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Railroad History Publications

The Railroad Switching Terminal at Maybrook, NY
by Mark Newman and the Maybrook Historical Society

Soft cover, 85 pages. The railroad switching terminal is the "heartbeat" of the rail system and Maybrook in Orange County, was a key link in moving goods to and from New England. At one time it employed as many as 1500 workers. Tools, equipment, occupations, buildings, rail cars and layout of the railyard are the focus of this book. Included are approximately 100 photos, which follow the path of rail cars into the yards, and show how they were repaired and classified.

Switching Terminal at Maybrook, New York Qty: Price: $12.50

 

MOUNTAIN RAILROADS OF NEW YORK STATE, VOLUME 1:
WHERE DID THE TRACKS GO IN THE WESTERN ADIRONDACKS?

by Michael Kudish

When I arrived at Paul Smith’s College in 1971, I wished for a single, convenient reference which would locate all railroads, abandoned and extant, in the whole Adirondack region. If this reference also provided only a brief summary of the history of each railroad, it would have been much appreciated. But no such single reference was available, although much had and has been written on individual lines. I had to prepare such a reference for himself and hope that others would find it useful.

Soft cover, 264 pages, Nearly 100 maps and photos $25.00

Publishing Schedule for MOUNTAIN RAILROADS OF NEW YORK STATE
Volume Two: Where Did the Tracks Go in the Central Adirondacks? May 2006.
Volume One: Where Did the Tracks Go in the Eastern Adirondacks? May 2007.
Volume One: Where Did the Tracks Go in the Catskills? May 2008.

 


MOUNTAIN RAILROADS OF NEW YORK STATE, Vol.1 Qty: Price: $25.00


UPTOWN--DOWNTOWN;
HORSECARS--TROLLEY CARS:
URBAN TRANSPORTATION IN KINGSTON, NEW YORK, 1866-1930
by Glendon L. Moffet

-From "Kingston's Great Trolley Fight: Kingston City Electric Railway vs. Colonial City Railroad":

"The ordinariness of today's urban public transportation makes it difficult to understand the passion with which the media and the traveling public embraced electric trolleys in their first years. Minute details of trolley line construction and operation were eagerly reported by Kingston and Rondout newspapers, and a fifteen-minute delay in service brought reporters scurrying to discover the cause. The big story, however, was the rivalry between two competing lines: the Kingston City Electric Railway Company and the Colonial City Railroad Company.

On March 17, 1892, the Kingston City Electric Railway Company was incorporated in New York State to operate an `electric street-surface railroad' for 2.97 miles." The early transportation needs of Rondout and Kingston were met by ominbuses, stagecoaches that plied regular routes within and between the communities. The next step, in the 1860s, was the introduction of horsecars, which ran on rails, but when the electric trolleys were introduced toward the end of the nineteenth century, the battle was on between to competitors: Kingston City Electric and Colonial City Railroad. For a decade the battled in court, at common council meetings, and once in the street. Because Kingston City Electric assumed the franchise of the Kingston and Rondout Horse Railroad Company, it had a right-of-way across the West Shore Railroad's tracks, which had been constructed after the horsecar tracks were in place. By the time Colonial City laid out its line, there was no way it could get permission to cross the steam railroad's tracks. Eventually, a tunnel had to be constructed under the tracks, providing Kingston with a block-long subway. Shortly after the turn of the century, the lines merged into the Kingston Consolidated Railroad Company, and it operated trolleys, running as frequently as every ten minutes, until they were replaced by buses in 1930.

152 pages, illustrated, 6 x 9, index, appendices, 1997 $12.50 paperback

Uptown Downtown Qty: Price: $12.50

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS ON THE ND&C
by Bernard L. Rudberg

207 pages, illustrated, 8.5 x 11 hardcover, $35.00
(Harcover limited to 400 copies Signed and Numbered (Sold Out!)
paperback, Still available $22.50

