Bruce. Crown Publishers, Inc.
The American Steam Locomotive, Vol 1 Evolution, by F. M. Swingle. Midwest Rail Publications, Inc. (Note: there is no Vol 2 as the author died before it was prepared for publication.)
Bruce’s book was probably one of the better accounts of steam locomotive operation and design. And there it contains a wealth of information that can’t be easily found elsewhere. My copy is still packed up and I haven’t looked at it in years.
The Swingle book was the first book (or anything else) that I bought via the internet. It is very hard to find, and the bookseller advised me not to lend it out. It’s a pity someone doesn’t reprint it, and perhaps index it as well. (I don’t recall there being much bibliographic information in this volume either.)
I have to wonder where Swingle was going to go with subsequent volumes. Volume I pretty much covered the basic development of US steam locomotives from the later 19th century to the end.
Just managed to lay may hands on the first edition of Milwaukee Electrics by Noel Holley. Is that a good buy for $47 or should I’ve gotten the later edition from 1999 instead?
First editions are always a good buy. But it depends on the condition. First additions are generally nice to have in your library and signed and numbered additions are even more valuable. Several books on Ebay have gone for far more than they are actually worth. Have noticed when people atrat bidding on some of these books it gets to be a feeding frenzy. That’s to bad! I dare say I have overpaid for a few books in my own personal library but having collected for forty years I have done well for the most part.
Two other sets of books worth investing in are The Official Pullman Standard Library a 15 volume set and the seven volume set that covers the Budd, AC&F and other misc. manufacturers a 7 volume set. The early Pullman Standard volumes are getting very expensive and very hard to find. These books cover all of the streamlined passenger cars of the Railroads.
It is important to consider a rider to your home insurance policy to cover books that are valuable. And most important make sure it will cover present replacement costs of the books. Each year I supply my insurance agent with a complete up to date list of my books including any new acquisitions in the last year.
Thanks alot passengerfan, much appreciated! [tup] This Milwaukee book is in good condition. The Official Pullman Standard Library, is that those red ones? I think that I’ve got most of them…need to find those that I’ve missed like the one for PRR.
The red ones are the ones. They are an excellent reference source and along with other books in my library I can find information including disposition of most cars.
My library specializes in passenger trains and cars pre Amtrak. I sold off about a hundred books a few years back that did not really fit into my primary interest and will probably sell a few more in the next couple of years.
I have my book collection in Legal bookcases as this protects them from dust and keeps them in excellent condition.
Thanks passengerfan [tup]. I’ve got most of the Pullman books (except 3 me thinks) but none of the Budd and ACF etc. I think that they’re great as well. Is there any similar to these but for heavyweights?
JanOlov Hope the following helps.
A Century of Pullman Cars Volume one comes immediatly to mind. Surprisingly the heavyweights though numerous were not of that many configurations. Where they get confusing is cross referencing the conversions from 12-1 to the numerous other types shortly before WW 11 and those converted to Tourist sleepers. Pullman generally numbered the Tourist sleepers and when 12-1 were converted to other configurations the names were changed. In some cases when certain Pullman sleepers were transferred to another train they were renamed as well. There is quite a bit of reference material out their on the older Pullman cars but it takes lots of time to sort it out.
I have to admit that I sometimes get confused with all the numbers that Pullman used with their sleepers. How was it with the Lounge and Lounge/Observation cars back then?
Some books that have to be a little more readable than those Pullman books;
Set Up Running: Orr
Story of a PRR engineer
N&W Giant of Steam: Jeffries
N&W history
Rails Remembered Vol.3: Newton (not to take away from Vol.1, 2 or 4, I just like 3 best)
N&W history
Classic Power 3A USRA 2-8-8-2: King & Dressler
History of the 2-8-8-2
In The Traces: Rose
The watercolor paintings of Ted Rose.
You asked about the heavyweight Lounge and Observations. If they were minus any sleeping car space they were generally RR owned and operated. Much like the heavyweight coaches and Dining cars. Pullman owned a few dining cars and lounge cars but these were generally operated in special service. An example was the first two cars in the June 1937 FORTY NINER.
The first car was a baggage Dormitory Kitchen Car named DONNER LAKE originally built in 1928 as the K-100 for Special Service. The second car in the FORTY NINER was ANGEL’S CAMP a dining room car originally D-100 built for the same Special service in 1928. For the FORTY NINER all heavyweight cars were remodeled giving them a streamlined roof line and skirting was added. The FORTY NINER began service July 8, 1937 and ended service July 26, 1941 when replaced by a new CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO consist.
Hope this helps.
If you’re interested in the big picture of economics and politics of the American rail industry in the 20th century, I highly recommend both “Merging Lines” and “Main Lines” by Richard Saunders. The first covers American railroads from the early 1900s up to about 1970. The second covers the resurgence of American railroads from the 1970s to 2002. Both are fascinating reads.
I read one by John Signor (sp) about the RR from Salt Lake City to San Pedro California through the Cajon Pass, and found it very interesting. Very detailed information and lots of good pictures. I found it at the local library.
You have to include several books about electric railroads in any library.
When Steam Roads Electrified
William Middleton-available through I.U. Press or other outlets
The Electric Interurban Railway in America
George Hilton and John Due-This book was published over 47 years ago and remains the standard book on the Interurban area.
Anything by Middleton
Not a book but a recommendation.