American Narrow Gauge & Logging
Titles Dealing with 3' gauge Lines:
Fiddletown Copperopolis
Fallberg • £ 9.50 • (E)
The funniest railway book I have come across. Fallberg was a cartoonist with Walt Disney, who conceived the idea of the F & C during World War II service and it later came to life on the pages of Railroad magazine. A line of roughly, 3’ gauge, the F & C was located somewhere in the mountainous west of America - the line’s life, and very hard times, are all shown in over sixty full page cartoons, plus various vignettes, timetables etc. There are similarities between the F & C and the RGS, although as far as I am aware even the RGS didn’t show quite the level of mechanical ingenuity found on the F & C! Super book. Treat yourself! 140 page, landscape format paperback. Heimburger.
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Colorado Rail Annual No. 9 Galloping Geese on the Rio Grande Southern
£ 23.95 • (B)
Classic annual, with four features. The first - Tin Feathers & Gasoline Fumes is the story of the RGS’s Galloping Goose motor cars. Prospector: the judge’s train tells the story of the Rio Grande’s overnight Denver-Salt Lake streamliner. A Tribute to Fred Jukes is a pictorial selection of the work of Fred Jukes, the great earlyphotographer of the Rio Grande. Finally Track of the C & TS examines the start of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. 144 well illustrated pages. Hardbound. C.RR.M
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Colorado Rail Annual No. 10 Narrow Gauge to Central and Silver Plume: Route of the famed Georgetown Loop
£ 36.70 • (B)
Another classic earlier annual, on the the history of the Colorado Central, later Union Pacific and, finally, Colorado & Southern 3’ gauge line from Denver northwest to the mining communities of Gilpin and Clear Creek. The line’s famed Georgetown Loop became a popular tourist attraction, and operations over the restored Loop are also covered. 220 pages. Over 300 B & W photos. Hardbound. C.RR.M
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Locomotive 346
Ramsey & Lawrence • £ 6.30 • (G)
When placed in service in July 1891, the locomotive now numbered 346 was 3' gauge Superpower on the D & RG, and stayed in that category for over 20 years until the first 2-8-2s arrived. For the next 50 years she was downgraded, moved around, and hired-out until, by 1950, she was no more use to the railroad. But her luck held and she was bought by an individual called Robert W. Richardson, for display at his Narrow Gauge Motel in Alamosa, from which evolved today's Colorado Railway Museum. For many years a stalwart performer at the Museum, eventually anno-domini took their toll and she was retired in 2001. But 2007 saw her return to service, an event this nice book commemorates - I will be pleased if I look as good when I am 116 years old! 48 well produced pages. 83 B&W photos. 1 drawing. Softcover. C.R.R.M.
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Colorado Rail Annual No. 25 Rio Grande Narrow Gauge Varnish
Danneman • £38.60 • (A)
Unlike most of these Annuals, this one is on a single specific subject - namely the passenger cars of the D & RGW 3’ gauge lines from their inception, effectively up to the present. It is encyclopedic and, whilst there is much of interest here for the general reader, this book is perhaps mainly of direct use to the modeller. Each vehicle is covered individually with a potted history and, frequently, either a photograph or a drawing. A huge amount of information in a very well produced, landscape format, hardbound book of 328 pages. 100s of drawings and photographs. C.R.R.M.
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Rio Grande Narrow Gauge in Color Vol. 1
Brunner • £37.95 • (A)
I have to admit I thought books on the D&RGW 3’ gauge had just about exhausted themselves when along comes this bombshell, covering the 3’ gauge ‘1947-1959 Empire Contraction and Railfan Discovery’ in pretty glorious colour- and extremely nice it is. Chapters titles are: San Juan, Rio Grande Southern, 3rd Divison (from Salida), Freight Service, Passenger Excursions, Alamosa, Chama and Durango. A few shots are well known from B & W versions, but the majority are completely new. Good for NG afficienados and modellers! 128 Pages. Around 250 all colour photos. Hardbound. Morning Sun.