The railroad tracks that ran from Dutchess Junction and Matteawan (Beacon) through Hopewell and Millbrook to Millerton and to Connecticut at State Line had several different names in their first few years of existence. Out of that chaos grew the Newburgh, Dutchess & Connecticut Railroad. The ND&C Railroad under the leadership of John Schultze and Charles Kimball established an operation that survived through good times and bad for over twenty-five years until it was absorbed into the Central New England Railway later becoming part of the New Haven Railroad. Still later, eleven miles of the old ND&C line became part of the ill-fated Penn Central, next Conrail, then the Housatonic Railroad, and currently Metro North. The heart of the book is the twenty-five years of ND&C operation from 1879 to 1904. Recently discovered ND&C record books now in the possession of the Beacon Historical Society (33,000 pages in 48 volumes) are a window into the everyday events and problems of running a railroad in the late 1800s. This remarkable resource contains everything from compensating farmers for cattle run over by trains to dealing with the great blizzard of March 1888, as well as ordering locomotive repair parts or reporting the office washroom drain is clogged again. After spending more than a year of spare time reading the books, the author came to think of Schultze and Kimball as old friends even though both have been gone for over 100 years. The author conveys the human side of the struggle to build a successful business and preserves the contributions that Schultze, Kimball, and the railroads made to the world we live in today.
NDandC Soft Cover Qty: Price: $22.50
 

The
New York Susquehanna and Western
In Color
by Paul R. Tupaczewski

128 pages of unbelievable Susquehanna color, well over 200 color photographs starting with the decapods to the most modern of power. Every locomotive paint scheme is pictured as well as all of the passenger equipment and some freight. Loads of pictures from all over the NYS&W system. $55.00

NYSW in Color Qty: Price: $55.00

A History of
Railroads in Western
New York

by Edward T. Dunn

345 pages of railroad history covering the growth of the New York Central, Erie and dozens of other railroads that operated in Western New York. There is so much information in theis book it is hard to describe. Soft Cover. $25.00

Railroads of Western NY Qty: Price: $25.00

LEHIGH & HUDSON RIVER
In Color

by Jim Boyd and Tracy Antz


The history and operations of the
Lehigh & Hudson River Railroad between 1860 and 1976.
128 Pages well over 100 color photos and dozens
of black and white photos and maps.
Hard cover $59.95


LHR Book Qty: Price: $59.95

Bridging The Hudson

The Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge
and Connecting Rail Lines

By Carlton Mabee

The story of the construction of thte Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge and the
railroads that used it, 296 pages, over 200 photos, maps & drawings.
Soft Cover $24.00



Poughkeepsie Bridge Soft Cover by Mabee Qty: Price: $24.00

 

The Delaware & Hudson Steam in Color

By Chuck Yungkurth

128 pages of absolute pure color Delaware & Hudson. Most of the photographs in this work are taken in the final years of steam on the railroad. Everything from the smallest Camelbacks to the massive Challengers with only a few early diesel pictures present to signify the beginning of the end of the steam motive powes reign on the D&H. Many famous photographers work is displayed in this fine book.

D and H Steam in Color Qty: Price: $54.95

Back in Print!
The Ulster & Delaware
...Railroad Throught the Catskills
by Gerald M. Best
210 pages, tipped in color plate, 320 illustrations,
8.5" X 11" format. Hard cover with full color dust jacket.
Price $50.00

 

The U and D by Best Qty: Price: $50.00


"Days Along The Buckwheat
& Dandelion"
The Unadilla Valley Railway
by Fred Pugh
This is this books second printing and it has had 1/3 more pages added with many color pictures and track maps added. The UVRy connected with the O&W and over the years purchase a number of used pieces of equipment including motive power from the O&W. Many of the new pictures are of O&W equipment. A great publication.
We understand the supply of this item is dwindling. $50.00

Buckwheat and Dandelion Qty: Price: $50.00

Scenes Along The Rails, Volume 1
The Anthracite Region Of Pennsylvania, Part 1
By John W. & Suzanne C. Hudson

116 pages 110 photos and 7 maps. Covering the N.Y.O. & W. Ry., Wilkes-Barre & Eastern, Delaware Valley, D&H, DL&W, Lacawanna & Wyoming Valley, Erie and Shohola Glen switch back railroads. Hard Cover witht Dust Jacket. $25

 

Scenes Along The Rails Part 1 Qty: Price: $25.00

Scenes Along The Rails, Volume 1
The Anthracite Region Of Pennsylvania, Part 2
By John W. & Suzanne C. Hudson

