Western Pacific: The Last Transcontinental Railroad. Colorado Rail Annual No. 27.

This carefully researched and well-written book by an eminent railroad historian describes the conception and building of the Western Pacific, a railroad that was a Pacific extension for the Denver & Rio Grande.

Early surveys, complex financial arrangements, difficulties encountered during construction, effects of the San Francisco earthquake and the financial panic of 1907 are covered in detail. So are colorful events and personalities such as Hindu workers and tycoons Gould, Harriman and Hill. The railroad endured two receiverships and eventually experienced post-World War II prosperity.

Western Pacific operated such well-remembered passenger trains as the Feather River Express, Exposition Flyer, and California Zephyr. Coverage includes the northern California extension, built to connect with Great Northern's 1931 entrance into the Golden State, as well as a summary of later WP operations right up to the 1982 merger into Union Pacific and subsequent developments.

Colorado Railroad Museum, hard cover with jacket, 232 pages, 8.5 x 11 x 1 in., over 200 black and white photographs, 17 color photographs, 27 maps and index. CRM2783
Price: 42.95 USD

INCLUDES DELORME PUBLISHING'S JACKET-STYLE VINYL COVER.

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, 72 pages, 11 x 15.5 x .25 in., color maps. DLNVC
Price: 16.95 USD

Railroads of Nevada and Eastern California Vol. 1: The Northern Roads.

This volume is a valuable and comprehensive record of more than 43 railroads of northern Nevada and 26 railroads of southern Nevada and California, many of them never before chronicled. Myrick's hard-to-find books, first published in 1962 and 1963, respectively, are once again available.

Chapters:
The Central Pacific-Pioneer, pp. 1-50;
Eagle Salt Works Railroad Co., pg. 51;
The Nevada RR Co., pp. 52-56;
Nevada Short Line Rwy., pp. 57-62;
Golconda & Adelaide RR, pp. 63-65;
Nevada Central Rwy., pp. 66-77;
Battle Mountain & Lewis Rwy., 78-82;
Austin City Rwy., pg. 83;
Nevada Midland RR., pp. 84-85;
Mid-Pacific RR, pp. 86-89;
Eureka & Palisade RR, pp. 90-112;
Nevada Northern Rwy., pp. 113-133;
Giroux Consolidated Mines Co., pp. 134-135;
Virginia & Truckee RR, pp. 136-161;
Gardnerville & Southern RR, pg. 162;
Eureka Mill RR, pp. 163-165;
Carson & Colorado RR, pp. 166-209;
Dayton, Sutro & Carson Valley RR, pp. 210-213;
Nevada Copper Belt, pp. 214-228;
Rawhide Western Rwy., pp. 229-235;
Tonopah & Goldfield RR, pp. 236-287;
Goldfield Consolidated Mining & Transportation Co., pp. 288-291;
Bodie & Benton Rwy., pp. 298-312;
Owens River Valley Electric Rwy. Co., pp. 313-315;
Western Pacific RR, pp. 316-332;
Oregon Short Line (Idaho Central), pp. 333-336;
Other Northern Nevada Short Lines, pp. 337-340;
Nevada-California-Oregon Rwy., pp. 341-383;
Sierra Valleys Rwy., pp. 384-397;
Boca & Loyalton RR., pp. 398-409;
Verdi Lumber Co., pp. 410-415;
Logging Railroads-Lake Tahoe and Truckee River Basin, pg. 416;
Carson & Tahoe Lumber and Fluming Co., pp. 417-422;
M. C. Gardner, pg. 423;
G. W. Chubbuck, pg. 424;
Sierra Nevada Wood & Lumber Co., pp. 425-429;
Lake Tahoe Rwy. and Trans. Co., pp. 430-435;
Other Early Lumber Railroad in the Truckee Area, pp. 436-438;
Sierra Nevada Wood and Lumber Co., pp. 439-441;
Crown Willamette Paper Co., pp. 439-441;
Fiberboard Products, pg. 443;
Miscellaneous photographs.

University of Nevada Press, hard cover with jacket, 472 pages, 8.5 x 11 x 1.25 in., b&w photographs, illustrations and maps. UNP938
Price: 59.95 USD

Vol. 3: More on the Northern Roads.

The final volume in the complete history of Nevada and Eastern California railroads.