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The R.G.S. Story
This incredible series of books covers the Rio Grand Southern in considerable (obsessive?) detail; if my calculations are correct, each page covers an average 79 yards of the line. Vol 5 (and the out of print vols 2 and 7), cover localities and the industries that were the reason for this most improbable railroad. The huge quantities of information are more than balanced by interesting tales of the characters who worked and lived on or near the line, and the politicking, especially with the local Indian tribes. Great for modellers, as each volume is crammed with drawings plus B & W and colour photos. Each volume has anything from 376 to 490 pages and is Hardbound. Vol. 11 is the history of Durango and, inevitably has quite a bit on the D & RGW, including more than I have ever seen on the Farmington branch when it was standard gauge. Vol. XII covers the railroad's motive power and rolling stock in considerable detail with loads of photos and a reasonable quantity of drawings - it is very good on the 'Geese' and the snow fighting equipment, and has 416 pages. I now refuse to speculate on whether there will be further volumes.........
The South Park Line
Hope Ferrell • £ 59.95 • (A)
Given the number of books published on the D&RGW, and the RGS, it has always seemed strange that the “South Park” has only had a handful of books devoted to it. This despite it being the second longest of the three railroads and the one that really was the stuff of legend, crossing the Continental Divide not once, but twice, on its line to Leadville and, to get to Gunnison, having to construct and use Alpine Tunnel, for many years the highest tunnel in the world. Plus it had a penchant for Mason Bogies (effectively single Fairlies) and Cooke Moguls for motive power, and fought (and largely lost) a never ending battle with the Rio Grande. This was 3’ gauge railroading with a difference and style! This book focuses on the first 25 years or so operations of the “South Park”, up to the C&S consolidation in 1899, so covers the line’s “Glory Days”, but not the subsequent forty years of its existence, or the linked Clear Creek lines. It is good, especially if you haven’t copies of the books on this line by Poor, Helmers and Digerness. 368 Pages. 100s of B & W photos, plus some colour illustrations. Maps, drawings etc. Hardbound. Hundman Publishing
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Colorado Central Railroad
Abbott, McLeod & McCoy • £49.50 • (A)
A new book from Sundance is something to celebrate, especially if, like this one, it isn't on the Rio Grande Southern. This is the story of the Colorado Central Railroad, a (mainly) 3 foot gauge line from Denver, but in fact dual gauge to Golden, and then 3' only up Clear Creek to Central City and Georgetown, over the famous 'Loop'. This has 454 photographs and 46 maps in 416 pages, to Sundance's usual, high quality, format. Hardbound.
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Narrow Gauge Country 1870-1970
Hope Ferrell • £36.50 • (A)
I am continually amazed by how much new can be dredged-up on the Colorado narrow gauge, this quite superb book being an excellent example. In some respects it isn’t actually new, as anyone who has collected Colorado NG books will recognise quite a few of the photos, but never so well reproduced before. There must be around 900 B & W photos here, none from the preservation era, and around half pre-dating WWII, all from master photographers of their day, including William Henry Jackson, George E. Mellen, L.C. McClure, Fred Jukes, Otto Perry and Richard Kindig. If it was narrow gauge and in Colorado, its photograph is here! If you buy one Colorado book for Christmas, make it this one! 371 large landscape format pages. Hardbound. Heimburger House Publishing
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Narrow Gauge through the Bush
Clarke • £49.95 • (A)
This is the story of the 3 foot 6 inch gauge Toronto Grey & Bruce and Toronto & Nipissing Railways, through Ontario's bush country - the latter being the FIRST passenger carrying narrow gauge railway in North America, opening in September 1871. The gauge came from the Norwegian railways built by Carl Abraham Pihl, and had already been used in India and Australia, although it seems, as obligatory, that various directors had seen the Ffestiniog in action. The initial locomotives were 4-4-0s and 4-6-0s from Avonside, followed by a couple of Fairlies from the same builder, only then were Canadian builders, and Baldwin, let in. This monumental new history details the background to these two pioneering railways, their construction, operation and equipment. Canadian books are generally very high quality; this is just that! Hardbound Limited Edition. Large 11" x 12" format. 392 pages. More than 300 photos and illustrations. Includes 8 pages of colour and 30 finescale drawings. Credit Valley.
