Chris Ellis books list

[Smalltrainsgreatpains]

During an unrelated search, I stumbled upon some old posts referencing Airfix model trains magazine and Chris Ellis.  That got my attention, as I have a small pile of magazines I picked up used in the ninety's, and carted the whole lot back home several miles balanced on the seat of my bicycle.  They are the way I consider a model rail magazine should be published, it made it accessible to study and build a model with minimal outlay and maximum international interest.  

I was thrilled to find a window on the world of American railroading, an interest that started with a direct early influence from a visiting American family, whom we had known for a number of years in the eighty's.  I was given a number of Railroading books featuring massive locomotives, and a lesson on the constitution :)

 

Whilst North American Railroads are still my primary 'thing', I don't know anywhere as much as I would like to and am on the hunt for reference material.  I have some books but there's always room for more  :)  I chose the MILW for a primary 'art subject' to try to avoid random spending and get something finished:) 

 

I didn't know didn't Chris Ellis had any books published what with it being rather pre-internet at the time.  Perhaps someone knows of the most appropriate titles/unmissable volumes to building American short-lines etc?

It seems that a further magazine was established, Scale Rails International, maybe there are some back copy's that are recommend?

 

[Moxy]

Chris Ellis has written or edited a number of books over the years.  Two that are particularly relevant to American railroading are: Modelling American Short Lines and Industry ISBN 978-0-904811-24-7 and Modelling American Railroads ISBN 978-0-904811-27-1, both published by his own company, Kristall Productions. (no longer trading).

 

He has also featured American models in two of his other books Building and Operating Small Layouts and More Small & Compact Layout Ideas, although those books also cover UK & European models as well.

 

Just to clarify his magazine work, after Airfix Model Trains, he edited Scale Trains (which became Scale Model Trains) and after that folded he published Model Trains International for about 20 years from 1995, until he finally retired around 2015. 

 

Scale Rails International was a short lived magazine published & edited by Chris Ford after MTI had ceased.  That only ran to about a dozen issues over 2 years.  I had a subscription to that, but I'm afraid I cannot find my copies of that magazine at the moment, so cannot make any recommendations.

 

[Sitham Yard]

13 hours ago, Moxy said:

Chris Ellis has written or edited a number of books over the years.  Two that are particularly relevant to American railroading are: Modelling American Short Lines and Industry ISBN 978-0-904811-24-7 and Modelling American Railroads ISBN 978-0-904811-27-1, both published by his own company, Kristall Productions. (no longer trading).

 

He has also featured American models in two of his other books Building and Operating Small Layouts and More Small & Compact Layout Ideas, although those books also cover UK & European models as well.

 

Just to clarify his magazine work, after Airfix Model Trains, he edited Scale Trains (which became Scale Model Trains) and after that folded he published Model Trains International for about 20 years from 1995, until he finally retired around 2015. 

 

Scale Rails International was a short lived magazine published & edited by Chris Ford after MTI had ceased.  That only ran to about a dozen issues over 2 years.  I had a subscription to that, but I'm afraid I cannot find my copies of that magazine at the moment, so cannot make any recommendations.

 

Also Modelling American Trains and Settings ISBN 978-0-904811-31-X (2017) and Modelling American Yards and Operations ISBN 978-0-904811-34-4 (2018).

Andrew

[Dava]

I imagine there might be a market for some of those books in the UK now, if available.

 

Dava

[pH]

More general than short lines:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Track-Planning-Realistic-Operation-Railroader/dp/0890242275/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=2XT3MNXMAOFRK&keywords=track+planning+realistic+operation&qid=1707165081&sprefix=track+planning+realistic+operation%2Caps%2C412&sr=8-1

 

(“Track Planning for Realistic Operations” by John Armstrong)

[F-UnitMad]

On 04/02/2024 at 20:17, Moxy said:

Chris Ellis has written or edited a number of books over the years.  Two that are particularly relevant to American railroading are: Modelling American Short Lines and Industry ISBN 978-0-904811-24-7 and Modelling American Railroads ISBN 978-0-904811-27-1, both published by his own company, Kristall Productions. (no longer trading).

They are more "bookazines" than books, they are actually compilations of articles that had appeared in Model Trains International, compiled when that magazine was ended when Chris retired. I don't think he ever did any 'proper' books as such on US Railroads & Short Lines. 

For his writings on Short Lines, which were a real eye-opener for us in the UK at the time, the three issues of the old Airfix Model Trains mag to look out for are Feb. 1980, May 1980 & Jan 1981. The N gauge project layout (Warren Branch) that was serialised from Jan to Sept 1980 is also worth a look, especially the Sept one which discussed operations in detail and lifted the layout from what looks like a train set on paper to a fascinating working railroad.

[Smalltrainsgreatpains]

Thanks for the helpful and informative posts. 

Magazines on the way to fill in the gaps in the MT collection.  It's been bugging me for the years they were missing, but I couldn't quite remember why.  That build it in N scale series had me fixated lol.

Those bookzines are really hard to find, I only found mention of one and that has gone.  I'll have to keep searching.

I have the Armstrong book, I'm well impressed by Model Railroader, even the early ones from the thirties.

 

It would be good to come up with a plan that could cover all era's, from the earliest engines all the way up to say 80's-90's in Proto-Freelance flavour.  Passenger ops don't appear to be done very often, but small terminals take up very little space...