The Railroads of America, by Merle Armitage (HC, $4, which is 1/3 of the internet price.)
What a neat book. Nearly 50 railroad lines pictured and described. Over 400 pictures of engines, passenger cars, tracks, maintenance areas, and much, much more.
The most fun part of the book for me was the discussion on why diesel is better than steam power. Diesel, of course, is cheaper than steam, but there are other benefits. The engineer sits up higher, and there is no smoke, so he can see farther down the tracks. Trains can go up to 600 miles without stopping. Diesel engines are more powerful, making steep grades easier to manage. Steam engine wheels pound the rails, so changing to diesel dropped track maintenance by 49%. Deserts can now be crossed without the need for trains to bring water tankers with them. To think that most of this change took place in only a 20 year period!
Look for this book in the transportation section, to the side of the home maintenance section, avail. 12/21.
