A Road to Riches: The Randsburg Railway Company and Mining District.

An historic epic of California desert railroading and operations in the Rand Mining District from 1897 to 1934 which was built from Kramer to Johannesburg, California by private interests to serve the rich mining district.

Read about the discovery of gold on Rand Mountain, the immense tungsten deposits at Atolia, and the rich silver find at Red Mountain;
also included is material on the various stamp mills serving the area. This is a wonderful reference addition to any library on California desert mining and railroading.

Contents:
Introduction, pp 6-10;
Ch. 1: The Gold in 'em Hills, pp. 11-21;
Ch. 2: Randsburg Railway Company, pp. 21-56;
Ch. 3: Tungsten and Atolia, pp. 57-74;
Ch. 4: The Great Silver Strike, pp. 75-82;
Ch. 5: Decline and Depression, pp. 83-88;
Ch. 6: Epilogue, pp. 89-112.

Omni Publications, laminated hard cover, 112 pages, 8.5 x 11 x .5 in., more than 150 b&w photographs and illustrations including maps, railroad timetables and station plats. op128
Price: 25.95 USD

Now the California is combined into one atlas, replacing CA-North and CA-South.

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

The Southern California Atlas & Gazetteer covers the state south of an east-west line from Santa Cruz to Fresno.

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, 190 pages, 11 x 15.5 x .5 in., color maps. dlca
Price: 16.95 USD

California Road & Recreation Atlas by Benchmark Atlas.

From its verdant mountains and vast deserts to the azure sea, California is rich in geographical diversity and natural beauty. Get to know the best of California with this recently updated and improved atlas. Now freeway exit numbers are shown and the Landscape Maps are clearer and brighter. The comprehensive Recreation Guide and accompanying maps are the perfect resource to plan the ultimate outdoor adventure.

Contents:

Regional Maps:
* USA Interstate Highway Map.
* Surrounding states with US Highways and Mileage Chart.

Recreation Guide Details:
* Interstates Highways to Trails with distances between Markers shown.
* Political Boundaries.
* Weather Reporting Stations.
* Rest Areas, Parks, Waysides, Campgrounds and RV Parks.
* Lighthouses, Covered Bridges, Natural Wonder and Scenic Overlook.
* Hiking, Rafting, Fishing, Boating, Wildlife and Birdwatching Viewing.
* Rivers, Streams, Intermittent Streams, Lakes and Marsh Areas.
* Various Goverment Land Ownerships.

Landscape Maps:
* All of the above information in more detail.
* Railroads, Powerlines, Tunnels, some abandoned Railroad Grades as 'other trails'.
* Trailheads, Gates, Mines and other details.

Benchmark Maps, soft cover, 10.25 x 15.75 x .25 in., 144 pages, color maps. bm490
Price: 17.45 USD

California's Locomotives: Short line Steam in the Golden State.

Many California railroads were organized, not to become a large railroad, but to simply serve some local purpose. Hauling lumber or minerals or sugar beets required rail services best provided by a focused, local organization.

What is a short line' Basically a smaller railroad that operates limited mileage in a single region or state and perhaps is tied to a particular commodity or service. Whether private or common carrier, the styles of short line operation were similar. The two types of carriers often sold locomotives between one another and these engines can be found lettered for both.

What is a short line steam locomotive' Generally, they were built first with cost as a primary consideration, followed by compatibility with existing infrastructure (bridge weight limits and track structure). Most weighed 90 tons or less, with small-diameter driving wheels to operate at slow speeds. This book documents in b&w photographs with captions and text those non-geared short line steam locomotives which operated in California.

Contents:
Ch. 1: Introduction, pp. 3-7;
Ch. 2: Moguls: 2-6-0 Locomotives;
Ch. 3: Prairies: 2-6-2 and 2-6-2T Locomotives, pp. 20-49;
Ch. 4: Passenger Locomotives: 4-4-0 and 4-6-0 Locomotives, pp. 50-59;
Ch. 5: 2-8-0 Consolidation Locomotives, 60-69;
Ch. 6: 2-8-2 Mikado Locomotives, pp. 70-89;
Ch. 7: Specialized Locomotives: Mallets and Minarets, pp. 90-105;
Ch. 8: Six-Wheel Switchers: 0-6-0 and 0-6-0T, pp. 106-119;
Ch. 9: Four Drivers: Switchers and Forney's, pp. 120-128.

