Thomas the Tank Engine: The Complete Collection (Railway Series)

Book Description

Since the publication of the original Thomas the Tank Engine in 1946, millions of children and their parents all over the world have loved this series of bedtime stories about Thomas and his friends. All 26 of the Reverend W. Awdry's classic stories are here in one beautiful gift volume, with an introduction by the author himself. Illustrated in full color.

Customer Reviews:

An amazing Thomas book.......2007-01-18

The condition of this book was as expected. This particular book is an amazing volume of Thomas stories. It has allowed us to meet some engines who we have never met before as well as get the back story on others who we only know a little. I enjoy it at least as much as my sons do.

the best.......2006-05-04

This was my sons' favorite story book at age 3 or 4. The language is advanced, with much more challenging vocabulary than a modern book would use for preschoolers, but it wasn't a problem, so it must be a good thing!

Stories that have aged well.......2005-11-15

Having been exposed to the contemporary "commercial" version of Thomas the Tank Engine in various forms I had low expectations for _The_Complete_Collection_. After reading all the stories over the past two months at bedtime I whole heartedly give this collection 5 stars. These are the original stories by Rev. W. Awdry--not just Thomas stories, but other trains that have been forgotten by the marketplace. The language is the Queen's English and the terminology harks back to a different place and time. Fortunately the stories are robust enough to hold up without translation for my 3-year old.

While there are rude engines, naughty engines, and ample portions of just deserts as noted by another reviewer; I find the stories to be well balanced and if the young listener isn't careful some life lessons may be learned--really useful engines are happy engines. One aspect of these stories that broadens their appeal is "Each story is based on some odd incident which has happened to some engine, somewhere, some time." (quoting the author in the foreword) Many times I found myself laughing, or shaking my head and nodding in agreement with the outcome of the story. There were several stories whose full meaning was lost on my 3-year old, but never-the-less hit a tender spot with daddy. The most requested stories are those that involve Thomas and his familiar cast of friends. In October 2005 Random house published a selection of these Thomas stories that might suit an audience not interested in small steam engines or narrow gage railroads (the additional stories in the collection). For those that have an interest in trains beyond simple children's stories this book will be a pleasure to share with your young railroad enthusiast.

The edition I am basing my review on is a 1999 Random House Printing. Unfortunately this title is out of print at the time of this review, but you may still be able to find new or like-new copies through resellers. Should this book be republished, and in my estimation it is well deserving of another print run, I would encourage the publisher to include an index at the end with references to the particular engine and what happened to him. A frequent request is "Let's read the story about James getting pushed down the hill by the trucks", or some other engine and circumstance--it would be useful to have an index.

The Perfect Thomas Book.......2005-10-13

I got this book a long time ago and I must say, this book is a must have for anyone even remotely interested at all in Thomas.

This book includes many of the stories on television, as well as never before seen stories and characters. And the incredible sense of realism in this book is inevitable. If you can read this book and see something incredibly unrealistic, besides the fact that the trains can talk, then you obviously have the wrong book.

Want to know how Skarloey and Rheneas celebrated their 100th birthday? Want to see Henry rescue two broken down diesels? Want to see special trains climbing mountains? If so, grab this book and enjoy. You will recognise many of the stories, ans also find some other tales as well. Many characters you will recognize, some others maybe not. Either way, this book is a 100% must read.

And to the soccer moms that didn't like the book, you obviously have no sense in realism and reality. I know that the book versions are a tad bit darker than the televised tales, but they're much, much better. Just because Duck said "Shut up!" once, or Henry got stuck in a tunnel and refused to come out (didn't you even read the story AFTER that one? where he comes out?) and there's no silly chindish morals doesn't mean that kids shouldn't read this book. If you want your kid to enjoy the real lives of these famous locomotives, please stop squalling and read the book.

Signed,

~Reagan Wolf

P.S. Somebody should publish Christopher's Awdry's books soon. Dang.

The Original Thomas.......2005-09-30

It was a delight to read of the origin of Thomas and all of his tank engine friends. The stories speak for themselves - cherished childhood tales that have stood the test of time.

Thomas the Tank Engine Story Collection (Railway Series)

Average customer rating:

Must have night time book.
Great Read!
Already a favorite
Great book
very good

Thomas the Tank Engine Story Collection (Railway Series)
W. Rev Awdry
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0375834095
Release Date: 2005-10-25

Book Description

Sinve the first Thomas stories written by a father for his son over 60 years ago, Thomas the Tank Engine continues to delight children everywhere. This collection contains 14 of the best-loved titles of the Reverend W Awdry’s classic Railway Series and includes the most famous adventures of Thomas and his Really Useful Engine friends. These exciting and funny tales, over 55 of them, are enhanced by the original artwork in this stunning new gift edition.

Customer Reviews:

Must have night time book........2007-10-11

My wife reads one story a night to my son before bed. It calms him and gives him something to look forward to so that getting him in bed is not such a chore... if only it was that easy getting him to actually go to sleep!

