Railroad  Equipment
top of page 1
short history Whyte's notation system locomotive power
top of page 2
top of page 3
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here on page 4:
rolling stock passenger cars & trains private railcars freight cars maintenance equipment |
Spirit of America Bookstore's American Railroads Pages
Spirit of America Bookstore's Railroad Film Festival Pages
Spirit of America Bookstore's 'Non-Fiction Books About Railroads' Pages
Spirit of America Bookstore's 'Railroads in Fiction' Pages
G.E. Nordell's Arizona Travel / Railroads Links Page
G.E. Nordell's California Travel / Railroads Links Page
G.E. Nordell's Colorado Travel / Railroads Links Pages
G.E. Nordell's Nevada Travel / Railroads Links Page
G.E. Nordell's New Mexico Travel / Railroads Links Page
G.E. Nordell's Utah Travel / Railroads Links Page
G.E. Nordell's Travel U.S.A. / Railroad Museums Page
'History of Rail Transport in the U.S.' page at Wikipedia
Rolling Stock
  | "100 Years of Railroad Cars" [1958] by Walter A. Lucas Simmons Boardman hardcover [1/58] out of print/rare |
  | "Railroad Rolling Stock Gallery" [2009] by Steve Barry Illustrated with more than 250 photographs; each chapter features a specific type: from boxcars, gondolas, and hoppers to tankcars, flatcars, and auto racks, intermodal rolling stock, passenger equipment, the venerable caboose, and even maintenance-of-way (M.O.W.) equipment. Kindle Edition from Voyageur Press [1/2009] for $9.99 Voyageur Press 8¼x6½ pb [1/2009] for $13.51 |
Passenger  Cars  &  Trains
Streamliner Memories blogsite [est. 8/2012]]
American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation [est. 2007] is based in La Plata, Missouri
  | "Steam, Steel & Limiteds: A Definitive History of The Golden Age of America's Steam-Powered Passenger Trains" [1962] by William W. Kratville Kratville Publns 11¼x9 hardcover [1987] out of print/used Barnhart Press hardcover [1962] out of print/used |
  | "Coach Trains and Travel" [1975] by Patrick C. Dorin Reports on old-time bench-seat coaches to superb modern all-coach trains such as 'The Blue Comet', Reading RR's 'Crusader', Ontario Northland's 'Polar Bear', and NYC's 'Pacemaker'; also covers commuter, milk, mail, ski, rail fan, and express trains, and the Auto-Train and Amtrak. Superior Publng Co. 10½x8½ hardcover [1975] out of print/40+ used |
  | "Luxury Trains: From The Orient Express To The TGV" [France 1982] by George Behrend Book Sales 9¼x12¼ hardcover [11/87] out of print/80+ used Vendome Press 6x9½ hardcover [1982] out of print/used |
  | "The American Railroad Passenger Car" [1985] by John H. White Jr. Johns Hopkins Univ Press {6.25 pounds} pb [3/85] for $70.00 Vol 1: 12½x10½ pb [3/85] for $40.00 Vol 2: 12½x9½ pb [3/85] for $34.40 |
  | "Night Trains: The Pullman Systems In The Golden Years of American Rail Travel" [1992] by Prof. Peter T. Maiken First, a history of American railroads and the development of passenger routes; second, a detailed list of every Pullman train and its location at midnight every night. Johns Hopkins Univ Press 11x8½ pb [10/92] out of print/40+ used Lakme Press 11x8¾ hardcover [11/89] out of print/used |
  | "American Streamliner, Prewar Years" [1997] by Donald J. Heimburger & Carl Byron with 200 color and black-and-white photographs Heimburger House Publng 10¾x10¼ hardcover [1997] for $41.00 |
  | "The Golden Age of The Passenger Train: From Steam To Diesel and Beyond" [1997] by C.J. Riley
MetroBooks 12½x10¾ hardcover [6/97] out of print/40+ used |
  | "125 Years International Sleeping Car Company: Trains de Luxe" [1998] by Albert Mühl & Jürgen Klein Book appears to contain English- & French- & German-language text. VG-Bild-Kunst hardcover [1998] out of print/used |
  | "Streamliner Memories (M.B.I. Enthusiast Color Series)" [1999] by Mike Schafer Packed with period color photos covering the heyday of streamliner travel from 1930 to 1970 Motorbooks International 9x8¼ pb [5/99] out of print/used |
  | "American Streamliner, Postwar Years" [2001] by Donald J. Heimburger & Carl Byron with 200 color and black-and-white photographs Heimburger House Publng 10¾x10¼ hardcover [2001] for $43.08 |
  | "The Art of The Streamliner" [2001] by Bob Johnston & Joe Welsh, with Mike Schafer with more than 175 black-and-white and full-color photographs Metro Books 10¼x10¼ hardcover [4/2001] out of print/many used |
  | "The American Passenger Train" [2001] by Mike Schafer Motorbooks Intl. 10¼x10½ hardcover [11/2001] for $34.95 |
  | "Luxury Trains" [2008] by John Smith
teNeues Verlag GmbH 12½x10 hardcover [9/2008] out of print/used |
  | "American Passenger Trains: WWII To Amtrak" [2009] by Patrick C. Dorin Enthusiast Books 11x8½ pb [5/2009] for $35.23 |
  | "American Passenger Train Equipment, 1940s-1980s" [2010] by Patrick C. Dorin Enthusiast Books 11x8½ pb [10/2010] for $29.65 |
  | "An A-Z of Famous Express Trains: An Illustrated Trip Down Memory Lane" [2013] by Julian Holland Covers 120 named express passenger trains of Britain hardcover [6/2013] out of print/used |
  | "Streamliners: Locomotives and Trains In The Age of Speed and Style" [2015] by Brian Solomon Voyageur Press hardcover [DUE Oct 2015] for $25.81 |
               