Shade Tree Books, soft cover, 128 pages, 8.5 x 11 x .5 in., b&w photographs with captions and text. stb701
Price: 27.95 USD

Chasing the Southern Pacific in California 1953-1956.

A vivid and personal pictorial of the transition period from steam to diesel locomotives on the Southern Pacific in Southern California. 500 mostly never-before-published photos as far north as San Luis Obispo.

Contents:
Dedication, Introduction pp. 7-12;
Along the Coast, pp. 13-74;
The Southern Pacific in the Los Angeles Basin, pp. 75-124;
The Pacific Electric, pp. 125-164;
The Valley, pp. 165-210;
Other Stops Along the Way, pp. 211-236;
A Farewell to Steam Excursion, pp. 237-242;
Final Destination, pp. 243-262;
Journey's End, pp. 263-264;
Bibliography, pp. 265-266;
Index, 267-276.

Southern Pacific H&TS, hardcover with jacket, 276 pages, 8.5 x 11 x 1.5 in., b&w photographs with text and captions.

This volume presents all you ever wanted to know about Southern Pacific's rail passage over California's Donner Pass. At the summit, over 90 feet of snow falls annually. Everything about the Sierra crossing was monumental: the grade, the locomotives required to lift the trains over the Sierra, the helper locomotives, the tonnage handled, and those unique snow sheds that protected the tracks from the record snowfall and rock slides. Lean back in your chair and get ready to enjoy this well-researched book.

John Signor, researcher, writer, artist and Southern Pacific conductor brings us the full story of rail operations over the West's first mountain main line.

Contents:
Introduction, pp. 9-10;
Ch. 1: Construction and Early Operation 1860-1899, pp. 11-50;
Ch. 2: The Harriman Influence 1900-1929, pp. 51-144;
Ch. 3: The Modern Steam Era 1930-1955;
Ch. 4: Contemporary Operations 1956-1985, pp. 211-274;
Epilogue, pg. 275;
Appendix, pp. 276-286;
Bibliography, pg. 287;
Index, pp. 288-290.

Golden West Books, hard cover, 290 pages, 8.5 x 11 x 1.5 in., 492 illustrations, maps, profiles, bibliography and index. gwb940
Price: 49.95 USD

This volume presents a historical and pictorial survey of the electric railways operating around San Francisco Bay from World War II to the present time. This volume concludes the story with the Market Street Railway being presented, in addition to the Municipal Railway of San Francisco, the San Francisco, Napa & Calistoga, the Northwestern Pacific, the Petaluma & Santa Rosa, and the southern end of the Sacramento Northern. Not forgotten is the Shipyard Railway built and operated during World War II.

Contents:
Introduction, pp. 77-78;
Market Street Railway, pp. 79-89;
Municipal Railway of San Francisco, pp. 90-112;
Northwestern Pacific Railroad, pp. 113-120;
Petaluma & Santa Rosa, pp. 121-126;
Sacramento Northern Railway, pp. 127-140;
San Francisco, Napa & Calistoga Railroad, pp. 141-146;
Shipyard Railway, pp. 147-151;
acknowledgments, pg. 152;
Bibliography, pg. 153.

Golden West Books, soft cover, 80 pages, 11 x 8.5 x .25 in., b&w photographs and maps. gwb169
Price: 22.95 USD

Many believe Southern California is flat, but it has many hills and is surrounded by high mountains. Several spectacular incline railways were built and proposed over the years. Inclines such as Angels Flight, Court Flight, Mount Lowe Incline, Mount Washington Incline, Catalina Island Mountain Incline, Arrowhead Incline, and the nation's most modern and high-tech incline located at the Getty Center. 130 illustrations, maps, profiles, and index.