Great Read!.......2007-08-17

I enjoy reading the stories to my Son! Reading them has become a ritual before going to bed.

Already a favorite.......2007-07-17

My son is only 23 months, and he LOVES Thomas! I had gotten him a very nice board book with rhymes about all of the engines, and he has learned all of their names...he also has several of the wooden trains, and knows them all...I got this book for him thinking that I could read it to him in a year or so, and he could learn to read the stories himself...he always asks to get this book down and he will carry it (it's very large and heavy for a little guy!) around the house and sit down and leaf through the pages and study the pictures...

The book is beautiful...it has a papter cover, but when removed, the book itself is red linen and embossed with silver, and it is very well made...the pictures and pages have a nostalgic feel, and I can't wait until he will sit still long enough to let me read the stories to him!!! He is familiar with most of them from the TV series, but there are a few that are new to me... I think this book will be around for decades...and I hope that he can pass it along to his children someday...Excellent book...I can't say enough!

Great book.......2007-06-23

Fun reading. My son really lights up when you occassionally get one of the vintage stories that they actually turned into the storyline for one of the shows on PBS. Definately a source of quality bedtime stories at our house.

very good.......2007-05-07

My son is in first grade. This book he used for write reading response in the most of time. He can write all different reading response base on the story in the book.

Average customer rating:

recommended for 2 years and under
Great Book
Obsessed
Great for Train Lovers
Best Train Book Ever

Chugga Chugga Choo Choo
Kevin Lewis
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0786804297

Amazon.com

Kids love trains, and Kevin Lewis and illustrator Daniel Kirk's Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo will do nothing but encourage the obsession. "Sun's up! / Morning's here. / Up and at 'em, / engineer," cheerfully begins this rhyming picture book. As the simple large-lettered text chugs along, Daniel Kirk brings a child's playroom and train set to life with bold, bright illustrations reminiscent of his work in Bigger. In the course of the book, the toys bustle about to make sure the steam engine is loaded up with freight and finds its way (through the country, 'round the mountains, into tunnels, and across the river) to its destination--the city. There the "sleepy-sleepy choo-choo" rests, right next to a tired little boy, until the next day's work begins: "To the roundhouse / you are bound. / Good night, engine, / safe and sound." (Baby to preschool)

Book Description

Kids love trains, and Kevin Lewis and illustrator Daniel Kirk's Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo will do nothing but encourage the obsession. "Sun's up! / Morning's here. / Up and at 'em, / engineer," cheerfully begins this rhyming picture book. As the simple large-lettered text chugs along, Daniel Kirk brings a child's playroom and train set to life with bold, bright illustrations reminiscent of his work in Bigger. In the course of the book, the toys bustle about to make sure the steam engine is loaded up with freight and finds its way (through the country, 'round the mountains, into tunnels, and across the river) to its destination--the city. There the "sleepy-sleepy choo-choo" rests, right next to a tired little boy, until the next day's work begins: "To theroundhouse/ you are bound. / Good night, engine, / safe and sound." (Baby to preschool)

Customer Reviews:

recommended for 2 years and under.......2007-09-25

This board book is short and sweet. The rhyming text is simplistic and illustrations are very good. It tells a tale of a train and ends with a goodnight "lullaby". I believe this book to be to "immature" for children 3 and over.

Great Book.......2007-08-23

I purchased this book for my son as I was already familiar with it through a daycare I worked at. The author's words press on like a train with the rhythm and the rhyme. My son loves this book (as he loves trains also!)

Obsessed.......2007-08-07

My 21-month-old is completely obsessed with this book and with anything that has to do with trains. He also really likes the book My Truck is Stuck by the same author/artist duo.

Great for Train Lovers.......2007-06-25

This is one of my son's favorite books. Full of brightly colored illustrations and simple dialogue, this book is a must-have for train-loving children. My son requests it repeatedly and enjoys studying the pages for details he may have missed the last time we read it together. I would reccomend it to anyone with a train-obsessed tot, however it is a charming book regardless of your child's favorite things!

Best Train Book Ever.......2007-05-21

I bought this book for my train loving 2 year old son. He loved this book from the moment it arrived. He is almost 3 now and has it memorized. My 16 month old son has fallen in love with it too. The story flows like the lyrics of a song. I actually have sung the book to my boys. It is illustrated beautifully. If your kids like trains, you have to get this book!

Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman

Average customer rating:

Awesome book!!!!!
freedom train
The Underground Railroad
Important and inspirational tale of a young woman who defied slavery
Freedom Train

Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman
Dorothy Sterling
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0590436287

Book Description

Born into slavery, young Harriet Tubman knew only hard work and hunger. Escape seemed impossible--certainly dangerous. Yet Harriet did escape North, by the secret route called the Underground Railroad. Harriet didn't forget her people. Again and again she risked her life to lead them on the same secret, dangerous journey.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome book!!!!!.......2007-01-31

I am reading this book right now in t.a.g/school and it is very good. It inspires all chilldren to take a stand. This is a good book for excellent readers!!! Buy the book for 5 dollars on amazon.com and read great book Freedom Train!!!!~~~~!!!!

freedom train.......2006-11-28

The book I read was called freedom train. It was about harriet tubman trying to escape. An one day she found a tunnel that lead to Canada. Happy as she was she went to tell everyone. and they were free!and also this book made me feel I could do something too. Because when she caped on saying I can do it!And she never gave up!I will reccomand this to my friends because I hope they will enjoy the things she did,And feel the same way I felt.

