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.

The White Cascade: The Great Northern Railway Disaster and America's Deadliest Avalanche

Average customer rating:

Great historical perspective of a forgotten catastrophe...
A good story told well
The White Cascade and our genealogy library
A Wonderful book
White Cascade

The White Cascade: The Great Northern Railway Disaster and America's Deadliest Avalanche
Gary Krist
Manufacturer: Henry Holt and Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Transportation | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Social History | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

Natural Disasters | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0805077057
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Book Description

The never-before-told story of one of the worst rail disasters in U.S. history in which two trains full of people, trapped high in the Cascade Mountains, are hit by a devastating avalanche

In February 1910, a monstrous blizzard centered on Washington State hit the Northwest, breaking records. The world stopped—but nowhere was the danger more terrifying than near a tiny town called Wellington, perched high in the Cascade Mountains, where a desperate situation evolved minute by minute: two trainloads of cold, hungry passengers and their crews found themselves marooned without escape, their railcars gradually being buried in the rising drifts. For days, an army of the Great Northern Railroad’s most dedicated men—led by the line’s legendarily courageous superintendent, James O’Neill—worked round-the-clock to rescue the trains. But the storm was unrelenting, and to the passenger’s great anxiety, the railcars—their only shelter—were parked precariously on the edge of a steep ravine. As the days passed, food and coal supplies dwindled. Panic and rage set in as snow accumulated deeper and deeper on the cliffs overhanging the trains. Finally, just when escape seemed possible, the unthinkable occurred: the earth shifted and a colossal avalanche tumbled from the high pinnacles, sweeping the trains and their sleeping passengers over the steep slope and down the mountainside.

Centered on the astonishing spectacle of our nation’s deadliest avalanche, The White Cascade is the masterfully told story of a supremely dramatic and never-before-documented American tragedy. An adventure saga filled with colorful and engaging history, this is epic narrative storytelling at its finest.

Customer Reviews:

Great historical perspective of a forgotten catastrophe..........2007-06-25

Don't know why I was prompted to pick this book up...my husband is in a search and rescue group, so that was partly the reason. I read the info given on the back of the book, and having grown up in Northern CA and being a voracious reader, I thought I should have heard about this one transportation disaster. My father was born up in Washington, but somehow this one has faded from national consciousness.

What really struck me about this book is the straightforward writing of the author, Krist. He doesn't sensationalize, as some other books on disasters tend to do. He is honest and reflective, gives the reader all the information on both sides, and lets them draw their own conclusion. I especially enjoyed the information about the court trials and the aftermaths. We can dislike the typical corporate image that continues to run big companies (only now they are the pharmaceuticals who could care less...), but we also recognize that the men who dealt at the closest part of the railway with this disaster most probably did as good a job that could have been done. Unlike the Titanic, where there were some very dismaying behavior by many who were at the helm of the boat and the company, most of the rail workers, especially the superintendant who oversaw the whole week of work around this avalanche were hardworking and gallant, who did make a few mistakes but nothing overt.

By showing us how the courts handled this particular case, plus the information that came from the newspapers that did sensationalize this happening, Krist lets us see why we have come full circle to another place that if this case were tried today, it would have ended very differently for the company. Krist makes a good case for why the ending verdict was probably right (but probably would not have been reached in this era of lawsuits we are currently in). However, he also points out the impact that this case and other transportation disasters of that time had on labor and safety laws in this country. He draws a good diagram for the reader for why this trainwreck led to our current safety requirements and the change in attitudes of people towards corporations that were in control during that time period. Now we need to turn our eyes to the corporations that are currently out of control in ours...perhaps Krist would like to take some of them on?

Karen Sadler

A good story told well.......2007-05-13

This is non-fiction at its finest. As the story unfolds, you almost wish you could get a warning to the poor passengers whose fate is all but inevitable. The author expertly weaves together the series of events that led to the disaster, providing insight into the decisions that were made from those in charge. As the snow continues to fall, adding layer on top of layer, the many characters in this story slowly become individuals with whom you can sympathize.

The story takes place in 1910 at the peak of the railroad era. The automobile and airplane are introduced as only bit players. All of the background information is perfectly balanced with the drama that unfolds atop the mountain.

There is no single mistake that led to the accident, but Superintendent James O'Neil is guilty of two mistakes that might have made a difference: His refusal to meet with the passengers and his refusal to negotiate with the laborers involved in snow removal.

This is a fast read made even more so by the author's clever use of cliff-hanging chapter endings. I highly recommend the book.

