New Haven Color Pictorial Vol. 1: The West End.

In this book we will take a look at the New Haven's electric locomotives and multiple unit cars. New Haven was the pioneer of main line AC electrification in the United States. Due to the New York State Act of 1903, steam locomotives would be banned in Grand Central Terminal and the Park Avenue Tunnel by July 1, 1908.

New Haven's experience with DC was that it was only good for light traction. So, in order to operate over its own lines and into Grand Central, the New Haven would have to operate on both a 650 volt DC third rail and 11,000 volt AC overhead wire, a formidable challenge for 1905-1907. This four track mainline electrification would be expanded to New Haven, Conn. by 1914, Cedar Hill Yard by 1915 and over the Hell Gate Bridge route by 1917.

The route covered includes from New York City on to New Haven and Springfield, Connecticut with photographs of the electrics and diesels and includes an electric locomotive roster.

Four Ways West Publications, laminated hard cover, 128 pages, 8.5 x 11 x .5 in., color photographs; roster. FWW476
Price: 43.95 USD

Come back in time and view Third Avenue Railway, Brooklyn & Queens Transit Co., South Brooklyn Railway, and Queens Borough Bridge Railway in full color.

Contents:
Third Avenue Railway, pp. 4-43;
Brooklyn & Queens Transit, pp. 44-111;
South Brooklyn Railway, pp. 112-115;
Queens borough Bridge Railway, pp. 116-125;
Preserved Cars of New York City, pp. 126-128.

Morning Sun Books, hard cover with jacket, 128 pages, 8.5 x 11 x .5 in., all color photographs with captions. MSB1202
Price: 46.95 USD

Pennsylvania Railroad Facilities In Color Vol. 1: New York Division Sunnyside to Lane.

An all-rail ride to the “Big Apple ” was Pennsylvania Railroad President Alexander Cassatt ’s goal and he accomplished it by 1910 with remarkable construction achievements. See the vital east end of the New York Division in full color through its facilities ranging from the incomparable Penn Station, New York City to a lowly block station in Waverly Yard.

Contents:
Main Line from New York City to Lane (pp. 7-77);
New York City Rail-Water Facilities (1 page);
West Newark Branch (1 page);
Jersey City Branch (pp. 80-101);
Passaic & Harsimus Branch (pp. 102-119);
Greenville Branch (pp. 120-128).

Includes photographs of many GG1s and other PRR electrics, Penn Station and other terminals, towers and first-generation diesels.

Morning Sun Books, hard cover with jacket, 128 pages, 8.5 x 11 x .5 in., all color photographs with captions. MSB1322
Price: 46.95 USD

The Brooklyn & Queens Transit: From Coney Island to Flushing

The Brooklyn & Queens Transit was formed from the surface lines of the former Brooklyn Rapid Transit after a disastrous wreck that had claimed the lives of 94 people and injured 100 had forced the BRT into receivership.

This book is a brief history of the B&QT and a b&w photographic tour of the system.

Contents:
A Brief Historical Review, pp. 4-11;
Downtown and Surrounding Areas, pp. 12-33;
From Coney Island North to Church Avenue, pp. 34-47;
Eastern Brooklyn and Western Queens, pp. 48-71;
Fighting Snow, pp. 72-75;
Trackless Trolley Postscript, pp. 76-80.

Railroad Avenue Enterprises, soft cover, 80 pages, 8.5 x 11 x .25 in., b&w photographs and maps. RAE193
Price: 16.95 USD

Third Avenue Railway: A Cityscape of Manhattan & the Bronx

A photographic tour featuring scenes from the John Harrington Riley collection.

This book is a pictorial review of the Third Avenue Railway, but in a more general sense it is a pictorial review of street scenes in Manhattan and The Bronx during the late 1940s. All of the images are from the postwar 1940s. And all images are from the inexpensive folding and box cameras of amateur photographers who happened to be rail fans.

Contents:
In Manhattan, pp. 5-26;
North-South in The Bronx, pp. 27-49;
Cross-town in The Bronx, pp. 50-78;
Last Glimpses, pp. 79-80.

Railroad Avenue Enterprises, soft cover, 80 pages, 11 x 8.5 x .25 in., b&w photographs. RAE118
Price: 16.25 USD

First and foremost, New York City was a city built by waterways. Located on the Atlantic seaboard, the access given to Manhattan Island by the Hudson, East and Harlem Rivers resulted in the rapid industrialization of the city. But those same waterways would be an impediment to the next major mode of transportation that came along - the railroads. The result was that rail trips to and from New York began or ended with a ferry boat ride across the Hudson River. It took the might of the Pennsylvania Railroad to finally establish direct rail service in 1910 with a two track tunnel under the Hudson. Most of the photographs in this book were taken west of the Hudson, because that's were most of the freight action was. Additionally, the passenger trains of the Reading, Jersey Central and B & O were terminating at CNJs magnificent station in Jersey City. The last great steam show in the region. All the railroads of the New York area are featured from large to small. But there is no question that this book is about New York City. In many shots the Manhattan skyline competes with the trains for attention, and the waterways are intertwined with the railroads.

Morning Sun Books, hard cover with jacket, 128 pages, 8.5 x 11 x .5 in., all color photographs with captions. MSB1244
Price: 46.95 USD

Unifying the Subways: New York City's Rapid Transit System from Unification to the Transit Authority

Unification of New York City's rapid transit lines started on June 1, 1940. After a decade of rough-and-tumble politics, the Inter-borough Rapid Transit and the Brooklyn and Manhattan Transit properties had been bought by the city. The properties were then combined with the municipal Independent Subway system.

The combined operation was the New York City Transit System run by the Board of Transportation. The board dated back to 1924 and, as an arm of the city government, was controlled by the mayor. The Board thus lacked the independence needed to handle fundamentals such as setting fare levels to assure adequate income and establishing spending priorities on a strictly business-like basis.

A fight by local politicians to retain this political power would massively consume the energies of the city, state, labor and civic groups throughout the 1940s and beyond. The focus of this book is on the events of the 13 year period between unification and the transfer of the city's transit system to an independent entity-the New York City Transit Authority.

Contents:
Introduction, pg. 4;
From Unification to the Transit Authority, pp. 5-13;
A Few Rolling Stock Examples from the Board of Transportation's Fleet, pp. 14-20;
Scenes from Around the System, pp. 21-44;
The Brooklyn El's, pp. 45-53;
The Manhattan Els, pp. 54-60;
Some Non-Passenger Equipment, pp. 61-67;
Finishing Up on the IND, pp. 68-72.

Railroad Avenue Enterprises, soft cover, 72 pages, 8.5 x 11 x .25 in., b&w photographs. RAE186
Price: 15.95 USD