The Underground Railroad.......2006-11-23

If I could, I'd give this book 6 stars. It's the story of Harriet Tubman who was born into slavery. Harriet Tubman escaped and then helped other slaves escape with the underground railroad. I learned more about the Civil War and how courageous Harriet was. It is a good book for those who want to learn more about the Civil War. This would be good for all ages to read.

Important and inspirational tale of a young woman who defied slavery.......2006-02-25

Harriet Tubman has to rate as one of the most amazing heroines in history. A slave born in America in about 1820, (I say about as she never really new her birth date). She was always fired with a stronger will than her 'master' and 'mistress' liked. As a very young girl she was taken to the big house but she never got on with the mistress. She ended up whipped and sent back to be a field hand. She was short, but she worked so hard she soon was capable of doing a mans work. However she never wished to bow her head to any one.

When she was quite young she helped another slave escape and in the process was badly injured. Despite leaving her with sudden sleeping spells she escaped and went on to join the freedom train. Her inspirational way, strength and sheer will made her extremely successful at freeing many others - even when they eventually had to take the 'train' all the way to Canada. She even helped her elderly parents escape.

This is as much a story of slavery in America as this outlines the background of what Harriet was doing. Why she suddenly had to take her 'passengers' beyond the Delaware border to Canada. The wrangling of the slave-owning congress who wanted all slaves returned, that Lincoln refused to allow black troops in the civil war at first - and paid them only 2/3rds of what the white troops were earning.

It also talks about Harriet's life after the end of the civl war and her support of her family, friends and freedmen institutions to better her community.

This is a very well written, informative and entertaining book suitable for 8-12 year olds and I would highly recommend it. It is inpirational - about a girl who would not give up hope and when she could acted on it. I really liked the fact that this story is about someone who actually made change. This is not a glamouress herione, but one who really changed the face of America.

Freedom Train.......2004-05-20

The setting is on a plantation. The main character is Harriet Tubman. In the beginging the is a little girl and she is a house servant. She takes care of the baby and other thing too. But when she tries to get a piece of candy off the table at dinner the Mistress catches her. The Mistress goes to get her wip and Harriet runs out the door............
You all know or at least heard of Harriet Tubman. To see what happens next READ the book!!!

Freight Train Board Book (Caldecott Collection)

Average customer rating:

Love this book!
My son's very favorite book
Freight Train
Simply Entrancing
Simple yet classic

Freight Train Board Book (Caldecott Collection)

Manufacturer: Greenwillow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

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ASIN: 0688149006
Release Date: 1996-09-20

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

Love this book!.......2007-09-30

My 6-month old loves to read and these pictures are perfect for babies. It's great that it's a board book so that we don't worry about the pages ripping.

My son's very favorite book.......2007-09-24

This was my son's very favorite toddler book! The story is cute as it follows a train and also is great for teaching colors. Highly recommended!

Freight Train.......2007-09-22

This book has good illustrations, but not enough words. It does teach children colors.

Simply Entrancing.......2007-07-19

At least for my three year old son and two year old daughter. My son got this as his reward for finishing the library summer reading program. This is the first book he saw in the chest of books he could choose from, and he refused to look at anything else. He loves trains period, and while he knows most of his colors he still loves listening to their names. He had a blast learning the different names of the cars. I blush to admit that although I grew up around trains, I only ever learned a few of the names for the different cars, namely the engine and the caboose so I never knew them to tell the children. They have poured over this books for days now. What surprised me is that he grasped the speed implied in the blurred lines. I hadn't thought he understood what that meant yet, but obviously he does. Even my older son, who know's his colors down pat now and is long past such simple stories loves to look at this and has actually asked for it specifically a number of times.

Simple yet classic.......2007-07-03

Such a great book! I bumped into this one at the bookstore as I was making my weekly run to grab some new books for my little one. This book has been one of his favorites. He devours books and this one has been one that has captured his attention longterm.
The colors are bright and bold and it has been engaging.
He loves to call out the different train compartments and colors and loves the ending the best when the train is going going gone! I have also given this one as a birthday gift!

Rails to Penn State: The Story of the Bellefonte Central

Average customer rating:

An important historic work.

