trisonic Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I'll kick this one off with: "LOCOMOTIVES: The Modern Diesel & Electric Reference" by Greg McDonnell (The Boston Mills Press) What it says in the title really, a must have. What is the equivalent (if it exists at all) for Freight cars? Best, Pete. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Gringo Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 Hi Pete, I don't know nearly enough about freight cars, or the varnished stuff either, but my best overall reference for U.S. steam engines is; Model Railroader: Cyclopedia - Volume 1; Steam Locomotives - edited by Linn H. Westcott and first published in this format in 1960 by Kalmbach Books. My copy is a softback twelfth printing of 1989 and although it's a bit bent and scuffed, there's a feast of information for the enthusiast of U.S. steam power. The book not only "explains how steam locomotives work, but then presents a superb variety of locomotives in detail-rich HO scale plans and hundreds of rare photographs, with more than 127 notable North American steam locomotives presented in the 272 page reference book." Apparently, Cyclopedia Volume 2 contains 160 pages of Diesel Locomotives - in the same large format and it's no doubt the same great reference work, featuring 70 notable types, but I don't have a copy of this book on my shelves. All the best, John. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davknigh Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 For Canadian steam anything by Omer Lavallee is good. He covers Canadian Pacific and did a fine book on Canadian narrow gauge lines. Ian Watson has done a series of books on Canadian National in Ontario that are rich with pictures and track diagrams. For the Toronto Hamilton and Buffalo Norman Helm's book "In The Shadow Of Giants" is excellent. Probably just scratching the surface here but it's a start. Cheers, David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Piszczek Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 The Simmons-Boardman Cyclopedias, loco, and car volumes, then after 1966? combined volumes, are very useful. The car builder Cyclopedias are basically what the engineering staff at the various railroads used to order piece parts or whole freight cars. Passenger cars too, all the hardware you'd need... They can be pricey, but if you are patient you can find them at reasonable prices. I have a few 'pedias from my decades of interest and they get used regularly. Another reference that is a real gem is the Popular Picture and Plan Book of Railroad Cars and Locomotives. Although this might sound like a kid's book, it was published by S-M in 1951 and has all the choice steam, diesel, passenger, and freight car photos and plans from the Cyclopedias of the era. If I was to get shipwrecked on a desert island, and only had one book, this would be it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Country Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 Another Simmons-Boardmann book I've found to be very useful is The Railroad: What it is, What it Does. It's a good informative technical guide to all aspects of how the North American railway functions and has some excellent chapters on locomotives, freight cars, yards, and switching operations. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcanman Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 (edited) I'll kick this one off with: "LOCOMOTIVES: The Modern Diesel & Electric Reference" by Greg McDonnell (The Boston Mills Press) What it says in the title really, a must have. What is the equivalent (if it exists at all) for Freight cars? Best, Pete. Hi Pete, I bought this book on recommendation recently, it was released in paperback in October and is great value. Superb! For freight cars, a good beginner's book is 'The Model Railroader's Guide to Freight Cars' by Jeff Wilson published by Kalmbach and also good value. regards, Mal Edited December 14, 2011 by Alcanman Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 My two are, firstly (as you'd probably expect with my soubriquet, the "American Shortline Railway Guide),published by Kalmbach and secondly. "A field Guide to Trains", by Gerald Foster - both of which would accompany me to the fabled desert island. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
warbonnetuk Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 For anyone interested in Santa Fe I'd highly recommend "The Santa Fe Diesel" Vol 1&2 by Dr Cynthia Priest published by Paired Rail Publications. Pretty much the defintive work on the subject with plenty details pics in full colour. Although out of print they do come up on EBay from time to timek For closer to the present any of the BNSF annuals by Dave Del Grosso are excellent for prototype research Dan Spalding Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted December 14, 2011 Author Share Posted December 14, 2011 Just a reminder it is usually cheaper to order Kalmbach Books via Amazon/USA than their own site. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 (edited) Because of the (percieved?) variations between the various railroads, general overview books tend to be so general as to be mostly useless, or very specific (an exception is books on locos). There tend to be much more detailed references that are railroad-specific. That being said, the Carstens passenger car books are an interesting, if a bit random, reference on passenger stock, with an emphasis on the 1938-onward streamliners (2 of the three books) http://carstensbooks...om/pacarco.html This is also an interesting passenger (Pullman) reference: http://www.amazon.com/Cars-Pullman-Joe-Welsh/dp/0760335877 Adrian Edited December 14, 2011 by Adrian Wintle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve1 Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 Foe specific roads and/or geographical areas, the Morning Sun range of books are outstanding. All