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Next Stop Honolulu!
Chiddix & Simpson • £ 36.95 • (A)
The Hawaiian islands contained a large number of railroads, of various lengths and gauges, mostly connected with the sugar cane industry. The Oahu Railway & Land Company, subject of this book was no exception, although it was exceptional in other ways. For a start it owned 1200 freight cars for sugar, pineapples and local freight, it operated up to 38 passenger trains a day, had a double track main line with an automatic block signal system, ran Shays, Vauclain compounds and Mikados, as well as tiny saddletank switchers, and was 3’ gauge. Read all about this unique railway here. 352 pages packed with photos and documents. Hardbound. Heimburger House.
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Slow Trains Down South Vol. 1
Hope Ferrell • £37.50 • (A)
(See main description in ‘American Railroads - Standard Gauge’; this book features narrow gauge, and logging lines, as well as standard gauge)
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Titles Dealing with 2' gauge Lines:
The Maine Two-Footers
Moody - ed. Jones • £ 27.99 • (A)
Linwood Moody’s classic book was really responsible for keeping alive the memory of the 2’ gauge lines of Maine. It starts with the historic background, and then looks at all the Two Footers in detail. Highly readable and written from real experience, as not only did Moody travel on most of the lines, he also worked on them. In this new edition the main text remains unaltered, but there is an added chapter based on an article Moody wrote shortly before his death, plus a short biographical note by Robert C. Jones. What has changed is the layout and especially the photographs, which are more numerous, and generally better quality than in the original. If you haven’t a copy of the original, here is a chance to own a really lovely book! 240 pages, 100s of photos, drawings, maps etc. Hardbound. Heimburger House
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FILMS
If you like narrow gauge American railroads, then consider Central Rafael Freyre - Cuba's Finest Narrow Gauge Railway to be found in the "European and other Railways" section, which shows narrow gauge railroading much as it must have been in Colorado or Maine a century ago, but in the 1990s!
MAGAZINES
“Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette” - superb quality magazine which covers the smaller and narrow gauge lines of America, including logging lines. Whilst primarily aimed at the modeller in the smaller (electric) gauges, it is full of articles and drawings of locomotives, rolling stock, buildings and other equipment which inspire modellers in all gauges. It really is a mouth watering magazine, full of colour photos, which I believe will appeal to many of our clients.
Bi-monthly • SAMPLE COPY • £5.45
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“Maine 2-Foot Quarterly” - nicely done little magazine, aimed at those of you interested in modelling the Maine Two Gauge lines, but with obvious applications elsewhere. Specialist but interesting (and hardly likely to break the bank)!
Quarterly • SAMPLE COPY • £2.75
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“Light Iron Digest” - from Gary Kohler, responsible for “Maine 2-Foot Modeler”. Containing “Pertinent Information for the Narrow Gauge, Industrial & Shortline Enthusiast”, this is a well produced 30 b & w pages, full of prototype and modelling info. By comparison with the “Gazette” (above), it is more eastern seaboard orientated and perhaps smaller line minded. Different! Give it a try!
Bi-monthly • SAMPLE COPY • £ 4.65
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Colorado Narrow Gauge Quarterly
From the publishers of ‘Maine 2-Foot Quarterly’ and ‘Light Iron Digest’ above, this magazine will provide you with great in-depth modeling and prototype material, the more hardcore the better. Further CNGQ hopes to provide interesting news and features that are simply not found elsewhere. As the main articles in the first issue cover the C & S St. Charles cars, Building Gilpin Tramway Shays in HO30, and the Viaduct at Blackhawk it has got off to a good start at meeting its aims! First issue is 24 pages with both colour and B & W illustrations.