Private  Railcars
From the first, railroad barons and division superintendents needed accomodations for themselves and for potential clients: ornate sleeping cars were built to impress and simple inspection cars provided access without relying on train schedules. Size and decor reflected the owning railroad: vintage clerestory observation cars, mid-weight and heavy Pullman cars, and lighter-weight cars as technology progressed to the streamliner. With the decline of passenger service and the corporate takeovers of American railroads, the private cars became unnecessary; nowadays, it is 'send me a fax or text mail or a tweet!' But the wealthy class is always looking for ways to show off, and many private railcars remain in service, either in use by their owner/s or as rentals/charters for honeymoons or ski trips or parties and such events.
Spirit of America Bookstore's
Private Railcars U.S.A. Page
Spirit of America Bookstore's
railroad tycoon George Pullman [1831-97] Page
Freight  Cars  &  Trains
  | "The American Railroad Freight Car: From The Wood-Car Era To The Coming of Steel" [1993] by John H. White Jr. Johns Hopkins Univ Press pb [11/95] for $42.96 Johns Hopkins Univ Press 12¾x10½ hardcover [10/93] out of print/used |
  | "The American Freight Train" [2001] by Jim Boyd
M.B.I. 10x10 hardcover [7/2001] out of print/used |
  | "Modern Marvels: Freight Trains" Season 12, Episode 33 [History Sept 2006] 50-minute color documentary, details absent A&E Direct color DVD [9/2006] for $24.98 credits at IMDb |
  | "An Illustrated Guide To American Freight Train Equipment" [2013] by Patrick C. Dorin Enthusiast Books 11x8½ pb [11/2013] for $25.86 |
Maintenance  &  Work  Equipment
  | "Railroad Work Equipment and Special-Service Cars" [1987] by Robert J. Wayner 71-page Wayner Publns pb [1987] out of print/scarce |
               
                       
The plural of caboose is cabeese!
Central California Rails Captive Caboose Index for USA {last update 2007}
  | "The Railroad Caboose: Its 100 Year History, Legend, and Lore" [1968] by William F. Knapke, with Freeman Hubbard Describes all aspects of the job of train conductor, whose office was the caboose; includes several short stories by Hubbard Golden West Books hardcover [1987] out of print/used Golden West Books hardcover [1979] out of print/used Golden West Books 8½x5½ hardcover [6/1968] out of print/used |
  | "Caboose Gallery" [2001] by Brian Solomon & John Gruber Nearly 300 modern & historical images depicting bobber, cupola, bay window, and transfer cabooses at work. (And remember: The plural of caboose is cabeese!) Kindle Edition from Voyageur Press [5/2011] for $9.99 Voyageur Press 8½x6½ pb [5/2011] for $15.66 M.B.I. / Motorbooks International 10½x10¼ hardcover [10/2001] out of print/used |
  | "Trains Unlimited: The Caboose" [History Channel May 1998] Narrated by Danny Dark A&E Home Video color VHS [8/2001] list $15.95 - sold out credits at IMDb • watch full episode [1/2018 upload; 47:13] online at YouTube |
                                         