colour and very informative, the only drawback is the price... www.morningsunbooks.com One that has served me well over the years is Trains Of America by Donald J. Heimburger. It covers the late steam and early diesel period (roughly 1950s-early 1970s). Picture books I would recommend are Heartland by Greg McDonnell and his Canadian opus, Signatures In Steel. steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigZ Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 For steam era freight cars, Speedwitch Media has published several books. "The 1932 ARA Box Car" is insanely detailed and a great read He's also done a couple of spiral bound books on box cars and tank cars full of b&w photos of cars. Another very useful series are the 'Classic Freight Car' books. And of course any of the Morning Sun 'Color Guides' are invaluable in their color photos of various roads' freight and passenger equipment... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashley Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Diesel Locomotives: The First 50 Years By Louis A. Marre. Kalmbach (1995). The Steam Locomotive in America by Alfred W. Bruce. Bonanza Books (1952). The Electric Interurban Railways in America by George W. Hilton & John F. Due (1960). All of these have informed me, given me pleasure when read and are jolly useful to have to hand. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 (edited) Ashley - two good ones for your interests, if you don't have them,- both from Carstens - "Traction Planbook" and "Traction Handbook for Model Railroads", and not a book, but "how to make Trackside poles" here http://2guyz.info/Content/pa=showpage/pid=29.html Edited December 17, 2011 by shortliner 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashley Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 (edited) Great link, thanks for that. I've got both those books and not to forget the Traction Guidebook by Mike Schafer. Kalmbach (1974) Edited December 17, 2011 by Ashley Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted December 17, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 17, 2011 For the streamline passenger car buff, as well as the coffee-table books by Heimburger House (two vols, pre-and post war) and others, the best bet if you can find them are the multiple volumes of Official Pullman-Standard Library by W.David Randall & William G. Anderson, and The Passenger Car Library by W.David Randall, which covers other-than-Pullman Standard, i.e. Budd, ACF, etc. These volumes, published by Railway Publication Classics, later called RPC Publications Inc PO Box 503 Alton Illinois 62002, are spiral-bound landscape format and include builders' photos and drawings to 1/8":1 ft scale, plus floor plans to about twice that size. Things like the layout of the loo rest-room are clearly shown. Strictly limited editions with individual numbering, a railroad like the Rock Island commands a whole volume to itself for its PS fleet, so adjust according to your chosen prototype and the number of cars by manufacturer. The other-than-PS volumes have less detail, it must be said, but are still a treasure trove for the modeller. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 I'll kick this one off with: "LOCOMOTIVES: The Modern Diesel & Electric Reference" by Greg McDonnell (The Boston Mills Press) What it says in the title really, a must have. What is the equivalent (if it exists at all) for Freight cars? Best, Pete. I saw this for the first time yesterday, Pete. A very good introduction to what's running on North American railroads today. The second author (Jerry A. Pinkepank) has been involved with the 'Diesel Spotter's Guide' series since it began over 40 years ago, and you could consider this book as the latest one in that series, with better photographs (Greg McDonnell is involved, after all!). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Foe specific roads and/or geographical areas, the Morning Sun range of books are outstanding. All colour and very informative, the only drawback is the price... www.morningsunbooks.com I can vouch for their one "Soo Line in Color"... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted January 2, 2012 Author Share Posted January 2, 2012 I'll have to check them out....I need more on the modern, as in current, BNSF - anyone recommend any? Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pointstaken Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Like Old Gringo, my main reference is "Model Railroader: Cyclopedia - Volume 1; Steam Locomotives" - edited by Linn H. Westcott, a mine of information. Dennis Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted January 2, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 2, 2012 I'll have to check them out....I need more on the modern, as in current, BNSF - anyone recommend any? This firm matches Morning Sun in style and content. http://www.fourwayswest.com/bnsf.html Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Pete - not books but video - I can HIGHLY recommend this firm, and I know Jordan would agree with me http://www.cvptrains.com/ Very impressive stuff, both main RRs and shortlines 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted January 2, 2012 Author Share Posted January 2, 2012 I am going to order the Staples East stub on BluRay. 1. 'Cos I know very little about it. 2. Seems to have a greater variety of Locos compared to the Arizona ones (because of the emissions restrictions imposed by Californa at the time). Many thanks, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 (edited) Might be worth a look here - Pauls January 2012 listing is out http://railpub.com/ Edited January 2, 2012 by shortliner Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted January 2, 2012 Author Share Posted January 2, 2012 Another great site. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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