Rails to Penn State: The Story of the Bellefonte Central
Michael Bezilla , and Jack Rudnicki
Manufacturer: Stackpole Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0811702316

Book Description

More than five hundred short line railroads existed in the United States at the industry's height, and Pennsylvania had more than any other state. The history of the Bellefonte Central, which operated in central Pennsylvania from the 1880s until 1982, is a classic story of the rise and decline of short line railroads nationwide. Connecting with the Pennsylvania Railroad--a company that proved to be both friend and foe--the Bellefonte Central played an important role in developing the region's renowned limestone and hot-blast ironmaking industries and was Penn State University's economic lifeline for generations.

Customer Reviews:

An important historic work........2007-04-12

Authors Bezilla and Rudnicki have traced the history of one of Pennsylvania's most important shortlines and written it in an informative, enjoyable text. The 19-mile-long Bellefonte Central was intertwined in a love-hate relationship with the Pennsylvania Railroad; readers will appreciate the "partnership" attitude of the PRR from the eyes of this regional carrier. Thoroughly researched.

Average customer rating:

Great Book - Thanks for Ruining It
My son loves it
BEAUTIFUL ILLUSTRATIONS~GREAT UPDATE
It's about time!
lovely!

The Little Engine That Could
Watty Piper
Manufacturer: Philomel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0399244670

Book Description

Everyone loves The Little Engine That Could, that classic tale of the determined little engine that, despite its size, triumphantly pulls a train full of toys to the waiting children on the other side of a mountain.

Now the great Loren Long (Mr. Peabody's Apples) has brilliantly re-illustrated this classic story, bringing it exuberantly to life for today's child. Get on board for the publishing event of the year.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book - Thanks for Ruining It.......2007-05-08

This is simply a great book for kids. The original illustrations weren't very good (much better in this version), the text doesn't make any sense and the story is awful. Guess what? Kids don't care. I loved this book as a kid and I've seen my own kids love it too. This is the single most requested read in my household - there were days when we read it 10 times.

As for you idiots who worry about the sex of the trains, perhaps you should also spend be concerned about whether a 'little' engine is offensive to short people, why the girls get dolls and the little boys get pen-knives, or why the little engine is blue instead of black.

Give me a break, let's not ruin a great children's story with this kind of nonsense.

My son loves it.......2007-04-11

My 3 yr old son loves this book, he makes us read in several times each day and has memorized a lot of sentences from it. I would recommend this to anyone whose kid loves trains.

BEAUTIFUL ILLUSTRATIONS~GREAT UPDATE.......2006-11-18

The original version of this book was one of my all time favorites as a child, per my mom. I purchased this one as a gift for a special little guy I know. When I received it I thought that the new illustrations were absolutely fabulous, brilliant colorations! It was something I almost wanted to keep it was so beautiful! When this young fella opened presents, all of the adults ranging in age of 25-37 were enthralled with the book. In fact the little guy had to ask for his book back from us! I highly recommend this book to anyone who loved and cherished the original, would like a special book with a wonderful message (that's not too long for bedtime), or a beautiful book for a collection. I might even order it for myself one of these days it was that spectacular! Hope this helps you decide to purchase this book...

It's about time!.......2006-11-14

As a children's librarian, I was thrilled to receive this new and updated version of a classic tale. The pictures are beautiful and well-suited to the larger size of this edition. As for the book being sexist...it never occured to me to place the engines in gender categories. The children love this story and beg for it to be read over and over. That is the true test of a classic and this edition is long overdue.

lovely!.......2006-11-10

This is a wonderful version of a classic. The pictures are wonderful for mom to look at as she reads!

Average customer rating:

A perfect gift
Great Book
BEST BOOK OF MY LIFE
Powerful Words
A must for every grandparent to read to grandchildren

I Knew You Could!
Craig Dorfman
Manufacturer: Grosset & Dunlap
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0448431483

Book Description

Celebrate life's journeys with The Little Engine That Could! Selling over 60,000 copies in the first two months on sale, I Knew You Could! provides familiar comfort in changing times and serves as a wonderful gift that will be treasured for years to come. With inspiring and enlightening words of wisdom, this sweetly nostalgic book is perfect for graduates of all ages as they make the transition from one phase of life to the next. From “I think I can” to “I knew I could,” The Little Engine That Could helps us remember that anything is possible if you put your mind to it!

Customer Reviews:

A perfect gift.......2007-07-13

I purchased this book for my daughter. I felt it was the perfect gift for someone who is graduating from high school. The message about tracks taken and/or not taken in life is especially relevant to young adults as they begin to venture out into the world. My daughter thought it was great and she believes the message will be valuable throughout her life.

Great Book.......2007-06-26

I read this book to my graduating preschoolers every year. This year I bought a copy for each of my graduates!

BEST BOOK OF MY LIFE.......2007-06-13

My statistics teacher read this book to me on the last day of high school, and it was such a meaningful book to end the year with. Although it is meant to be a childrens' book, this book has messages that can apply to anyone at any age. It is a book that both a child and parents would enjoy, and so I highly recommend it to everyone.