The White Cascade and our genealogy library.......2007-05-13

I ordered this book at the request of one of our genealogy society members. It came soon after I ordered it and I have not had time to read it myself because some of our patrons are waiting to read it. The woman who requested that I order it said it was the best of any of the books ever written about that disaster. We have several other books about the disaster as it happened in our area but it appears this one is the very best as it has been well researched and is well written, keeping the reader's interest to the very end. It is particularly interesting to genealogists searching this area.

A Wonderful book.......2007-05-07

This book had if all and I have purchased several as gifts. I wish it could have gone on forever. I learded more about the West, Ameican econimy what life was like back then, values and morays of the time and of course the history of the railroads. It was all brilliantly woven togther with the stories of the people involved. It was never dull very easy to read yet covered some very complex issues. It got you totally involved and it was as if you where there experiencing the cold, the danger, nature and the wonder of how it would all end.

White Cascade.......2007-04-12

Great insight into the thinking of the man responsible for keeping this train route open through incredibility bad winter snow conditions. Lots of insight on how the railroads operated back then. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this exciting account of the railway disaster.

Thomas the Tank Engine Story Collection (Railway Series)

Average customer rating:

Great short stories!
Must have night time book.
Great Read!
Already a favorite
Great book

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

Popular Culture | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Thomas the Tank Engine's Big Lift - And - Look Book
Thomas The Tank Engine And Friends - The Early Years (3-Disc Set)
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Thomas The Tank Engine And Friends 3 Disc Set (Make Someone Happy/Spills & Chills/Percy's Chocolate Crunch)

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:

Great short stories!.......2007-10-23

This is a great book for one short story a night. Our 2 1/2 year old loves having one story a night from this book read to him. The book mark attached is very convenient too.

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.

Ruby for Rails: Ruby Techniques for Rails Developers

Average customer rating:

Truly Ruby for Rails (not just another Rails book)
A must have when starting out with Ruby on Rails
When you want to understand how rails works get this book
Indispensable!
Excellent, but wordy

Ruby for Rails: Ruby Techniques for Rails Developers
David Black
Manufacturer: Manning Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Programming | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Computer Science | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Rails Recipes (Pragmatic Programmers)
Agile Web Development with Rails, 2nd Edition
Programming Ruby: The Pragmatic Programmers' Guide, Second Edition
Ruby Cookbook (Cookbooks (O'Reilly))
Ajax on Rails

ASIN: 1932394699

Book Description

-The word is out: with Ruby on Rails you can build powerful Web applications easily and quickly! And just like the Rails framework itself, Rails applications are Ruby programs. That means you can't tap into the full power of Rails unless you master the Ruby language.

Ruby for Rails, written by Ruby expert David Black (with a forward by David Heinemeier Hansson), helps Rails developers achieve Ruby mastery. Each chapter deepens your Ruby knowledge and shows you how it connects to Rails. You'll gain confidence working with objects and classes and learn how to leverage Ruby's elegant, expressive syntax for Rails application power. And you'll become a better Rails developer through a deep understanding of the design of Rails itself and how to take advantage of it.

Newcomers to Ruby will find a Rails-oriented Ruby introduction that's easy to read and that includes dynamic programming techniques, an exploration of Ruby objects, classes, and data structures, and many neat examples of Ruby and Rails code in action. Ruby for Rails: the Ruby guide for Rails developers!

What's Inside

Classes, modules, and objects

Collection handling and filtering

String and regular expression manipulation

Exploration of the Rails source code

Ruby dynamics

Many more programming concepts and techniques!

Customer Reviews:

Truly Ruby for Rails (not just another Rails book).......2007-10-13

This is almost TWO BOOKS IN ONE.
Stepping from the very basics, this is one of the few books on the subject that first lays the foundation of Ruby as a scripting language.
It is easy to see the benefits of the Rails framework with a working knowledge of the underlying language (Ruby).

A must have when starting out with Ruby on Rails.......2007-06-07

I half read "Agile Web development with Rails" and while I found it very good on getting me upto speed with Rails, I was lost in some of the Ruby code. This book explains the Ruby code and fills in a lot of the blanks. I now regularily switch between the 2 and find I have all the information I need at my fingertips. (It also helps to have the pick axe book to hand). Ruby is the language I have always known existed but couldn't quite find before Rails came along.

When you want to understand how rails works get this book.......2007-06-02

This book should be in the first five books you get on Ruby/Ruby on Rails. It tells you how things work under the covers and brings your Ruby knowledge up to par. You can write Ruby on Rails applications without this book, but once you really want to understand what you are actually doing with symbols, hashes, modules, classes, etc, then get this book.