North American Rail Car Operators Association [est. 1980] based in Ohio has over 1,800 members worldwide
This type of 'rail car' is also known as the 'speeder' – usually four-wheeled and gasoline-powered, sometimes seating as many as
twelve passengers; many of the old Fairmont units were sold off by the railroads and snatched up by hobbyists.
official NARCOA website •
entry at Wikipedia
Pete Wenk's Rail Speeders website
  | "Weekend Railroaders" [Crew Media 2010] Filmed at railcar meets around Texas and Oklahoma, featuring historian Leon Sapp; produced & directed by Scott Peterson of Rockwall, Texas Blu-ray & DVD available online official website • producer website |
Mercedes-Benz Unimog Road-Rail dual-mode vehicle
Produced in Europe by Daimler Freightliner (sister division to Mercedes); not offered in North America due to emissions rules; Unimog is an acronym
of the German "UNIversal-MOtor-Gerät", Gerät being the German word for 'device' or 'apparatus'. Several Road-Rail models available, latest is U-423 of 2014.
Able to move several railcars, road speed up to 50 mph; versatility includes moving between rail lines without rail-switch, using rubber tires.
                                         
Railroad Handcars & Bicycles
The three largest producers of rail bicycles and handcars were Sheffield Velocipede Car Company, Kalamazoo Velocipede Company, and Buda Foundry
& Manufacturing Company. As many as 20,000 were produced by 1900; most were scrapped after the advent of motorized 'speeders'.
'handcar' entry at Wikipedia
MC's railroad handcar history fansite
Tuka's railroad handcar fansite
Willits [CA] Kinetic Carnivale & Grand Ball [Aug 2015 = #4]
Hand-Car Regatta Race in Santa Rosa, California [2008-2011] - ended or name changed?
Wunderkammer Festival featuring The Great Sonoma County Handcar Races - postponed to 2015?
Folsom [CA] Handcar Derby [May 2014 = #23]
                       
Yards,  Stations,  Tunnels  &  Bridges
Amtrak's 'Great American Stations' Project [est. 2006]
New York Central System Presents "The Freight Yard" short film [1940s]
featuring the Dewitt Yard outside of Syracuse, New York
watch full movie [24:44] online at YouTube
New York Central System Presents "The Railroad Signal" short film [1948]
watch full movie [17:26] online at YouTube
the books for this category are coded over at
Non-Fiction Books About Railroads Pages / Infrastructure Dept.
Books on Railroad Equipment
browse books on railroads at Amazon
Videos  & Other Media
Spirit of America Bookstore's
Railroad Film Festival Pages
  | "History of Trains" educational poster [undated]
24"x36" poster from Amazon for $6.99 |
Purveyors of Tools & Equipment & Services for Railroads
American Rail Service, LLC [est. 2007] of Dennison/Sherman, Texas
Avalon Rail - passenger car restoration [est. 2000] based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
National Railroad Safety, Inc. - training, flagging & track inspection [est. 1999]
Railroad Materials Salvage, Inc. [] in Richmond, Missouri
Railroad Tools & Solutions [] in Hillsboro, Ohio
United Railroad Materials Co. [] in Colorado Springs, Colorado {placeholder website}
Equipment  Sales  (sell + buy + want ads) and  Leasing
Ozark Mountain Railcar rail equipment sales is based in Kirbyville, Missouri
               
here on the Railroad Equipment Pages at Spirit of America Bookstore
top of page 1 • short history • Whyte's notation system • locomotive power • steam locomotives
top of page 2 • articulated locomotives • geared locomotives • diesel locomotives
top of page 3 • electric locomotives • gasoline-powered • streetcars, subways & interurban • other steam designs
here on page 4: top of page • passenger trains • freight cars • maintenance equipment • stations, tunnels & bridges •
books • videos & other media • image gallery • links
Spirit of America Bookstore's American Railroads Pages
on page one:  top of page • links • museums • Class I railroads • Class II railroads • shortline railroads
on page two:  top of page • games • RR history • narrow gauge RRs • historic RR lines
on page three:  top of page • transcontinental railroads • railroad moguls • railroad recordings
Spirit of America Bookstore's 'Railroads in Fiction' Pages
Spirit of America Bookstore's Railroads in Fiction - Books For Young Railfans Page
Spirit of America Bookstore's 'Non-Fiction Books About Railroads' Pages
Spirit of America Bookstore's Railroad Film Festival Pages
Railroad Equipment Pages at Spirit of America Bookstore  « « you are here
Geared Steam Locomotives
Spirit of America Bookstore's Private Railcars Page
America's Shortline Railroads Page
Spirit of America Bookstore's Scale Model & Toy Trains Page
G.E. Nordell's Arizona Travel / Railroads Links Page
G.E. Nordell's California Travel / Railroads Links Page
G.E. Nordell's Colorado Travel / Railroads Links Pages
G.E. Nordell's Nevada Travel / Railroads Links Page
G.E. Nordell's New Mexico Travel / Railroads Links Page
G.E. Nordell's Utah Travel / Railroads Links Page
G.E. Nordell's Travel U.S.A. / Railroad Museums Page
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