Chicago & Illinois Midland Railway

An all-color look back at this charming railroad operating out of Springfield, Illinois from steam to diesel.

This tour covers just about all of the important locations over various eras of the C&IM. There are many steam shots as the C&IM operated steam into the mid-1950s. Some steamers are former Wabash and ACL 2-10-2s. First-generation diesels and modern run-through power are also presented.

There is a shot of a passenger special with Rock Island equipment taking school children to Springfield and the various Lincoln historic sites. Some aerial photographs of the Illinois River rail to barge transfer facility and the yard at Springfield make this a very good color pictorial of this Illinois short line.

Morning Sun Books, hard cover with jacket, 128 pages, 8.5 x 11 x .5 in., all color photographs with captions. MSB1358
Price: 46.95 USD

Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee In Color Vol. 1: Streetcars & Electroburgers.

The fabled North Shore interurban system is explored in the color film age and its troubles chronicled in detail. Rare color advertisements complement the effort.

Contents:
The North Shore, pp. 3-15;
1929-1951, pp. 16-41;
War and Image, pp. 42-127;
Epilogue, pg. 128.This book isn't all Electro-Liners, includes freight equipment scenes, The Loop and schedule reproductions.

Morning Sun Books, hard cover with jacket, 128 pages, 8.5 x 11 x .5 in., all color photographs with captions. MSB1173
Price: 46.95 USD

Sixty Years of the South Shore.

Six decades of color in the history of Americas Last Interurban as documented by a group of outstanding photographers from 1941 to 2001. Part 1 focuses on the passenger operations, including the new stainless steel cars delivered in 1982. The second half of the book focuses on freight operations including the Little Joes, diesels and cabooses.

Morning Sun Books, hard cover with jacket, 128 pages, 8.5 x 11 x .5 in., all color photographs with captions. MSB1174
Price: 46.95 USD

Erie Lackawanna Through Passenger Service In Color Vol. 2 1965-1970.

The PHOEBE SNOW, some lesser trains and THE LAKE CITIES are examined as EL winds up its long distance passenger service.

Contents:
Introduction: pp. 1-3;
Buffalo Connections, pp. 4-37;
Erie Lackawanna's Phoebe Snow, pp. 38-50;
Riding EL with George Strombeck, pp. 51-65;
Train Numbers 7, 8 and 9, pp. 66-79;
The Owl and the New York Mail, pp. 80-113;
The Lake Cities-Train Nos. 5 and 6, pp. 114-127;
Equipment Disposition, pg. 128.

Morning Sun Books, hard cover with jacket, 128 pages, 8.5 x 11 x .5 in., all color photographs with captions. MSB1303
Price: 46.95 USD

Grand Trunk Western Railroad: An Illustrated History

This book, with more than 400 illustrations, including 40 pages in color, is the first to cover the entire history of the Grand Trunk Western Railroad. The GTW goes back to the very start of railroad construction in the American Midwest in the 1830s, with its predecessors eventually coming under the influence of Canadian railways.

Today, GTW's main role is as a continuation of Canadian National Railway into the United States, providing vital connections with many railroads at Chicago, Toledo and other cities. GTW also has been vital in serving the needs of the American and Canadian auto industries.

Chapters include a look at every segment of the historic GTW system, its operations, motive power and station facilities.

The author, noted rail historian Ira E. Quastler, has made this title available to South Platte Press for distribution.

Contents:
Introduction and Acknowledgments, pp. 9-14;
Ch. 1: The Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee Railway: From the Beginnings Until 1917, pp. 15-44;
Ch. 2: Port Huron to Detroit, 1858-1917, pp. 45-54;
Ch. 3: Michigan Air Line, pp. 55-66;
Ch. 4: Main Line: Port Huron to Chicago to 1917, pp. 67-104;
Ch. 5: Pontiac, Oxford & Northern, pp. 105-122;
Ch. 6: The Toledo, Saginaw & Mackinaw Railroad, pp. 123-130;
Ch. 7: The Toledo, Saginaw & Muskegon Railroad, pp. 131-146;
Ch 8: From the USRA Years to 1970, pp. 147-196;
Ch. 9: The Grand Trunk Corporation Years to 1995, pp. 197-232;
GTW-1947 Locomotive Roster, pg. 233;
GTW-CN North America Diesel Roster 1994-1995, pg. 234;
Endnotes, pp. 235-246;
Bibliography, pp. 247-248;
Index, pp. 249-252;
Appendix, pp. 253-255;
About the Author, pg. 256.

South Platte Press, laminated hard cover, 256 pages, 8.5 x 11 x 1 in., b&w and color photographs, rosters, data. RI821
Price: 50.95 USD

Life Along the Main Line of Mid-America.

The rich and colorful history of the Illinois Central, a north-south railroad in a country full of east-west railroads.