Indispensable!.......2007-05-17

There's little I can add to what has already been mentioned in the other reviews for this book. However, I would like to say that this book made the Ruby/Rails duo very much clearer. I had already purchased and mostly read the other two obligatory books (Agile Web Development with Rails and Programming Ruby), but the concepts weren't clicking. (Perhaps I'm getting old.) This book immediately lifted the fog and provided me with the elusive but rewarding "Ah-ha" moment.

Many Ruby on Rails tutorials step through the creation of an entire application with the byline of "how easy/cool/fun" the process it. However, such tutorials raise more questions than they answer. This book's code snippets are surprisingly small - a very good sign - since the author steps through the concepts line by line and intuitively answers your questions as they come to mind. It is very well written, highly valuable and well recommended.

Excellent, but wordy.......2007-05-14

Being new to both Ruby and Rails, I read both the Agile and Pickaxe books cover to cover, then read Ruby for Rails which really pulled it all together for me. Now the "magic" of Rails is much less a mystery.

The book is a bit wordy. But its conversational tone makes it readable rather than a just a reference. The author seems to first explain what he's going to explain, again says what he's going to say, then finally says it, then tells you what he just said. And the cycle repeats! Thus the book starts out slow. But by the middle of the book, when we're into some much more complex concepts, I really appreciated that approach.

One thing is certain, you cannot/should not use Rails without a clear understanding of the Ruby language. This book was very valuable to me.

Railway Series Boxed Set (Railway Series)

Average customer rating:

The reverend's original stories, well packaged
Great books
My son loves his Railway Series
Amazing Railroad Adventures
Which six books are these?

Railway Series Boxed Set (Railway Series)
W. Rev Awdry
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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Thomas the Tank Engine Story Collection (Railway Series)
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ASIN: 0375827439

Book Description

Created for his son by a father who loved trains, the 6 classic storybooks each feature a different engine friend: Thomas, Gordon, Percy, James, Henry, and Toby. All presented in an elegant slipcase.

Customer Reviews:

The reverend's original stories, well packaged.......2007-02-17

My three year old loves all things Thomas and he enjoys these stories as well. As the original stories they are less sugar-coated than the later picture books. Most focus on a train who misbehaves then gets his comeuppance. The illustrations are beautiful.

The physical packaging is quite nice. Both the box and the books have stood up to pummeling by my son.

The stories included are:
* Thomas and Gordon, Thomas' Train, Thomas and the Trucks, Thomas and the Breakdown Train
* Coal, The Flying Ripper, Gordon's Whistle, Percy and the Trousers, Henry's Sneeze
* Toby and the Stout Gentleman, Thomas in Trouble, Dirty Objects, Mrs. Kyndley's Christmas
* James and the Top-Hat, James and the Boot-lace, Troublesome Trucks, James and the Express
* Off the Rails, Leaves, Down the Mine, Paint Pots and Queens
* Percy and the Signal, Duck Takes Charge, Percy and Harold, Percy's Promise

Great books.......2007-01-19

A must have for a little Thomas fan. And the box is fun too.

My son loves his Railway Series.......2006-11-10

I bought this set for my son's second birthday. He is a through and through "choo choo" fan and we needed more reading material for storytime at night after the local libraries inventory gave up. We like the number of stories (even though he insists on sticking to his favorites over and over again), the classic drawings (not the digitalized comic pictures) and the story content.

I was a bit surprised by the rather small format of the books only 5x6.5 inches each. I would have preferred a bigger format, but it seemingly does not matter to my child. I expect that we will get much more use out of them for the next months to come.

Amazing Railroad Adventures.......2006-11-03

These are the books I grew up with-small books that contained wonderful pictures. I read them to my own children, and they in turn are reading them to their children. Rev. Audry's pictures have a charm lost in the present day Thomas The Train tv series.These stories benefit from Rev. Audry's original illustrations. These stories are gentle and amusing .In a sometimes cold world , they invite you in to the gentler, kinder, and infinitely warmer Earth celebrated in these stories . Thomas the Tank Engine, Gordon and many others live on in these stories. My father was a railroad buff- so I suppose it was natural that I should have enjoyed these stories so much. I think that anyone with similar interests would enjoy them for their children or grandchildren. I think that the number of children who go on railroad adventures everywhere would find these books an added enrichment.