Powerful Words .......2007-06-05

What a wonderful book! I bought this book for my three year old son who loves trains and the original "The Little Engine That Could." What a surpise as I read this book to my son! It is filled with beautiful rhymes and life advice. It talks about choosing the right track and the stops you'll make along the way. It tells the reader to stay positive and keep going when times get rough. The words are powerful, and my son enjoys the bright illustrations. My son has asked me to read this book to him many times, and I never tire of it! It sends such a positive message.

A must for every grandparent to read to grandchildren.......2007-03-19

This is a wonderful book! It goes a step beyond the "Little Engine That Could"--it is all about the faith people close to a child have in the childs ability to take on the tasks of life. Every grandparent should own this book to read to all their grandchildren. Grownups will enjoy it as well.

The Men Who Loved Trains: The Story of Men Who Battled Greed to Save an Ailing Industry (Railroads Past and Present)

Average customer rating:

Why are the trains so slow in Vermont?
Good for all who love trains
WONDERFUL COMBO OF HISTORY, PERSONALITY, HI-STAKES BIZ
Great book to sit back and enjoy the read
Review on "The men who loved trains"

The Men Who Loved Trains: The Story of Men Who Battled Greed to Save an Ailing Industry (Railroads Past and Present)
Rush Loving
Manufacturer: Indiana University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0253347572

Book Description

A saga about one of the oldest and most romantic enterprises in the land--America's railroads--The Men Who Loved Trains introduces some of the most dynamic businessmen in America. Here are the chieftains who have run the railroads, including those who set about grabbing power and big salaries for themselves, and others who truly loved the industry.

As a journalist and associate editor of Fortune magazine who covered the demise of Penn Central and the creation of Conrail, Rush Loving often had a front row seat to the foibles and follies of this group of men. He uncovers intrigue, greed, lust for power, boardroom battles, and takeover wars and turns them into a page-turning story for readers.

Included is the story of how the chairman of CSX Corporation, who later became George W. Bush's Treasury secretary, was inept as a manager but managed to make millions for himself while his company drifted in chaos. Men such as he were shy of scruples, yet there were also those who loved trains and railroading, and who played key roles in reshaping transportation in the northeastern United States. This book will delight not only the rail fan, but anyone interested in American business and history.

Customer Reviews:

Why are the trains so slow in Vermont?.......2007-10-16

This book is written in a folksy style for railroad buffs who already know the story and want to argue about it. I couldn't read it. All the details were screwy about Perlman's blue eyes and nonsense about every teeny personal detail of meetings that happened 5o years ago. I'd like to know the story but will never with these guys. Maybe they are why the trains run so slowly in Vermont.

Good for all who love trains.......2007-09-29

As a train lover and a man who grew up along Connecticut's shoreline during the waning days of the New Haven (and an uncle who worked on the NY Central) I found this book an amazing archive of the key players in the demise of the "great" roads and the emergence of the "modern" US railroads. The only drawback was the necessity to understand the terms of stocks, shares, corporate finance and other things financial. So some of this book required some homework (and a lot of reading portions two and three times!) But nonetheless, a great historical railroad document.

WONDERFUL COMBO OF HISTORY, PERSONALITY, HI-STAKES BIZ.......2007-02-18

.
In one way or the other, THE MEN WHO LOVED TRAINS is the book Rush Loving, Jr., a journalist and specialist in business and transportation, has spent most of his career preparing. For a debut book, even a non-fiction one, THE MEN WHO LOVED TRAINS is very effective in covering the modern railroad merger movement yet fun to read with a can't-put-it-down quality and a surprisingly vivid cast of characters. In the early 1960s, Loving begins, the modern merger movement was already underway following Norfolk & Western's acquisition of the Midwestern Wabash Railroad. The N&W brass then asked itself where next to try a merger and the answer was obvious: The Pennsylvania Railroad, "Pennsy" or "PRR" to its friends. The two roads had a kindred history of cross-ownership, complementary coal routes (Pennsy-anthracite / the Norfolk-bituminous), excess Midwestern lines crying for rationalization, nicely meshing home regions (Industrialized Northeast / Upper South) that would eliminate the freight-car handoffs that made so many huge railway yards imperative, similar "command" or top-down military-style departmental operating cultures, even a history of shared passenger livery ("Tuscan Red.") The mighty Pennsylvania, with its extensive Northeastern route system, coveted electrified line from Washington to New York, and far reach into the industrialized eastern Midwest was proud to call itself "The Nation's Standard." Such hubris would play such a large part in wrecking the road and its successor.