Quarterly • SAMPLE COPY • £ 2.95
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Logging Operations & Railroads
Kinsey Photographer The Locomotive Portraits
Bohn, Petschek & Labbe • £14.95 • (A)
Back again, quite simply this is one of the best books on logging locomotives - 53 superb photographs, mostly large (260 x 325 mm) full page, of Geared and Rod engines at work in the forests of northwest Washington, coupled with captions and great writing from John T. Labbe. And that is it - if you are interested in logging locomotives you are mad not to buy a copy, especially at this price. 144 pages. Hardbound. Black Dog & Leventhal
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In Search of Steam Donkeys
Johnson • £43.65 • (A)
Whilst it may not be about the railway locomotives, this is a book anybody interested in logging should have. The core subject is the steam donkeys, essentialy self contained and semi-portable steam winches used by loggers in the woods. These came in a variety of sizes from small to bloody big and all are described in detail here, but also decribed iare the uses they were put to, notably operating skidders and skylines to get the lumber from where it fell to the loading point. Whilst this book looks at these in Oregon State, the practices were pretty universal, and the very large number of drawings and diagrams here will help modellers in all scales to recreate their logging operations. 280 very well produced pages, full of B & W photos, drawings & diagrams. Hardbound. Timber Times.
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West Virginia’s Last Logging Railroad Meadow River Lumber Company
Bagdon • £12.95 • (D)
This is the history of the Meadow River Lumber Company, West Virginia’s biggest and last logging line. Shays, Heisler and Climaxes were used from 1912 with diesels seeing the end of the line in 1971. Detailed story of the locomotives, cars, trackage etc. A lot of information in 80 pages. 130 mainly very clear B & W photos. Paperback. TLC
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Rayonier
Spencer • £26.50 • (A)
Here is the story of the two very large railway logging operations run by Rayonier in Washington State which kept going into the diesel age. Really very good book that any logging railroad enthusiast should have, with numerous action and roster shots of the men and equipment - very good for modellers as well. This edition has new photos and a revised text. 164 pages. Hardbound. Heimburger House
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Willamette Iron & Steel Works Catalogue
• 1925 • £16.95 • (B)
If you are into the mechanics of logging, not just the geared locos, but the yarders, skidders, hoists, loading engines and everything else that helped get the timber down from the forests, you really will not find a better detail book than this reprint of the 1925 catalogue issued by one of the biggest equipment manufacturers. 160 pages, beautifully reproduced and absolutely crammed with detail. Hardbound. Oso Publishing. However you look at it, this book is quite ridiculously cheap - it is also a limited printing, so - if you want a copy, order it NOW!
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MAGAZINES
as under "American Railroads - Narrow Gauge" above, BUT of special interest to those interested in logging:
“Timber Times” - a great magazine devoted to “Logging & Lumbering - History & Modeling”. I have had the pleasure of meeting one of the joint editors, and having watched it grow over the last three years, am convinced that if you are interested in logging technology and history - this is the magazine for you!
Quarterly SAMPLE COPY • £4.65
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Narrow Gauge Downunder • Quarterly • Sample copy £ 6.95
This really top-notch magazine changed editor/publisher in 2005 and is now even better - larger, some colour content, and being published quarterly. Whilst it has an Australasian ‘feel’, it also covers American and British narrow gauge regularly, with occasional forays into the European scene as well. Around 50 pages per issue.
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FILMS!
Cass & Mower Logging Trains
app. 90 mins • DVD £ 14.95
Shays and a Heisler at work both on the Cass Scenic Railroad and, in 1960, on the Mower Lumber Company, when real logging operations took place. Sequences at all points of the line, in all seasons, should provide enough action for any fan of geared locomotives!
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