Which six books are these?.......2006-06-17

This is not a review of the books, but of the Amazon entry for this item. It's a slipboxed collection of six books out of the series. Fine, but which six? There are forty books in the series, after all. Nowhere on the page can I find this information. You'd think the actual titles of the books are kind of important....

Also, while I'm about it, who the !@#$%^ is "W. Rev Awdry"? Rev is not a name, or at least it wasn't the author's name. The first 26 books were written by The Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry, OBE, and the next 14 by Christopher Awdry.

Another thing: The illustrator is said in the heading to be C. Reginald Dalby, but from the picture it appears that one of the books in the set is Thomas the Tank Engine (#2 in the series), which was illustrated by Reginald Payne. Dalby illustrated books #3 (James) through #11 (Percy).

Encyclopedia of North American Railroads

Average customer rating:

Railroad Encyclopedia
Not quite what I wanted
the best general railroad reference book

Encyclopedia of North American Railroads

Manufacturer: Indiana University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books

History | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Transportation | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Reference | Transportation | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0253349168

Book Description

From Library Journal

"This hefty volume, edited by Middleton (Metropolitan Railways: Rapid Transit in America), George M. Smerk (The Federal Role in Urban Mass Transportation), and Roberta L. Diehl (Indiana Univ. Pr.), traces the intertwining historical and cultural narratives of North American railroads. Five insightful essays on railroad development, social history, and shifting technology written by various historical specialists provide a strong informational preface to the specialized entries of varying length and subject matter that follow, in which everything from intermodal traffic to women in railroading is covered. Straightforward and rich with detail, each entry is written by a different expert and concludes with references. The editors have included period illustrations, photographs, and cartoons that underscore the concepts presented. Sure to interest both laypeople and scholars, this is highly recommended for public libraries and American history collections." --Library Journal, May 15, 2007

From Trains

"To distill all of North American railroading into 1,312 pages is a feat in itself; the the Encyclopedia of North American Railroads does it so remarkably well is nothing short of phenomenal. This could be the most ambitious railroad book to appear in 100 years! And that's just what the editors wanted." -Trains, June 2007

Customer Reviews:

Railroad Encyclopedia.......2007-06-14

Very good for a lot of things, but a random sampling of railroads shows that that listing, at least, is not comprehensive. Valuable for most people with an interest in American railroading.

Not quite what I wanted.......2007-04-02

The good news is that this is the most comprehensive reference book I've seen on North American railroad practices and history.

The bad news is that this was a bit off the mark, for being dubbed the Encyclopedia of North American Railroads.

My expectation was that this would be the ultimate guide to North American railroads, from A to Z. I anticipated exceptionally thorough coverage of the railroads, their histories, and maps, maps, maps.

What this volume is, is an anthology of topical entries that vary in length and subject. Included are abbreviated railroad histories, biographies, terms, social commentary, and technical aspects of railroading. In that regard, it is hard to imagine a topic about railroading practices that this volume doesn't touch on.

Some approximate page accounts include: Amtrak 1 ½, Civil engineering 26, Intermodal traffic 4 ¾, National parks 3, New York Central 3 ½, Norfolk Southern 1 ½, Railroad occupations 17 ½, Sports and railroading 2 ½, women in railroading 4, and World War Two and railroading 4 ½.

Don't throw your reproduction Rand McNally railroad atlases away just yet, because the appendix with maps leave much to be desired.

The first eight maps are Amtrak 2004, Maine area 1945, B&M and NH 1945, New England West (undated), Mohawk & Hudson (undated), Boston (modern I think), Mid-Atlantic railroads (early), and Mid-Atlantic states CA 1945.

The maps are black and white (It's a $100 book, would some color have killed them?), they appear to have most mainlines, though I suspect not all branches. Not all railroads are present in relevant maps. The Pennsylvania and New York Central have their own maps, but a Mid Atlantic states map without either, doesn't really tell a story.

So if you are looking for an authoritative general reference book on North American railroading history and practices, this is it.

If you are looking for the ultimate railroad by railroad reference title, this doesn't replace The Historical Guide to North American Railroads, the Train Watchers Guide to North American Railroads, or the Short line Railroad Guide or the aforementioned Rand McNally reprints.

I ordered the book based on the title. While I was very disappointed with the thrust of the work, this is a well-executed all-in-one reference that I'll probably use once or twice a year.

the best general railroad reference book.......2007-03-28

This is the best general-purpose railroad reference book I've seen. It's
oversized and 1300+ pages, lots of drawings, maps, and photographs (but
none in color). Other "encyclopedias" I've seen deal primarily with the
major railroads. This book covers major and minor railroads, history,
technology, innovations, equipment and people--from Edison, Pullman, and
Loewy to Gould, Hill, etc. There are things here I have not seen
elsewhere--such as the Lima Locomotive Works promotional specifications,
which also list prices.