The marriage that sounded so good in theory was shot down by the Interstate Commerce Commission, an agency not far from its Progressive Era / New Deal origins that was beginning to look increasingly archaic by the 1960s. (The ICC wouldn't let N&W and Pennsylvania merge, but it had a suggestion of its own: have PRR merge with NYC--the New York Central.) It wasn't until nearly thirty-five years later, 1997, that Norfolk Southern (a merger of Norfolk & Western plus Southern Rwy.) bought nearly sixty percent of Conrail, most of that successor to the old Pennsylvania, later Penn Central routes. Meanwhile rival CSX needed the eastern half of Conrail's (previously New York Central's) famous old "Water Level Route" mainline of New York City - Albany - Buffalo - Cleveland - Toledo - Chicago so desperately that, all told, it settled for just over forty percent of Conrail. The two carriers paid, pledged or put up stock totaling nearly Twenty BILLION dollars, the result of a "never-say-die" debt race. Even the "mere" $600 million less CSX owed did not buy a proportional share relative to the sixty percent NS got. What CSX did get, looked a great deal like the old Central--minus the western half of the Water Level route. Norfolk Southern's acquisitions paralleled even more closely the exx-PRR lines. People still argue about whether NS cheated CSX.

What happened in between makes for much of the history in this yeasty and well-laid-out book, which comes out readable, fun--yet with a moral in the middle. In merger matters the ICC's opinion was law, but even it couldn't keep railroad executives from climbing the corporate ladder. On October 1, 1963, an attorney from charming Bedford, Virginia and previous CEO of the Norfolk & Western (Roanoke, VA), Stuart Saunders, reported to his new job as CEO of the mighty Pennsylvania Railroad (Philadelphia). Saunders was not a railroad guy of the type who rides in locomotive cabs, sets up steam-engine drawn excursions, or likes to talk with the hourly employees. Saunders was a businessman specializing in investment at that precise time in American business culture when it started to look as though the latest management techniques, along with conglomerating a palate of unrelated subsidiaries, would be key to corporate success--knowing a core industry intimately was not quite so high a priority. No doubt that the Pennsylvania Railroad was a step up in grade from N&W, if not in class. October first should have been one of the proudest days of his life. Yet fate intervened in the form of a statement released by the Kennedy Administration, that very day. Doing its own end-run around the stolid ICC, the Administration opined that a merger of Pennsylvania and New York Central was not in the public's interest.

As early as the mid-1950s, many prime American railroads were losing the patronage of businessmen who forsook Pullman comfort for aircraft speed. It was almost inevitable that first-class service would decay. New York Central's Twentieth-Century Limited, favored by celebrities and famous for Alfred Hitchcock's witty portrayal of Eva Marie Saint stowing away Cary Grant in the 1959 film North by Northwest--was cancelled in 1963. Well, actually no. The deluxe services of the train were dropped, the boutonnières for passengers, the red carpet leading to the train, stewardesses (as they were called then) and white-tablecloth diner all got tossed. A train without a name, only a number, kept running the same route. But increasingly less emphasis was put on punctuality or upkeep of equipment. And the shorter the train, the larger the union-mandated crew relative to revenues.

When the mid-Sixties hit, most of the railroads of the Northeastern United States faced a quadruple challenge: Air travel by the general public began to soar owing to the new domestic-route jets. The toll-free, federally funded Interstate Highway System led to bigger trucks, carrying heavier loads faster, and with a truck's traditional advantage of not having to tie up along a specified rail route. Most American railroads -- especially the Eastern lines here discussed -- lacked the money to innovate with the kind of high-techish stuff that now dominates railroad freight travel, especially piggyback trailers and shipping cubes. In fact, many saw their roads deteriorating and couldn't do a thing about it. Finally, Suburbia, cheap gas, more cars per family and the impromptu spirit of the Sixties made for a generation of young people whose parents had relied heavily on trains for intercity travel during World War II, but themselves rarely saw the need for one - sometimes not even the inside of one. America had lost the habit of including rail in its long-distance travel options.

After assuming the CEO post at Pennsy in 1963, Saunders and his opposite number at the New York Central, Al Perlman, spent the next four-and-a-half years or so trying to plan a merger anyway. They tried to anticipate the inevitable headaches that would result when and if the two systems actually were allowed to mesh together in (hopefully) revenue-earning reality, not theory. The Central was a smaller road than the Pennsy, but together a new merged system would have allowed for service cuts and rate consolidation, which is where the American railroad industry, of which most observers predicted only a slow decline, had ruefully settled. Al Perlman is generally portrayed in railroading-business writing such as this as a hot-tempered but good-hearted, with an innovative flair for the operations side of railroading that Saunders lacked. Saunders was a smooth guy, a Southern gentleman by training and a Philadelphia Main Line suburban resident who settled into genteel (and largely exclusive) Main Line historic societies and country clubs with surprising speed, given the customary standoffishness of Main Liners to strangers. He put that suave quality to good purpose in stumping for a PRR/Central merger, eventually winning over reluctant politicians of both parties, labor, most media, and community-leader types. Working all sides, Perlman and Saunders eventually persuaded the decision-makers that a Penn/Central merger would work.

