book is all-diesel. And that’s not a bad thing, as it bridges the era between the handsome blue, gray, and black with gold trim of the “classic” B&O and the (some might say) gar- ish yellow of the Chessie System. The photos are uniformly excellent; they’re not particu- larly artistic, but they are very good docu- mentary images that capture not only the trains and rolling stock, but also the sur- rounding facilities and environment. And the photo reproduction is as good as the im- ages themselves: sharp and clean with no “off” color casts, most shot in sunny weather, and all showing excellent detail with no blocked-up shadows. In addition to B&O power you’ll see Toledo Terminal, Erie Lack- awanna, Chesapeake & Ohio, Bessemer & Lake Erie, Reading, Western Maryland, Armco Steel, Southern Pacific, and Detroit, Toledo & Ironton units.
This book does an excellent job of portray- ing the details of everyday Midwestern rail- roading in what many fans of a certain age would consider the “good old days.” Balti- more & Ohio fans will definitely want to have it, and lovers of first- and second-gen- eration diesels will, too. —WALT LANKENAU
VIDEO REVIEW
Heritage Steam in Canada: Four Western Railways Yard Goat Images, 112 3rd Ave. Minneapolis, MN
images.com;
612/623-0167. NE,
55413; www.yardgoat DVD
only,
widescreen; 104 minutes. $24.95 plus $5.00 shipping; MN residents add sales tax The Rocky Mountain west extends well in- to Canada and offers its share of steam tourist train opera- tions. This program visits four lines likely not well known to us Yanks.
The Prairie Dog Central operates on a former CN branch from Inkster Junc- tion on the outskirts
of Winnipeg, Manitoba, to the hamlet of Grosse Isle, a 22 mile round trip. The route is straight as an arrow over one of the flat- test landscapes in North America. We watch smoky ex-Canadian Pacific 4-4-0 No. 3 pull a wooden combine and four wooden coaches (all about 100 years old with truss rod un- derframes) on a couple of round trips. The photo opportunities are enhanced by the presence of wyes at each end, which allow the loco to always pull forward. The train is chased in both directions with a number of very nice runbys, plus close-ups in the yard and on the wyes. Number 3 is the oldest op- erating steam locomotive in Canada, built in Scotland in 1882 by Dubs & Co. as Canadian Pacific No. 86. It sports a diamond stack, im- itation oil headlight, and large Canadian flags on the pilot beam. The line’s backup power consists of ex-Grand Trunk Western GP9 No. 4138 (in a CN-inspired green liv- ery) and ex-BNSF GP9 No. 1685, built as Midland Railway of Manitoba No. 2. This line represents 40 minutes of the total DVD. The Kettle Valley Steam Railway is locat- ed in Summerland, British Columbia, and offers a 90-minute, 20-mile round trip ride behind Canadian Pacific No. 3716, a 2-8-0 built in 1912 by Montreal Locomotive Works
and rebuilt by CPR in 1929 to a new class and its present number. This ex-CP Kettle Valley Division route features dramatic views of the mountains, valleys, and fruit or- chards including the spectacular Trout Creek Trestle, the third highest railway bridge in North America we are told (238 feet high). The train consists of maroon coaches and some open cars fashioned from cabooses. The locomotive is seen doing early morning switching followed by a run over the line, but we don’t see too many runbys. Unfortunately photographically, the engine pulls the train outbound, in reverse, with two coaches coupled to the pilot, and on the uphill return trip the three open air cars are behind the tender. This might be great for passengers, but not so much for pictures. It looks like a nice place to ride a train, which includes being backed onto the high trestle for a view. Backup power is an ex-Southern Pacific Alco S6.
The Kamloops Heritage Railway features 2-8-0 No. 2141, a beautifully restored loco- motive built in 1912 in Ontario for the Cana- dian National and now an oil burner. It is painted in a CN-inspired scheme. As with all Canadian steam engines, it sports ditch lights. Our visit begins on Canada Day with a dusk departure of the “Fireworks Special,” and continues the next day with the first regular trip of the season. Departures are from the classic Kamloops brick depot pulling a mixture of coaches in the two-tone CN scheme and open cars. On both days preparatory switching is seen, followed by departures and an on-line runby en route to CN Junction. The return trip is a reverse shove, with train robbery. (At press time, the news came in that the Kamloops Heritage Railway will not operate in 2013.) Vancouver Island is host to the Alberni
Pacific Steam Railway, a 12 mile round trip. This line operates No. 7, a 90-ton, 2-8-2 tank engine built by Baldwin in 1929. The engine worked for several forest industry owners and finished its career in mill switching service as late as 1972. It now pulls passen- gers from the Port Alberni depot to the McLean Mill. The mill was a family opera- tion from 1926 to 1965 and is now a National Historic Site and a working example of a re- mote lumber camp and sawmill from the mid 20th century. The initial scenes show cars being shuffled in the yard on a sunny day, followed by a ride to the sawmill the next day. The consist is two closed and three open cars. There is one runby en route (the return is run in reverse). While the steamer is both rare and indigenous to the region, it was equally fascinating thing to watch the restored 1929 steam donkey (150 p.s.i., 58 h.p.) interact with the spar pole, boom, and real felled trees. Dangerous work, then and now. Watching the contraption go through its motions recalls the steam crane on the Nevada Northern or a steam rotary plow. So many levers, so little time. Technically, this DVD is very good. The live sound trumps the sparse narration, which only introduces us to each railroad. This program is a good primer for those con- sidering a visit to our Canadian neighbors and is probably representative of what longer visits would offer. It would be nice if photo charters were run with the best pas- senger cars; this would be a good opportuni- ty to showcase everything in its best light and generate some good publicity and rev- enue for the operators. — TOM KELCEC
CARSTENS BOOK STORE
On-line at
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Still available through the Erie Lackawanna Historical Society
The Merchant’s Engines by Jerry Segrue
The history of the Lackawanna Railroad’s Pacific Steam engines with a concentration on the famous “Streamstyled Pacifics”. This 60 page softbound book includes over 50 photographs and separate scale drawings of each of the four streamstyled engines. Also covered is the construction of the DL&W’s several classes of 4-6-2s and their unorthodox numbering. Member price
$2100 plus $8.95 s&h
Non-member price $2495
Erie USRA Heavy Pacifics
by D.G. Biernaki
This 80 page book provides comprehensive coverage of these fascinating locomotives
Member price Non-member price
$1500 plus $8.95 s&h $1800 (Please allow 4-6 weeks delivery)
www.erielackhs.org Dealer Inquiries Welcome
Order from: ELHS, Department RF Jay Held, 10-10 ELLIS AVE, FAIR LAWN, N.J. 07410 No phone calls will be accepted For information send SASE
N.J., PA & Ohio res. add sales tax. Outside US extra s&h.
ELHS membership at $35 per membership cycle. Cycle includes four issues of our magazine “The Diamond” and four newsletters with modeling
information. Separate check please. Send to: ELHS c/o Randy Dettmer, 290 W. Prospect St., Hudson, OH 44236
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