This is the kind of book wherein you open it at random--a history of the
Northwestern Pacific Railroad. The following pages list railroad
occupations--engineers, dispatchers, etc--17 double-column pages. Open
the book again to John Jervis, civil engineer who became president of
the Chicago and Rock Island, and John (Casey) Jones whose death inspired
the song. There's a huge amount of material here.

You're not going to get everything in one book. If it's maps you want,
there are some good atlases showing route maps of major railroads, plus
the Rand McNally historical railroad atlases, and more recently, Steam
Powered Video's excellent regional atlases showing all lines that were
ever built. Robert Lewis has an excellent "Handbook of American Railroads"
(1952 & 1956--used copies through Amazon) that show route maps for all
the 127 class 1 railroads at that time, plus narrative, rolling stock,
profit & loss, number of passengers carried, etc. There are books that
cover just steam or diesel locomotives, books just on the C, B & Q, etc.
But if you could have only one source book, and want information that
might otherwise require a trip to a large well-endowed library, this book
will be your definitive source.

Europe by Eurail 2007, 31st: Touring Europe by Train (Europe By Eurail)

Average customer rating:

Europe by Rail
Disappointing Book
Works Great
Touring Europe by Train
So far a good guide to Europe

Europe by Eurail 2007, 31st: Touring Europe by Train (Europe By Eurail)
LaVerne Ferguson-Kosinski
Manufacturer: Globe Pequot
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Europe | Travel | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
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Rail Map of Europe
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Frommer's Europe by Rail (Frommer's Complete)
Let's Go 2007 Europe (Let's Go Europe)

ASIN: 0762742216

Book Description

This indispensable guide includes up-to-date information on Eurail pass options, train schedules, and fare and contact information. In addition, you'll find more than 90 day excursion options from 24 base cities as well as practical travel tips, sample rail-tour itineraries, and much more.

Customer Reviews:

Europe by Rail.......2007-09-25

Good book. Full of great information. I have rode the trains in Europe and never understood the system. Thanks to this book my next visit to Europe will be much easier.

Disappointing Book.......2007-08-31

I ordered this because I had found the 1997 edition of the Eurail Guide exceptionally well compiled and incisively useful, and secondly because I couldn't find a current edition of the Eurail Guide. In fact I thought this may have been the current edition I was was looking for. Sadly it is not, and it is not half the book the Eurail Guide was. For me this a rather dull book containing some useful information. I can't imaging me consulting very often.

Works Great.......2007-05-14

I graduated from a handheld labeler and have been very pleased with the Brother p-touch. The PC software enables much better formatting and design vs. standalone so I would recommend loading it. The most surprising plus I liked was the battery powered mobile capability - I find myself taking it back and forth to work and home so portability is great. You can make your labels as fancy or plain as you want and the amount of formatting options is certain to please just about anyone. I would highly recommend this model if you are looking for a good all around model. The tapes come in many sizes and colors so again, you have plenty of choices - tapes are expensive but you get a lot for the price.

Touring Europe by Train.......2007-03-18

A very good overview of train systems, costs and best ways to get where you want to go!

So far a good guide to Europe.......2007-02-02

I read this book for planning a trip to Europe. What impressed me at first is the introduction chapter that gave me some tricks and tips and necessary info how to use the EU railway network. The suggesting itinerary is also quite useful. The most confusing thing about the book is the train schedule. It might get obsolete. When I check on the Eurail website, the schedule looks quite different from what is in the book.

American Shortline Railway Guide: Facts, Figures, and Locomotive Rosters for over 500 Short Lines (Railroad Reference Series , No 17)

Average customer rating:

Not getting what you expect
Dated and missing things
Black-N-White Pix; 1955??
Great on data and pictures - maps are sorely lacking

American Shortline Railway Guide: Facts, Figures, and Locomotive Rosters for over 500 Short Lines (Railroad Reference Series , No 17)
Edward A. Lewis
Manufacturer: Kalmbach Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Model Trains | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Tourist Trains Guidebook (Tourist Trains)
Guide to North American Railroad Hot Spots (Railroad Reference Series)
American Diesel Locomotives
Atlas of North American Railroads
A Field Guide to Trains of North America (Peterson Field Guide Series)

ASIN: 0890242909

Book Description

Lists nearly 600 shortline and regional railroads in the United States and Canada. Includes line history, locations, radio frequencies, and locomotive data.