Contents:

Incline Railways of Los Angeles.
Introduction, pp. 9-26;
Angels Flight, pp. 27-70;
Court Flight, pp. 71-82;
Mt. Washington: Its Hotel and Incline Railway, pp. 83-122;
The Getty Center Incline, pp. 123-138;
Griffith Park Railway and Incline Company, pp. 139-142;
Mount Hollywood Scenic Railway, pp. 143-152;
Incline Railways of Southern California:
Mount Lowe Incline Railway, pp. 153-182;
Island Mountain Railway, pp. 183-206;
Industry Hills Cable Incline Railway, pp. 207-214;
Arrowhead Incline Railway, pp. 215-224;
Glendale & Verdugo Mountain Railway, pp. 225-232;
Index, pp. 233-240.

Golden West Books, hard cover with jacket, 240 pages, 6 x 9 x .75 in., b&w photographs and illustrations. gwb145
Price: 33.95 USD

Key System Street Cars: Transit, Real Estate, and the Growth of the East Bay.

The east shore of San Francisco Bay, long known as the East Bay, was served for almost 80 years by a network of streetcar lines, both for local service and to bring passengers to ferry piers for travel to San Francisco.

The first of these local car lines began horsecar service in 1869. As the years passed, more and more lines were built, some of them cable cars, with several different track gauges. In 1891, the first electric streetcar service began in Oakland.

About that same time, entrepreneur and mining millionaire Francis Marion Smith emerged upon the scene. Often called ''Borax'' Smith for the source of his fortune, he began to buy up and combine the many independent streetcar lines. All were gradually changed to a common track gauge and those not already electric-powered were electrified.

Smith was an investor in many realms, not least real estate development. Often a streetcar line would be built in conjunction with the opening of a new real estate subdivision.

Smith's empire would become the Key System, with two divisions, one providing local streetcar services, and the other with express trains connecting to the ferry piers and later to transbay trackage on the new San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. This book is the history of the local streetcar lines.

In addition to car line history, much of this book comprises descriptions of individual streetcar routes, which include many historic street scenes. Supplementing the text are 47 maps, along with graphics and ephemera, and 778 photographs (45 in color), most of which have never been published. A bibliography, extensive equipment rosters, and detailed index round out this volume.

The late Vernon Sappers worked for years on this comprehensive history of the Key lines. The result is an outstanding work of local history. Those interested in the history of East Bay cities, and of course streetcar fans, will be sure to enjoy this book.

Table of Contents:
Preface, pg. 5;
acknowledgments, pg. 6;
Photographers Credits, pg. 6;
Authors Introduction, pg. 8;
Ch. 1. Beginnings, pp. 13-58;
Ch. 2. Electrification, pp. 59-94;
Ch. 3. Decline, pp. 95-128;
Ch. 4. Streetcar Routes, pp. 129-358;
Ch. 5. Facilities, pp. 359-398;
Ch. 6. Key System Streetcar Roster, pp. 399-463;
Appendix, pp. 464-468;
Bibliography, pp. 469-470;
Index pp. 471-480.

Signature Press, hard cover with jacket, 8.5 x 11 x 1.75 in., 480 pages, 778 photographs (45 in color), 47 maps, artwork and drawings, complete rosters, bibliography, index. sp070
Price: 58.95 USD

Mount Lowe: The Railway in the Clouds.

Southern California's Mount Lowe Railway lived up to its title, The Most Scenic Mountain Railway in the World. In its short trackage from Altadena to Alpine Tavern, its rails climbed 3,130 feet in 5.84 miles, thus constituting an engineering marvel.

This book chronicles in word and picture the building of the electric railway into Rubio Canyon, the construction of the great incline on a 62 percent grade, and the narrow gauge trolley from Echo Mountain to Alpine Tavern. The Alpine Divisions tracks followed the natural contour of the mountainside, over 18 trestles and around 127 curves.

Contents:
Pioneers of the San Gabriels, pp. 7-16;
The Land Boom and Afterwards, pp. 17-24;
Professor Lowe Takes Hold, pp. 25-50;
Opening Day, pp. 51-68;
White City, pp. 69-88;
Building the Alpine Division, pp. 89-104;
Hard Times, pp. 105-120;
Disasters-Coming of the Pacific Electric, pp. 121-178;
The Burning of Alpine Tavern, pp. 179-220;
Appendix, pp. 221-222;
Bibliography, pp. 223-231;
Index, 232-234.

Golden West Books, hard cover with jacket, 234 pages, 8.5 x 11 x 1 in., 425 illustrations, maps, bibliography and index. gwb759
Price: 44.95 USD