David Myrick's monumental railroad histories have become essential reference works for railroaders, historians, and hobbyists. His previous two volumes on the railroads of Nevada and Eastern California provide a rich record of rail transport in the region, including independent roads, short lines, and narrow-gauge roads, as well as many ephemeral roads built to serve mines or construction projects.

Lavishly illustrated with period photographs and maps, and rich in historical detail, they are a major contribution to the transportation history of the West. Volume III contains additional information about the northern roads, including some not covered in previous volumes, and about developments since the publication of the first two volumes in the railroads of the region. It provides new facts gleaned from the recently discovered correspondence of Collis P. Huntington, one of the builders of the Central Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads. It also covers roads connected with the lumber industry and the construction of electric power plants, and Southern Pacific branch lines, including some that never advanced beyond surveys.

Chapters:
Central Pacific Railroad, pp. 1-46;
Fernley & Lassen Railway Co., pp. 47-72;
Modoc Northern Rwy. and Goose Lake & Southern Rwy., pp. 73-74;
Carson & Colorado Rwy., pp. 75-96;
The Final Years of the Nevada-California-Oregon Rwy., pp. 97-112;
Surprise Valley Rwy., pp. 113-116;
Sierra Valleys Rwy., pp. 117-138;
Boca & Loyalton RR, pp. 139-150;
Quincy & Eastern Rwy. Co., pp. 151-168,
Indian Valley RR., pp. 169-192;
Spanish Peak Lumber Co., pp. 193-202;
Quincy Lumber Co., pp. 203-210;
Massack Timber and Lumber Co., pp. 211-216;
Sloat Lumber Co., pp. 217-224;
Nibley-Stoddard Lumber Co., pp. 225-228;
Davies Box and Lumber Co., pp. 229-240;
Feather River Lumber Co., pp. 241-250;
Clover Valley Lumber Co., pp. 251-266;
Red River Lumber Co., pp. 267-282;
Northern California RR Co., pp. 283-286;
Fruit Growers Lumber Co., pp. 287-302;
Lassen Lumber and Box Co., pp. 303-314;
Feather River Rwy., pp. 315-330;
Swayne Lumber Co., pp. 331-340;
Feather River Power Plant Railroads, pp. 341-344;
Lake Almanor and Caribou Powerhouse, pp. 345-358;
Bucks Lake RR, pp. 359-362;
Oro Electric Corp., Proposed RR to Power Plant on Yellow Creek, pp. 363-364;
Recent Developments in Nevada Railroads, pp. 365-381;
Index, pp. 381-392.

Once again, David Myrick's far-reaching research has produced an invaluable record of the development of rail transportation in the Far West. This final volume to his study of the roads of Nevada and Eastern California is a fascinating history of western railroads and the region they helped to build.

University of Nevada Press, hard cover with jacket, 376 pages, 8.5 x 11 x 1.25 in., illustrated with over 300 b&w photographs, many never before published, and route maps. UNP015
Price: 59.95 USD

Southern Pacific: Sacramento Division is the second in the series of all-color pictorials of a railroad about which no one is neutral, the Southern Pacific. For those who loved this proud, arrogant company, Southern Pacific: Sacramento Division presents a retrospective on railroading in northern and central California, Nevada and Utah from the late-1950s until the mid-1990s. These were years of transition and decline of the SP ’s influence in the west, however, the photographs and extended captions presented here emphasize the railroad in its former, healthy condition.

With 223 photographs by 45 photographers, Southern Pacific: Sacramento Division presents a thorough look at SP ’s main line and branch line operations from Dunsmuir to Fresno, and from Sacramento to Ogden, all are covered in these pages. The photographs presented here were selected to illustrate the dramatic geographic and geologic conditions through which the Southern Pacific ’s various Sacramento Division lines were built, ranging from pastoral farming scenes to vast deserts and to rugged mountains. It is hoped that, taken together, these volumes will provide a definitive look at what was once the most significant railroad in the American West.

The photo selections in this book present a nice balance between the steam and the first, second and third generations of diesels. Expect to see the rare locomotives, such as the Sulzer-powered U-boats, a Cotton Belt 4-8-4 on the Tracy, California turntable, plus some views inside the Sacramento Shops.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments, Foreword, 4-5;
1: Sacramento Valley, pp. 6-25;
2: San Joaquin Valley, pp. 26-45;
3: Valley Branches, pp. 46-55;
4: Donner Crossing, pp. 56-93;
5: Donner Winter, pp. 94-109;
6: Overland West, pp. 110-127;
7: Overland East, pp. 128-143;
Bibliography and Photographers, pg. 144.