Customer Reviews:

Not getting what you expect.......2007-07-15

Published 21 years ago, this reference to a rapidly changing category of data (shortline railroads) is woefully out of date. Worse, as advertised, buyers assume they are getting up to date information. Far from it. Kalmbach Publishing should be embarrassed to even offer it without a date on the cover.

Dated and missing things.......2007-01-05

The short-line world has changed quite a bit in the years since publication. It's time for an update. What the guide does provide is interesting and generally accurate. Edward A. Lewis is perhaps the countries best authority on the subject and has managed several shortlines for many years. I suspect the problems of the book come from Kalbach trying to make it too small - it's glove box format. I'd rather have more information in an 81/2 x 11 format. It has locomotive rosters, capsule histories and other data. What is missing is train operations. Knowing this changes, perhaps the next edition should have an accompanying database of this information, updated by users as it changes. Another missing item are maps. As another reviewer has noted, the photographs could be better.

Black-N-White Pix; 1955??.......2003-01-11

if a train watcher of any kind you need this book but the black and white pix, or lack of many pix as well as lack of any maps at all shows a distinct lack of effort by Kalmbach; very dissappointing

Great on data and pictures - maps are sorely lacking.......2000-05-30

American Shortline Railway Guide is a great help for any train buff. Over 500 short lines are described: history, current status, number of engines (some lines with full listing), cars, as well as address of owner and radio frequencies. I especially liked the many pictures accompanying the text. There is really one drawback only: The book does not contain any maps. You will need a train atlas or a Rand Mc Nally on the side, unfortunately. Other interesting details are lists of abandoned and non-operating lines as well as addresses of ownerships companies. A must-have for US train buffs, especially in conjunction with the Train-Watchers Guide to North American Railroads (also by George W. Drury).

Tunneling to the Future: The Story of the Great Subway Expansion That Saved New York

Average customer rating:

A political-financial history of the "Dual Contracts"
New York City's Pivotal Moment

Tunneling to the Future: The Story of the Great Subway Expansion That Saved New York
Peter Derrick
Manufacturer: NYU Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Traffic & Safety | Automotive | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Transportation | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Mass Transit | Transportation | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

History of Technology | Technology | Science | Subjects | Books

722 Miles: The Building of the Subways and How They Transformed New York
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A Century of Subways: Celebrating 100 Years of New York's Underground Railways
The City Beneath Us: Building the New York Subway
Subwayland: Adventures in the World Beneath New York

ASIN: 0814719104
Release Date: 2001-03-01

Book Description

"An exceptional history . . . Derrick's well-written narrative is packed with thoroughly researched facts and reasoning."
—Library Journal

"Derrick's book goes more into the details of the behind the scenes actions that surrounded the construction of the largest public transportation system ever."
—Bronx Times

"...a valuable case study in the micropolitics of one of the Progressive era's signature projects."
—The Wall Street Journal

"[An] excellent addition to the literature of the city's planning, development and economics."
—Publishers Weekly

"Illuminating . . . Yes, the city built the subway (with a lot of help from the private sector), but more important, the subway built the city, which remains dependent on its intricate structure."
—New York magazine

"As the most detailed and thorough account available of the dual system, Derrick's book has improved out understanding of rapid transit politics and urban planning."
—The Journal of American History, June 2002

In 1910, New York City was bursting at the seams as more and more people crowded into a limited supply of housing in the tenement districts of Manhattan and the older areas of Brooklyn. With no outlet for its exploding population, and the burgeoning social problems created by the overwhelming congestion, New York faced a serious crisis which city and state leaders addressed with dramatic measures. In March 1913, public officials and officers of the two existing rapid transit networks shook hands to seal a deal for a greatly expanded subway system which would more than double the size of the two existing transit networks.

At the time the largest and most expensive single municipal project ever attempted, the Dual System of Rapid Transit set the pattern of growth in New York City for decades to come, helped provide millions of families a better quality of life, and, in the words of Manhattan borough president George McAneny (1910-1913), "proved the city's physical salvation." It stands as that rare success story, an enormously complicated project undertaken against great odds which proved successful beyond all measure.

Published in conjunction with the History of the City of New York Project.

Customer Reviews:

A political-financial history of the "Dual Contracts".......2001-08-24

Peter Derrick's book covers the "Dual Contracts" era of subway construction in New York, when numerous lines were built between 1910 and 1931 by the IRT and the BRT /BMT. Derrick focuses on the interactions between executives of the then-existing subway companies and municipal politicians. Only a few paragraphs cover the "Independent" subway system, which was built after 1931.

