I found a stack of railroad photos that I thought had been lost forever. Rather than post all 23 of them here (I'm tired/lazy tonight), I'll just give the link to my web site where you can see the rest of them.

 

 

 

 

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These are great! It is nice to see some big cow-catchers. Makes me want to watch Buster Keaton in "The General."

 

But seriously, someday I'm going to have to find a good book and learn some railroad history. I've always been fascinated by trains, but I don't know much past the CH&D.

Most of the books I have on railroad history are either out of print, too broadly cover railroad history in Europe and North America, cover certain aspects of history (development of different types of locomotives, equipment or stations), or detail the histories certain railroad companies in each book. Sadly there are few railroad history books I can recommend as an historical introduction. Those that I can are so thick that they'll turn off anyone who simply wants a decent introduction. Unless, of course, you want to read numerous books to get an overall history.

 

However, I can suggest what to look for in a railroad history book and where to find them. First try a serious railroad/hobby shop (not a toy store) with an extensive book section. In Cleveland, probably the best store is Wings Hobby Shop in Lakewood. Otherwise, try Borders, Barnes & Noble or other large book store.

 

When looking at books, you know you've found a good railroad history book when it spends a decent amount of pages on the history of U.S. railroads before the building of the transcontinental railroad. Too many railroad history books devote maybe 5-10 pages to pre-transcontinental history. That's a shame because today's railroad network east of the Mississippi had its founding before the 1869 competion of the first transcontinental railroad.

 

Anyway, I hope that helps.

Im wondering if the last one is an early Milwaulkee Road diesel on the western leg of their transcontinental line?

 

 

Im wondering if the last one is an early Milwaulkee Road diesel on the western leg of their transcontinental line?

 

Of the three in this post, the last one is a Fairbanks-Morse set, built in partnership with GE. FM built the locomotives, I believe, and probably also the diesel engines, and GE built the generators, traction motors and electric control systems. These were typically 2,000 horsepower per unit. Kansas City Southern bought some of them, but I'm not sure where this one was headed. The photo was taken at the GE Locomotive works in Erie, Pennsylvania. They built straight electrics there, too; that's why there's catenary above the tracks.

 

Styling was by Raymond Loewy. Milwaukee Road did buy some of these.

 

There are a bunch more photos here.