Anything by those two is worth reading for the shear entertainment value. Sometimes the facts get stretched or embellished a bit still a good read.
Well... in addition to the many C&O Books I own I will list some my favorite NON C&O related books: 1.) All Lines North of Raleigh by Wm. Griffin. Great book on the Seaboard Airline between Raleigh and Richmond. I grew up in Southern Virginia, Mecklenburg County and the Seaboard came close to our house. 2.) Virginia’s Atlantic & Danville also by Wm. Griffin. This is an excellent book the small A&D which ran from Portsmouth to Danville. Essentially following the Southern VA border w/ NC, east/west. I remember growing up seeing the line's Alco's. They had 4 or 5 of the things..and that was it. It is a a RR that is RARELY modeled. I have some decals (out of print) that Walthers used to sell for thier rolling stock. I have done a couple of cars in the scheme. I have never seen one of the Alco's modeled. I have thought about it.. .but just never got the time or desire to divert from my C&O layout. Here is a picture of one of the RS2's, but after the A&D was sold. Atlantic and Danville has been replaced w/ NF&D
I have it, and it is indeed a nice book. I don't really care for the huge format, (at first I thought it more of a "coffee table" book until I looked at it more) but it does have some good info and good pics. My other favorites... 1. "The Colorado Road" by F. Hol Wagner Jr. 2. "Fort Worth & Denver Color Pictorial" by Steve Allen Goen 3. (Tie) BNSF 1998/1999 Motive Power Annual by Bill Shippen & Joe Shine and BNSF 1997 Motive Power Annual by Bill Shippen
Anything by John Signor but in particular "Southern Pacific's Shasta Division" Anything Joe Strapac has written on SP. I use the SP Diesel Compendium almost daily!
Speaking of the SP.... There's an SP book out that was published by Hundman. "Oregon Division". What's the content like? Is it more like a pictorial? What sort of time frame is covered? Boxcab E50
Another list of favorite books: "Midland Valley: Rails for Coal, Cotton & Cattle" by Lloyd Stagner (MV was one of the so-called Muskogee Roads, and was purchased by the Texas & Pacific- well, OK, MoPac- in the late 60s) All three books in the "Classic American Railroads" series by Mike Schafer Something I picked up recently- "Playing with Trains" by Sam Posey, race car driver, sportscaster for the Speedvision cable network, and model railroader (his Colorado Midland model RR was in MR some time back). "Chicago Great Western" and "Rock Island Farewell" by the late Phillip Hastings (some great B&W shots of RI action in northeast Iowa) "When Oklahoma Took the Trolley" (can't remember the author, but the book mentions the Northeast Oklahoma RR, which operated around Miami, OK and Baxter Springs, KS under wire, and with steam (Frisco Russian Decapods) and diesel (Alco switchers) from the early 1900s until 1964).
I probably wore the pages out on my Father's edition of "America's Colorful Railroads" by Dn Ball Jr. I'm also a fan of the two History of the Northwestern Pacific volumes.
Which CGW book??? The Carstens-Hastings issue? That's a classic! Am not familiar with that RI book? I have one on the RI by Hastings titled "Remember the Rock." Soft cover like the CGW book. Boxcab E50
The four volumes of "The Steam Locomotive Study Course" "A Century of Southern Pacific Steam Locomotives" "The Feather River Route" volumes 1 and 2
America's Colorful Railroads by Don Ball Jr. A Passion for Trains: The Railroad Photography of Richard Steinheimer by Jeff Browus Heartland by Greg McDonnell Signatures in Steel by Greg McDonnell Starlight on the Rails by Jeff Browus and Ed Delvers Steam, Steel & Stars by Tim Hensly & Thomas Garver