Endnotes, bibliography, etc., comprise 155 pages of this book, or nearly a third of its pages. There are eight maps and 24 period photographs. There is nothing in this book about station design, track layouts, operating procedures, or rolling stock. In fact, the book ends when construction began. It was a worthy endeavor of historical research to document the political deal-making of this period, but some readers may be disappointed that the author's interest was solely in the back-room political gamesmanship that preceded construction

New York City's Pivotal Moment.......2001-04-15

No other historian has identified so important a piece of NYC's history on which so little is known, and written so lucidly about it. This is not just enjoyable history. You cannot understand New York City today without reading Derrick's book.

The greatest city of the modern era had its pivotal moment early in the 20th century with the decision in 1913 to double the size of its subway system: the largest public-works expenditure in the Western Hemisphere to that date. This decision, a dozen years and more in the making and led by Manhattan Borough President George McAneny, was propelled by the inability to resolve the problems of disease, crime, prosititution, overpopulation and poverty that overwhelmed Manhattan's Lower East Side, spilling into more affluent neighborhoods throughout the city. Getting employees out of impoverishment and to their jobs was now an impediment to development and modernization. The vision that turned farm lands into an urban center was a leap into the unknown and Derrick meticulously details this exciting chapter in NYC's history, a chapter that when fully understood, reveals how issues get resolved and great accomplishments propelled. In comparison, the highway system of the Robert Moses era was but an anxilary event.

Nothing Like It in the World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad, 1863-1869
Average customer rating:

changing face of America....

"Hmmm.....Railroads are Boring!" Right?

a wonderful journey back in time

Very Well Written, Factual and Fulfilling!

The Great race

Nothing Like It in the World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad, 1863-1869
Stephen E. Ambrose
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | 19th Century | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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General | Railroads | Transportation | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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Hardcover | Stephen E. Ambrose | Specialty Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0684846098

Amazon.com

Abraham Lincoln, who had worked as a riverboat pilot before turning to politics, knew a thing or two about the problems of transporting goods and people from place to place. He was also convinced that the United States would flourish only if its far-flung regions were linked, replacing sectional loyalties with an overarching sense of national destiny.

Building a transcontinental railroad, writes the prolific historian Stephen Ambrose, was second only to the abolition of slavery on Lincoln's presidential agenda. Through an ambitious program of land grants and low-interest government loans, he encouraged entrepreneurs such as California's "Big Four"--Charles Crocker, Collis Huntington, Mark Hopkins, and Leland Stanford--to take on the task of stringing steel rails from ocean to ocean. The real work of doing so, of course, was on the shoulders of immigrant men and women, mostly Chinese and Irish. These often-overlooked actors and what a contemporary called their "dreadful vitality" figure prominently in Ambrose's narrative, alongside the great financiers and surveyors who populate the standard textbooks.

In the end, Ambrose writes, Lincoln's dream transformed the nation, marking "the first great triumph over time and space" and inaugurating what has come to be known as the American Century. David Haward Bain's Empire Express, which covers the same ground, is more substantial, but Ambrose provides an eminently readable study of a complex episode in American history. --Gregory McNamee

Book Description

In this account of an unprecedented feat of engineering, vision, and courage, Stephen E. Ambrose offers a historical successor to his universally acclaimed Undaunted Courage, which recounted the explorations of the West by Lewis and Clark.

Nothing Like It in the World is the story of the men who built the transcontinental railroad -- the investors who risked their businesses and money; the enlightened politicians who understood its importance; the engineers and surveyors who risked, and lost, their lives; and the Irish and Chinese immigrants, the defeated Confederate soldiers, and the other laborers who did the backbreaking and dangerous work on the tracks.

The Union had won the Civil War and slavery had been abolished, but Abraham Lincoln, who was an early and constant champion of railroads, would not live to see the great achievement. In Ambrose's hands, this enterprise, with its huge expenditure of brainpower, muscle, and sweat, comes to life.

The U.S. government pitted two companies -- the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific Railroads -- against each other in a race for funding, encouraging speed over caution. Locomo-tives, rails, and spikes were shipped from the East through Panama or around South America to the West or lugged across the country to the Plains. This was the last great building project to be done mostly by hand: excavating dirt, cutting through ridges, filling gorges, blasting tunnels through mountains.