They were mistaken. The new, merged Penn Central's first day was February 1, 1968. Eight hundred and seventy-one days later, in the spring of 1970, it filed for bankruptcy, the biggest American bankruptcy ever. In the brief interim the new Penn Central never really jelled as an operating railroad. In fact, no one in his wildest dream could have imagined how poorly the non-merged merger came down. Freight cars that used to be computer-located (using a type of colored bar-code plaque that was the peak of innovation in the late Sixties) got lost or got sent - AWAY - by yard manages already facing a yard full of mystery freight. Needless to say, the customers stayed away in droves. Penn Central's employees were incompatible Central vs. Pennsy. The computers were incompatible. Scheduling proved incompatible. And the increasingly rickety commuter coaches and dilatory long-distance diesels provided passenger service incompatible to the human spirit.

After the crash and the ensuing bankruptcy of a score of regional Northeast railroads dragged into the maelstrom, it took a long time to find politically acceptable solutions. Yet, by the mid-Seventies, a culture and polity traditionally suspicious to "socialism" found itself with local-government commuter systems, a federally-controlled service to operate the remaining passenger trains (Amtrak); and finally a mopping up and consolidation of the overly vast, tangled and superfluous number of freight railroads (Conrail, 1976).

Not all the news was bad: Conrail's steady recovery and return to profitability pleased its friends and astounded its detractors. The Conrail during this period was run by two bosses with different operating styles and personalities. Stanley Crane was an industry insider, a veteran who knew not only how to run a large rail system but also whom in Washington to talk to for increased funds, relaxed rules, and the like. He was succeeded by the innovative David LeVan, a down-to-earth type who loved to schmooze with the rail crews on the ground and in the cabs of locomotives. At one point it looked as though Conrail would die simply because it didn't have enough federal funding, even though the balance sheet was headed toward profitability. LeVan had to go to the head of Conrail's biggest labor union and ask for a twelve-percent pay cut across the boards. His rep as a "regular guy" got the almost unheard-of consent of the workers.

The Eighties held a combination of ironic developments and surprise. Nineteen-eighty saw the beginning of the end of the hallowed and hated Interstate Commerce Commission; few mourners were present when the ICC finally closed shop for good, in 1995. (That's because in the meantime, Congress had set up a modern agency, the Surface Transportation Board ("STB"), which was far less tied to rigid categories of service, areas of service, rates of service and employees in service.) Since the government-controlled Conrail was still off-limits, big Southern-based carriers forced themselves into bed with partially compatible routes and contrary corporate cultures. The Norfolk & Western's top-down executive structure that would have meshed so well with the old PRR clashed badly with the more congenial and collegial Southern Railway, epitomized by the urbane Graham Claytor and his brother Robert. The two roads agreed to merge, effective 1982.

Part of the reason was fear, not operating economies in and of themselves. In 1980, an incredibly large (and to some observers, awkward) merger tied most other Southern lines together: the predominately east-west C&O/B&O (or "Chessie System") got hitched to the "Family Lines," already an amalgam of coal roads like the L&N and Clinchfield under the protective wing of the mostly route-incompatible Seaboard Coast Lines, whose famous streamliners "Silver Star" and "Silver Meteor" still run today, under Amtrak. In 1986 the corporation took railroad slang to heart and officially christened the railroad and related operating divisions "CSX" for Chessie, Seaboard and that certain "je ne sais quois" represented by the X factor.

Who were the losers in all these goings-on? Marketing and railroad-ops specialists in Penn Central, most of them ex-NYC, the innovative train guys who got shoved aside by the bean-counters. Lyndon Johnson, trying to play catch-up to the Japanese, who decreed that the new experimental Metroliner must attain 150 mph, when in fact the trainset behaved not at all like a bullet train but very much like the souped-up electric commuter train it is at heart. Financial institutions and individual investors who relied on wildly bogus, inflated financial data when they invested in Penn Central. The traveling public who suffered the rapid deterioration of long-distance service in the Sixties and on into the underfunded Amtrak era. Commuters. A labor union that had to take a twelve percent pay cut or risk killing its employer. The American taxpayer, who had to pay for rehabilitation of roads and services that never should have sunk so low in the first place. Last but not least, the remaining two American-headquartered mega-survivors from the Southeast: Norfolk Southern and CSX, which together ran up almost twenty billion dollars in debt after a preventable bidding war over Conrail.

It was Loving's great talent - plus opportunity - that he knew how to portray his more vivid characters. THE MEN WHO LOVED TRAINS is populated with almost as many colorful guys as a novel out of Elmore Leonard or Carl Hiaasen. A "blue-eyed Jew from Minnesota," Al Perlman, ran the New York Central from 1955 until the Penn Central merger in 1968; he ranks high in Loving's esteem for his creativity and custom of forging consensus within the company. But Perlman and his fellow ex-NYC "green hats" clashed in terms of corporate culture with the Pennsy's more buttoned-down "red hats," and those divisions were never really resolved. David LeVan, his duty done at Conrail, left and entered another facet of American transportation: he opened a Harley-Davidson dealership in Gettysburg, PA. Fear a threat of hostile takeover from the South? Say hello to the Claytor brothers, Graham and Robert, who loved railroading so much that they spent innumerable hours in diesel cabs or hunkering with workers on the ground. Robert even qualified to operate the iconic N&W Class J streamlined steam engine, no mean feat for an experienced engineer and almost inconceivable for a suit. A useful connective sinew in this history results from following the career of Jim McClellan, a rising N&W exec with a Forrest Gump-like ability to be in the right place at the right time.