152 pages 192 photos & 5 maps. Covering the LV, Pittsburg, Binghamton & Eastern, Susquehanna & New York, Susquehanna & Eagles Mere, Williamsport & North Branch, Eagles Mere, Bloomsburg & Sullivan, and Susquehanna, Bloomsburg and Berwick lines. Hard Cover with dust jacket $39.95

Scenes Along The Rails Part 2 Qty: Price: $39.95


Scenes Along The Rails
The Delaware Lackawanna and Western
The Syracuse Division

By John W. & Suzanne C. Hudson

144 pages, almost 200 pictures, maps and drawings. A thorough look at the stations,
industry and people along the Lackawanna's Syracuse Division.
another fine work from the Hudsons. Hard Cover with dust jacket. $45.00

Scenes Along The Rails Lackawanna Qty: Price: $45.00

 

 

The Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad
By Paul Pietrak, Joseph G. Streamer & James A. Van Brocklin
For most of it's existence the Western New York & Pennsylvania railway was a part of the Pennsylvania Railroad System. The Pennsylvania Railroad had little interest in western NY and northwestern Pennsylvania. Over the years this disinterest has funneled down and most authors writing books about the great Pennsy System have ignored the WNY&P Ry. The authors of this book are giving the history and telling the untold stories of this forgotten railway system. There are over 250 pages divided into 13 chapters with 250 photographs and dozens of track plans, maps, timetables, billboards, etc.
Price $35.00
WNY and PA Book By Pietrak Qty: Price: $35.00

Other Railroad Publications
All are in stock!
Lehigh and New England Railroad
By Ed Crist and John Krause
This fine book examines the history of the LNE back to the days of the canals through the roads dieselization and it's most vital of commodities "Coal". 80 pages, many photographs. $13.95

L. and N. E. Book By Crist Qty: Price: $13.95
Pioneer American Railroads
The Mohawk ans Hudson and The Saratoga and Schenectady
By F. Daniel Larkin
The history of New Yorks first two railroads and the inovations they saw. 96 pages many illustrations, 81/2" X 11", laminated hardcover. $25.00

Pioneer Amer. RR's Book By Larkin Qty: Price: $25.00
"Listen to the Whistle"
The History of the Wallkill Valley Railroad
By Carlton Mabee
Pulitzer Prize winning author Carlton Mabee has written an anecdotal history of the Wallkill Valley Railroad in Ulster and Orange Counties of New York State. This is the only book ever written on the Wallkill Valley Railroad which ran from Montgomery to Kingston.168 pages many illustrations 81/2" X 11", laminated hardcover. $29.00 Sold Out!

Rails In The North Woods
by Richard S. Allen, William Gove, Keith F. Maloney, Richard F. Palmer
It's Back!!!
Reprinted, revised, and better than ever. Originally published by North Country Books in 1978, this is the story of 10 New York State shortline railroads, including an update on the existing Lowville & Beaver River Railroad and, new in this edition, the history of the Marion River Carry Railroad, "The Shortest Railroad in the World." Other railroads covered include Carthage & Copenhagen, Adirondack & St. Lawrence, (shortline), Grasse River, Cranberry Lake, Williamstown & Redfield, Crown Point Iron Co., Moose River and Minnehaha ("Peg Leg") 208 pages, 10x8 soft cover, Locomotive rosters, many rare photos. Published by North Country Books $21.95

RR's In The North Woods Qty: Price: $21.95

The Fonda, Johnstown, & Gloversville Railroad
By Randy L. Decker
soft cover $18.98

The F. J. and G. RR. book Qty: Price: $18.98

Niagara By Rail

The following soft cover books are a series by Peter Jehrio Each book documents with pictures the railroads that served the Niagra Frontier in Western, New York.