At its peak, the workforce -- primarily Chinese on the Central Pacific, Irish on the Union Pacific -- approached the size of Civil War armies, with as many as fifteen thousand workers on each line. The Union Pacific was led by Thomas "Doc" Durant, Oakes Ames, and Oliver Ames, with Grenville Dodge -- America's greatest railroad builder -- as chief engineer. The Central Pacific was led by California's "Big Four": Leland Stanford, Collis Huntington, Charles Crocker, and Mark Hopkins. The surveyors, the men who picked the route, were latter-day Lewis and Clark types who led the way through the wilderness, living off buffalo, deer, elk, and antelope.

In building a railroad, there is only one decisive spot -- the end of the track. Nothing like this great work had been seen in the world when the last spike, a golden one, was driven in at Promontory Summit, Utah, in 1869, as the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific tracks were joined.

Ambrose writes with power and eloquence about the brave men -- the famous and the unheralded, ordinary men doing the extraordinary -- who accomplished the spectacular feat that made the continent into a nation.

Download Description

The Union had won the Civil War; slavery was abolished. Lincoln, an early champion of railroads, would not live to see the next great achievement. It took brains, muscle, and sweat in quantities and scope never before ventured and required engineers and surveyors willing to lose their lives in the wilderness; men who had commanded and obeyed in war; workers from China, Ireland, and the defeated South; and capitalists betting their money for possible great profit. The government pitted the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific against each other in a race for funding, encouraging speed over caution.

Locomotives, falls, and spikes were shipped from the east through Panama, around South America, or lugged across the country. The railroad was the last great building project to be done by hand: excavating dirt, cutting through ridges, filling gorges, blasting tunnels. Nothing like this great railroad had been seen in the world when the last spike, a golden one, was driven in at Promontory Peak, Utah, in 1869, as the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific joined tracks. Ambrose writes with power and eloquence about the brave men who accomplished the spectacular feat that made the nation one.

Customer Reviews:

changing face of America.... .......2007-01-25

American dreams, greed, courage, innovation and daring make this a wonderful story of an event that changed the face of this country forever...

"Hmmm.....Railroads are Boring!" Right?.......2006-11-07

I "read" this as a book on tape. I had this on my Mp3 player for quite awhile because I thought, "Railroad stories are boring!" But, I found that not to be true. Imagine a time when the "fastest" and "easiest" way to travel across country was by wagon, horse, and oxen going 20 miles a day! Then, you find out about a "train" that goes 18 miles an hour and you can just sit there and let it carry you and your stuff for hundreds and even thousands of miles! You don't even have to push your wagon over any rivers! You'd be pretty excited...yea! Then, there's these two Railroad Companies that are competing to see who gets the further in a given amount of time. The further each company lays track the more their profits in terms of land grands and fares will be. The only problems are that they have to tunnel through about 8 mountains, fight off angry Indians, build bridges over streams and rivers and fill in ravines, and get all the supplies and workers out into the wilderness so they can lay the tracks. Plus there are "the personalities" of the leaders and workmen to contend with not to mention how to finance the operation that will take about 6 years to complete at full speed. Yep, it's quite a story! Read it either in print or as a book on tape. Email: boland7214@aol.

a wonderful journey back in time.......2006-10-07

we loved this book - transported back to a time where our country was expanding - highly recommend

Very Well Written, Factual and Fulfilling!.......2006-09-24

Stephen Ambrose did a great job of explaining the complicated details that led to the miracle of the transcontinental railroad. Anyone who appreciates herculean feats and the web of intrigue surrounding their beginnings, eventual birth and their effect on our great country will love this story. A true five star book.

The Great race.......2006-09-10

An engrossing story about the companies and the men behind the building of the Railroad from Omaha to Sacramento. The US Government with its hands tied in the Civil war, sets up a competition between 2 private companies Union Pacific and the Central Pacific who start laying tracks from Omaho and Sacramento. The book details the progress through each state, with insight into the leaders and the workforce behind the construction. Then it reaches a fast pace once we enter Utah where the two tracks meet.
Well this railroad accelerated exponentially the immigration to the the west. The story of the construction is really a mix of great entrepreneurship, big business, railroad surveyors, wild life lovers. But elements like using/abusing an underclass for cheap labor but denying rights, overreacting to native peoples fear of intrusion into their land, insensitivity of big business/technology to native lifestyles may have some relevance even today and make us interospect what 'liberty' actually means.
The Author does a good job in keeping the reader interested, but probably is prone to exaggeration sometimes.
A good way to relive the railroad is to take Amtrak's California Zephyr (which skips wyoming, parts of utah,nevada) or to take I-80

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