But what narrative is complete without a couple of villains? A big black hat goes to Stuart Saunders, that attorney from the charming small town of Bedford in Virginia. Primarily a bean-counter, it was Saunders who rapidly dieselized the N&W in the late Fifties. It was Saunders who fired Al Perlman from Penn Central in 1969. And it was Saunders who first diversified the PRR's money into anything but railroad maintenance in the mid-Sixties, temporary fixes that made the balance sheet look good but disguised the deteriorating home road's profitability. The strategem worked: undiminished dividends and healthy-looking profits released as "Consolidated Statements of Earnings" perpetuated the myth of the invincible Pennsylvania Railroad enough to pacify the shareholders and keep the investigators at bay. No observer figured out that Saunders' pet investments in utilities and real estate were the real cash-generators and that "The Nation's Standard," its revenues slowly sinking, was getting into a situation of chronic deficit.

Saunders' strange and largely hostile relationship at the recently-turned Penn Central with the company's chief finance officer, David Bevan, got the line into some serious fiscal cheating, yet little came of it. When Saunders' investments could no longer pump up the railroad's earnings statements enough to declare a profit, Saunders turned to Bevan with suggestions that Bevan made come true. Thirty years before the event, Penn Central's "creative accounting" eerily anticipated Enron: the threat to fire an independent analyst unless he rosied up pessimistic conclusions. Buying and selling various parts of the physical rail infrastructure with the help of shell corporations and tax dodges, while the real railroad saw none of these changes. Toward the very end, Saunders and Bevan came close to paralleling Lay and Skilling: they booked money onto PC's ledgers--money that had no origin. Nobody but the federal government can introduce additional money into the American economy. To do otherwise--in effect, pose as financiers--was and is very illegal. And except for a conflict-of-interest hearing into the "finance club" Bevan and a few friends set up in 1962, the two executives largely escaped censure or punishment.

This book deserves a wide readership among the general public, along with railroad people and railroad enthusiasts; also people who like a good, well-written and real corporate saga along the lines of BARBARIANS AT THE GATE should like THE MEN WHO LOVED TRAINS. The book (out of Indiana University Press) is a good sturdy product, enlivened with before-and-after route maps in the frontispiece and back of book, respectively. These colorful charts come courtesy of America's largest-circulating Railroad magazine, TRAINS of Waukesha (suburban Milwaukee), Wisconsin. Twenty-seven ninety-five is not an unrealistic retail price but Amazon and others offer online discounts.

Great book to sit back and enjoy the read.......2007-02-14

The Men Who Loved Trains is an excellent book about railroads, economics, politics and backroom deals without needing a political science or economic degree.

I am glad to have added this book to my collection.

Review on "The men who loved trains".......2007-01-18

This is probably one of the best books I have read in years. Even though my background is not economics this book is excellently written to make you interested what's going on in the railroad industrry. This book in many ways is more written like a novel than a documentary. It is really fun to read and I learnd a lot by reading it. Highly recommended!

Average customer rating:

Perfect for little lads who love trains!
All Aboard
Excellent Bedtime Story
BEAUTIFUL!
love love love it!!

The Goodnight Train
June Sobel
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Bedtime & Dreaming | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0152054367

Book Description

All aboard for Dreamland! Hold on to your pillow because the Goodnight Train is taking off. Roll that corner, rock that curve, and soar past mermaids, leaping sheep, and even ice-cream clouds. You won't want to miss a thing, so whatever you do, don't . . . close . . . your . . . eyes!

With soothing, lyrical words and magical illustrations, June Sobel and Laura Huliska-Beith have created a nighttime fantasy that's guaranteed to make even the most resistant sleeper snuggle up tight.

Customer Reviews:

Perfect for little lads who love trains!.......2007-09-26

This is a beautfully illustrated book that my 20 month old son really enjoys each night before bed. He loves trains and the creative story of getting on a train to go to bed has helped our nightly routine of stories and bedtime. The pictures are colorful and very funny and the text flows nicely as it gets progressively softer.

All Aboard.......2007-08-09

My son loves trains. This is one of his favorite bedtime stories. It is a fun book to read and has great illustration.

Excellent Bedtime Story.......2007-04-10

My son loves trains. This book is wonderful for bedtime! We love how the train starts out fast and then starts to slow down as it gets sleepier and sleepier. We read it every night.

BEAUTIFUL!.......2007-04-07

My son LOVES this book! The illustrations are beautiful and very colorful. There are only a few lines of words on each page so it doesn't take long to get through it, but it is enjoyable to read.

love love love it!!.......2006-10-22

My 2- and 4- year olds both love this book!!! Upbeat and fun... a great book to read before bedtime! (My younger one loves it more than the older one!!)

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