Illinois Central linked Chicago with New Orleans, spreading out along the way to cover the Mississippi River bottomlands, reach into the Kentucky coal-fields, and stretch an outward hand to western connections at Omaha. Ride along with Jim Boyd on this nostalgic rail journey.

Contents:
Introduction: Wayne A. Johnston's Railroad, pp. 4-7;
Ch. 1: Home Road, pp. 8-31;
Ch. 2: Domain of the Diamond, pp. 32-51;
Ch. 3: An I-Ball to Eyeball, pp. 52-65;
Ch. 4: Southbound Odyssey, pp. 66-87;
Ch. 5: A Grand Time, pp. 88-95;
Ch. 6: Workin'' on the Railroad, pp. 96-119;
Ch. 7: Engulfed, pp. 120-126.

Most of the photographs are color with some black & white photos from the Steam Era. The author once worked for the IC in the early 1970's and his pictures are mostly from that era. He also traveled and pictures from across the IC are presented along the way such as St. Louis Union Station, the swing bridge at Lake Ponchartrain, leased power and demonstrator units plus Chicago passenger trains. As usual, a nice job by one of the best railfan authors.

Andover Junction Publications, hard cover with jacket, 128 pages, 8.5 x 11 x .5 in., mostly color and some b&w photographs. AJP136
Price: 31.95 USD

Ships in a non-bending mailer, not an envelope, plus sealed in plastic.

The DeLorme Publishing Atlas and Gazetteer provides a wealth of information for trip planning and back country access. Each volume contains topographic maps with unbeatable detail plus gazetteer information on great places to go and things to do. Detail includes railroads, back roads, dirt roads, elevation contours, remote lakes & streams, boat ramps, public lands for recreation, land use (forests, wetlands, agriculture), trailheads, campgrounds, and hunting and fishing spots.

Gazetteer information includes information on hiking, bicycling, museums and historic sites, campgrounds, scenic drives, unique natural features and state and national parks.

DeLorme Publishing, soft cover, 96 pages, 11 x 15.5 x .25 in., color maps. DLIL
Price: 13.95 USD

The personal photography of noted traction authority Gordon E. Lloyd takes the reader on a tour of the Illinois Terminal from 1952 up to the Norfolk & Western takeover.

Includes not only some great scenes of IT passenger service but also diesels, cabooses, PCC cars and work equipment.

Morning Sun Books, hard cover with jacket, 128 pages, 8.5 x 11 x .5 in., all color photographs with captions. MSB1039
Price: 40.95 USD

New York Central Color Pictorial Vol. 4: Peoria to Weehawken, New Jersey.

This is David Sweetland's final New York Central Color Pictorial. Featured in the introduction pages are NYC Diesel Switchers: ALCo, Baldwin, EMC/EMD, Fairbanks-Morse, General Electric and Lima-Hamilton-all with complete rosters.

In this book we travel between Kankakee, Illinois and Weehawken, New Jersey along the following Divisions: Western, Indiana, Canada, Erie, Buffalo, Syracuse, and River.

This volume contains 261 color photographs, full page division maps, and much more.

Four Ways West Publications, laminated hard cover, 128 pages, 8.5 x 11 x .5 in., all color photographs. FWW780
Price: 47.95 USD

This long-awaited book explores express and carload freight services provided by the Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee Railroad. These often seen –but little-known –trains operated in the shadows of the famous Limiteds and Electroliners. Cars of coal, building materials, and manufactured goods hauled by electric locomotives supported the company ’s bottom line and contributed to the growth of the on-line towns.

The 96 page book includes the history from the early days as a fledging express carrier and stone hauler to the later years as a common carrier. North Shore successfully obtained car routings from shippers making car interchange locations with the Milwaukee Road, Soo Line, Chicago & North Western and Elgin Joliet & Eastern busy spots. Even the Chicago Rapid Transit Company became involved in the freight business of the North Shore Line!

Many historians know that North Shore ’s Ferry Truck service was a precursor to today ’s intermodal railroading. Did you know that on at least one occasion, North Shore hauled iron ore North Shore served many coal and fuel oil dealers –learn how those businesses operated. Over 100 photographs, maps and drawings are included.

Contents:
Introduction, pg. 5;
System Map, pp. 6-7;
The Early Years, 1893-1916, pp. 8-10;
Service & Route Expansion, pp. 11-19;
The Court(ly) Years and a Second Chance, pp. 20-23;
The Postwar Struggle, pp. 24-35;
Pettibone Area, pp. 36-45;
Milwaukee Division, pp. 46-55;
Mundelein Branch, pp. 56-65;
Skokie Valley Route, pp. 66-81;
Shore Line Route, pp. 82-89;
The Coal and Fuel Oil Business, pp. 90-92;
Industrial Customers Report, pp. 93-95;
Team Tracks Report, pg. 96.

Pixels Publishing, soft cover, 96 pages, 8.5 x 11 x .25 in., color and b&w photographs, track diagrams, color map. PP311
Price: 29.95 USD