Montana Rail Link. A detailed and well-illustrated examination of the first two decades of operation on Montana Rail Link.

Montana Rail Link was formed in 1987 from over 900 miles of railroad unwanted by merged conglomerate Burlington Northern. The venture began with a newly-assembled group of personnel, a hand-me-down collection of equipment, and customers uncertain of its service commitment. But through nearly a quarter century of business savvy and dogged perseverance, MRL has become the poster child for successful regional railroading.

This 176-page all-color volume documents those first two decades of operation on Montana Rail Link. From the outset, one of the railroad ’s prime assets was its determination to service its clients. Never mind that the railroad was set in Montana and northern Idaho, its route wound through some of the most stunning landscape offered up by the former Northern Pacific. The landscape also presented the railroad with significant operational difficulties, manifest largely on its signature mountain passes: Mullan and Bozeman. To cope with the tough grades, manned helpers have been a way of life on MRL since its inception, its employees exhibiting a spirited professionalism that has kept the rail traffic fluid and efficient.

Over the years, Montana Rail Link has successfully mixed the acquired old with the new. Road power once ruled by SD45s, F45s, SD35s, and even an SDP40, has been supplemented and even replaced by SD70ACes. The upper-quadrant semaphores which at start-up signaled portions of the main line from Lombard to Sandpoint have been retired; CTC has replaced track warrants on the main line. MRL has run it share of passenger trains: the Montana Daylight, on-line shippers ’ specials, and steam excursions. It also had the marketing finesse to establish the Gas Local, a unit train dedicated to a single customer and run like clockwork. However, as many of the 237 photographs in this volume attest, it is the scenery which sets the entire operation in perspective. In a state of big blue sky, MRL ’s big blue diesels harmonize perfectly. It ’s a match made in Montana heaven.

Contents:
First Subdivision (Jones Junction to Spurling, Montana), pp. 8-13;
Second and Thirteenth Subdivisions (Spurling to Helena, Montana), pp. 14-57;
Third and Eighth Subdivisions (Helena to Missoula, Montana), pp. 58-93;
Fourth Subdivision (Missoula, Montana to Spokane, Washington), pp. 94-129;
Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Subdivisions (Logan to Spire Rock, Whitehall to Alder and Sappington to Harrison, Montana), pp. 130-139;
Ninth Subdivision (Missoula to Darby, Montana), pp. 140-149;
Tenth Subdivision (De Smet to Paradise, Montana), pp. 150-163;
Eleventh Subdivision (Dixon to Polson, Montana), pp. 164-175;
Index to Photographs, pg. 176.

White River Productions, produced by Dale Sanders, hard cover with jacket, 176 pages, 11 x 8.5 x .5 in., color photographs, maps and illustrations. WRP089
Price: 67.95 USD

Route of the Eagles: Missouri Pacific in the Streamlined Era.

The streamlined era on the Missouri Pacific Lines lasted 31 years, beginning with the delivery of the first EAGLE train set in 1940 and ending on Amtrak conveyance day in May, 1971. During this period, MP-T&P sponsored an extensive fleet of Eagle Blue and Mist Gray streamliners that came from just about every major car and locomotive builder, and embraced a diverse array of rolling stock.

From its St. Louis base, the railroad dispatched the colorful EAGLE fleet to destinations as far flung as Omaha, Denver, Wichita, New Orleans, Memphis and Texas. Today, little remains of the once-proud EAGLE fleet except the precious photographs and memories contained in these pages.

Contains maps, diesel passenger power roster, streamlined passenger car roster, bibliography and index. There are many b&w photographs with captions and 16 pages of color photographs.

Contents:
Foreword, pp. 2-3;
The Missouri Pacific Railroad, pp. 4-7;
Mr. Baldwin's Baby, The MISSOURI RIVER EAGLE, Competitors in Blue, pp. 8-17;
War Born Elegance, The COLORAD EAGLE, Commuting on the MoPac, pp. 18-23;
Almost an Eagle, The SUNFLOWER, pp. 24-29;
Eagles in Color, pp. 30-42;
The Eagle's Nest, St. Louis Union Station, pp. 43-48;
Kansas City Southeast, The SOUTHERN SCENIC, SOUTHERNER, and RAINBOW SPECIAL, pp. 70-75;
Little Eagles, The DELTA and VALLEY EAGLES, the first streamliner , pp. 76-85;
The Chicago & Eastern Illinois, pp. 86-93;
Headin' South, The TEXAS EAGLE, Big Red-The TEXAS SPECIAL, pp. 94-117;
Diesel Passenger Power Roster, pp. 118-121;
Streamlined Passenger Car Roster, pp. 122-123;
Bibliography, Index, pp. 124-127.

White River Productions, hard cover with jacket, 128 pages, 8.5 x 11 x .5 in., b&w and color photographs, car and locomotive roster, train consists. WRP032
Price: 38.95 USD

Arkansas boasts an unusual number of short lines for its size, many of which have descended directly from the railroads covered in this book. No dry-bones account, this book is rich in anecdotes and photographs the author has been preserving over the last 55 years. Of particular interest to railroad enthusiasts is the history of the Ft. Smith & Western line, told here in detail for the first time. This book preserves for the future the history of the Short line Railroads of Arkansas.