Niagara By Rail I 81/2" X 11" 24 pages $6.95

Niagra By Rail I Qty: Price: $6.95

Niagara By Rail II 81/2" X 11" 24 pages $7.95

Niagra By Rail II Qty: Price: $7.95

Niagara By Rail III 81/2" X 11" 24 pages $7.95

Niagra By Rail III Qty: Price: $7.95

Niagara By Rail I, II & III Three volume set $21.95
Niagra By Rail I, II and III Qty: Price: $21.95
Pennsylvania By Rail-I

A mix of color and black and white photographs along the Erie, B&O, Conrail, Ma & Pa, Penn Central, Phila. Transit Co, The Knox, Kane, Kinzua, The Pa. Glass Sand Co, The WAG, D&H, Johnstown Traction, The CP&A, Reading, LV, Penna. RR and the Bellefonte Historical Railroad. All with captions. 24 pages soft cover. Publ. 1993 $7.95
Pennsylvania By Rail-I Qty: Price: $7.95

Railroads In Early Postcards
By Richard Palmer & Harvey Reohl
Over 100 postcard view of upstate New York Railroads
81/2" X 11" 106 pages soft cover. $11.95
Railroads In Early Postcards Qty: Price: $11.95

Hudson River And The Hudson River Railroad
An 1851 account relates a charming look at the Hudson River and the railroad.
6" X 9" 50 pages, illustrations, maps, soft cover $6.95
Hudson River and The Railroad Qty: Price: $6.95

Lehigh & New England Railroad
A color retrospect by Douglas E. Lilly. A look at the railroad in it's last 15 years of operation. Approximately 200 color pictures taken between 1946 and 1961. 136 pages, hard bound. $45.00
LNE by Gouglas E. Lilly Qty: Price: $45.00
Coal Miners of the Panther Valley
A album of black and white photographs taken before the mines closed in the Panther Creek Valley.
By George Harvan, 48 pages, $17.95
Coal Miners/Panther Valley Qty: Price: $17.95

Death of a Great Company
Reflections of the decline and fall of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Co. by Julian Parton
The story of the LC&N during the time they discontinued their coal mining operations, as seen through the eyes of the pesident of the company. 121 pages, $15.95
Death of a Great Co. Qty: Price: $15.95
Railroad Books Of Western New York
And Northwest Pennsylvania
By Paul Pietrak
Possible Reprints!, let us know if you want one and we will let you know when they come in. The CP&A and PS&N are sold out and the B&S book is in shortening supply. I am trying to convince him to reprint them all. Place a reservation for out of stock items and we will notify you of their being reprinted.

 

 Send an e mail to reserve your copy of Pietrak's future book reprints
AL1HDAGENT@ aol.com

 


The History of the
Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railroad
194 Pages 155 Photos $20
SOLD OUT!
Place a reservation for a future reprint!
The story of the PS & N, a railroad that was made up of a number of short lines, both standard and narrow gauge. The railroads only major source of income was from hauling coal. The PS & N was in receivership for most of its existence and was abandoned in 1947.

The History Of
The Coudersport & Port Allegany &
The New York & Pennsylvania Railroads
182 Pages 139 Photos $20
SOLD OUT!
Place a reservation for a future reprint!
The CP & A was a short line which operated in Potter County Pa. The road was originally narrow gauge and was intended to connect Coudersport to the outside world. After conversion to standard guage the line was extended to connect with the B&S & the NYC. The NY & P started out as the Olean, Oswego & Eastern. This roads main revenue sources was in the lumber and tanning industries. The NY & P connected with the Erie,
the B&S and the Shawmut. The railroad known as the "NIP" was abandoned in 1936.

The History Of
Buffalo Rochester & Pittsburgh Railway
254 Pages 225 Photos $25
SOLD OUT!

The BR & P was originally the Rochester & State Line opening in 1870. The company was reorganized as the Rochester & Pittsburgh and then the BR & P. The BR & P was operated as a small class I railroad serving the coal fields of Pa. and the ports of Buffalo & Rochester. The roads motive power included 2-6-6-2 and 2-8-8-2 type locomotives. The road was taken over by the B&O in 1932 and is operated today in part as the Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railway.

The History of the
Buffalo & Susquehanna Railroad
162 Pages 146 Photos $20
Sold Out!
The Sinnemahoning Valley RR was opened in 1885 and hauled lumber in and around Austin, Pa. In 1893 the road was re-named the B&S and was extended to serve the coal fields around DuBois, Pa. The road traversed the mountains and had four switch backs and many steep grades requiring pushers. The road was taken over by the B&O in 1932 and again by the Wellsville addison & Galeton in 1955. Today little remains of the B&S, nature has reclaimed the right of way with only a few surviving stations now being used as private residences.

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