White River Productions, hard cover with jacket, 144 pages, 12 X 9 x .75 in., horizontal format, all-color photographs, maps. WRP027
Price: 59.95 USD

Southern Pacific's Salt Lake Division.

While many segments of the vast Southern Pacific have attracted wide attention over the years, the lines of the SP in Nevada and Utah have remained largely a mystery. The stretch from Sparks, Nevada, to Ogden, Utah, was for many years known as the Salt Lake Division.

This volume is an attempt to trace the long and colorful history of the Southern Pacific Railroad through Nevada and Utah, starting with the pioneer Central Pacific in the 1860s, and continuing on with the vibrant Harriman years after 1900, through Depression and War, and on into the modern era. Over the years, terminals and railroad towns were built, and many later faded into history. Engineering and operating challenges were overcome. Throughout, the traffic, trains and people of the Salt Lake Division continued to change, and all left their mark in some way in the shifting sands and wind-blown passes of this lonely land.

This volume is by noted Southern Pacific authority John Signor. As with all his SP historical works, the coverage is thorough and detailed, with many specifics drawn from operating personnel. Signor has created an original oil painting for the dust jacket and frontispiece, as shown at left.

Table of Contents:
Introduction, pp. 6-7;
Acknowledgments, pp. 8-10;
Ch. 1: Pioneer, 1863-1900 pp. 11-66;
Ch. 2: Coming of Age, 1900-1929, pp. 67-196;
Ch. 3: The Late Steam Era, 1930-1955 pp. 197-340;
Ch. 4: The Diesel Age, 1955-1981, pp. 341-432;
Ch.5: The Final SP Years, pp. 433-447;
Epilogue pg. 448;
Appendix: Salt Lake Division Place Names, pp. 449-463;
Bibliography, pp. 464-466;
Index, pp. 467-480.

Signature Press, hard cover with jacket, 480 pages, 8.5 x 11 x 1.75 in., 682 photographs (77 in color), 68 maps and graphics, station list, bibliography, index. SP216
Price: 62.95 USD

SPV's Comprehensive Railroad Atlas of North America: California & Nevada

This edition is the older Second Edition offered at a sale price.

Covers the states of California and Nevada after the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe and Union Pacific-Southern Pacific mergers.

Includes detail maps of the following locations:

California: Bishop-Laws, Cajon Pass, Cuesta Grade, Donner Summit, Exeter, Fresno, Keddie, Oakland, Oxnard, Reno Jct., Sacramento, San Jose, San Mateo, Stockton, Tehachapi, Trinidad, and Visalia

Nevada: Goldfield, Palisade, Tonopah, and Virginia City

This atlas is designed to provide a single source of reference to the North American rail network, past and present in greater detail than has readily available until now. Each sheet is drawn to a constant scale of 8 miles to 1 inch for easy distance comparisons with 2 miles to 1 inch enlargements of complex areas.

All extant rail lines are shown together with stations, junctions, yards, principal bridges and tunnels. Former lines, now abandoned, are also shown. Ownership, current and past, and trackage rights are shown. An index of stations is included.

Steam Powered Video, soft cover, 88 pp., 8.25 x 11.75 x .25 in., printed on heavy enameled paper. SPVATCNOOP
Price: 14.95 USD

This book details the construction and history of all depots and stations along the Western Pacific route from San Francisco to Salt Lake City. Meticulously researched, this volume includes official drawings of the depots, together with hundreds of photographs both in color and black & white.

* Over 400 vintage photographs with more than 100 in color
* Over 50 original Western Pacific architectural drawings
* Full description of all passenger trains run by the Western Pacific

A must-have book for all WP enthusiasts!

Contents: Ch. 1: The Depots and Stations;
Ch. 2: Depot and Station Plan Descriptions;
Ch. 3: Construction Standards;
Ch. 4: San Francisco to French Camp;
Ch. 5: Stockton to Marysville;
Ch. 6: Oroville to Clio;
Ch. 7: Portola to Pronto;
Ch. 8: Winnemucca to Carlin;
Ch. 9: Elko to Salt Lake;
Ch. 10: Northern California Extension and the Branches;
Ch. 11: The Passenger Trains.

Stephen M. Hayes, laminated hard cover, 328 pp., mostly b&w photographs with some color, printed on high-gloss 80-pound paper. SMH100
Price: 39.95 USD