Chapters:

1. Mississippi, Ouachita & Red River;
2. Augusta Tramway & Transfer; Augusta RR;
3. Hot Springs RR;
4. Eureka Springs Railway; St. Louis & North Arkansas; Missouri & North Arkansas; Helena & Northwestern; Cotton Plant-Fargo; Arkansas & Ozarks; 5. Dardanelle, Ola & Southern;
6. Crossett Lumber Co.; Ashley, Drew & Northern;
7. Dardanelle & Russellville;
8. Arkansas & Oklahoma; Monte Ne RR; Rogers Southwestern; Arkansas, Oklahoma & Western; Kansas City & Memphis;
9. Memphis, Paris & Gulf; Memphis, Dallas & Gulf; Antoine Valley; Caddo & Choctaw; Hot Springs, Glenwood & Western; Ultima Thule; Arkadelphia & Mississippi River; Murfreesboro & Nashville RR;
10. Reader RR;
11. Little Rock, Maumelle & Western (Neimeyer Line);
12. Little Rock, Hot Springs & Texas; Little Rock, Hot Springs & Western;
13. Arkansas Central; Paris-Subiaco Traction; Ft. Smith, Subiaco & Rock Island;
14. Fayetteville & Little Rock; St. Paul Branch (Frisco); Black Mtn. & Eastern;
15. Ft. Smith & Western;
16. Prescott & Northwestern;
Appendix A: Gould Southwestern; Warren & Saline River; Warren & Ouachita Valley; Jonesboro, Lake City & Eastern; De Queen & Eastern; Doniphan, Kensett & Searcy; Appendix B: Shortline RRds in Arkansas in 1912;
Bibliography;
Index.

White River Productions, hard cover with dust jacket, 6.5 x 9.25 x 1.5 in., 416 pages, includes 96 pages of b&w photographs, maps, bibliography and index. WRP070
Price: 29.95 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

This book about Chicago & North Western's Business Trains presents a unique look at the business trains and equipment of the C&NW. The business cars were the pride of the corporation in the 1980s and 1990s. C&NW ’s executives rode in them and entertained customers in a manner reminiscent of the days of old, and other lucky groups occasionally got to ride.

The story of the modern business train as it was known in the last years of the C&NW really begins in 1980 when the C&NW began a serious expansion of their business train fleet, and F-units formerly in suburban service were reconditioned to pull the new business cars, which were purchased secondhand from a variety of sources. Depending on the date one chooses, the C&NW had one of the largest fleets of business cars in the U.S., and for a railroad that pinched pennies, talked about frugality, and bought a lot of secondhand revenue equipment, the business cars represented an extraordinary outlay of cash.

By the early-1990s the F-units were stored, their paint fading, and the last run of the C&NW business train ran from Chicago to Bill, Wyoming, in April 1995. Thus, the modern business train on the C&NW lasted but 15 years. For those few years, the business train represented the zenith of glory on the C&NW in the modern freight era, a glimpse of power and might on the North Western in its last days. This all-color book documents that glory.

Contents:
An Introduction to the Business Train, pp. 4-15;
Locomotives of the Business Train, pp. 16-37;
Business Cars of the Business Train, pp. 38-67;
A Business Train Scrapbook, pp. 68-87;
Index, pg. 88.

White River Productions, laminated hard cover, 88 pages, 11 x 8.5 x .5 in., all-color photographs. WRP010
Price: 29.95 USD

The New Haven Railroad in the McGinnis Era:

In Cooperation with the NHRH&TA.

The New Haven Railroad, though relatively small in size, in its day served the most densely populated and industrialized area of the United States. To satisfy the broad service requirements of its territory, the New Haven maintained a diversity of freight and passenger equipment completely out of proportion to its size. Although always an interesting railroad, the New Haven took on a larger than life character after Patrick B. McGinnis became its president on April 14, 1954.

Unquestionably the most outspoken and controversial railroad executive of his time, McGinnis believed that the railroad industry's greatest handicap was its lack of modern thinking and that his ideas-if universally adopted-could lead the railroads into the future. McGinnis used the New Haven as a laboratory to test his many bold ideas for revitalizing the railroad industry. As a result of his experiments and flair for publicity, the New Haven remained fixed in the public spotlight throughout the 22 months of his administration as no other railroad has ever been, before or since.

With the help of over 500 illustrations, author Marc Frattasio tells the full story of the New Haven under Patrick McGinnis, from the bitter battle to wrest control of the line, to the financial chicanery and turmoil that ultimately forced McGinnis to step down. In between are the details of experiments with high-speed passenger trains, the colorful corporate image and architectural design programs, new locomotives and equipment, the commuter insurrection, efforts to merge the New Haven with the Boston & Maine, the hurricanes and floods of 1954 and 1955, the General Motors plan, and many other interesting aspects of the New Haven Railroad in the McGinnis era.

Contents:
Introduction, pp. 4-7;
A History of the New Haven Railroad, pp. 8-33;
Patrick B. McGinnis, pp. 34-39;
The New Haven Under McGinnis, pp. 40-187;
Finis McGinnis, pp. 188-191;
McGinnis Goes to the Boston & Maine, pp. 192-211;
The New Haven After McGinnis, pp. 212-233;
The End of the New Haven Railroad, pp. 234-252;
References, Index, pp. 253-256.

White River Productions, hard cover with jacket, 256 pages, 8.5 x 11 x 1.5 in., b&w and color photographs, diagrams, advertising reproductions. WRP063
Price: 38.95 USD