NEW PRODUCT NEWS AND REVIEWS Book Reviews
Smoke Over Steamtown by Dennis A. Livesey; Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., 4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, Pa. 19310; (610) 593-1777;
info@schifferbooks.com;
schifferbooks.com. Hardcover, 144 pages, 131 b&w and color photographs. $34.99 plus shipping (varies by location).
Steamtown Na-
tional Historic Site in Scranton, Pa., is one of the best museums in the U.S. at capturing the essence of big-
time steam railroading. With a moun- tain-grade mainline, operating round- house, and fully functional shop, the traditions of steam live on — and as part of the National Park system, it’s all ac- cessible to the public. Photographer Dennis A. Livesey is a volunteer at Steamtown, and over the years he has brought his camera with him to record the things he has seen (or, better, the things he has experienced) during his time at the park. The result is the stunning Smoke Over Steamtown. The first chapter of the book is “Smoke
in Color.” While some would say the two stars of the show are Canadian National 2-8-2 3254 and Canadian Pacific 4-6-2 2317, the photography does more than document the duo. There are detail shots in the cab, scenes of the warm lights in Bridge 60 Tower glowing in a winter storm, the fall colors of the Pocono Moun- tains, and the people of Steamtown. Oh, yes, the people. The second chap-
ter is much lighter on photography and heavier on text, but it might be the most important section of the book. “Smoke Crew” documents the stories of the workers at the park, many of whom have worked for other railroads in their careers. Included in this section are sto- ries from two of my favorite railroaders — Seth Corwin, who has been a part of Steamtown for over four decades, and the late Bernie O’Brien, an engineer who started out firing Challengers on the Delaware & Hudson. The other stories are equally entertaining and informa- tive. There is a lot of railroading knowl- edge shared here. The book wraps up with “Smoke in
Black & White,” and this is where Li- vesey’s photography really shines. The photographer knows how to work shad- ow and light, and the result is some fine- ly textured imagery. He gets away from the operating equipment for a few frames with some David Plowden-inspired scenes from along the right-of-way. The book is well-designed, with most
of the photos printed large. Reproduc- tion is solid throughout. There is plenty
of space to let the photos breathe, while pull quotes appear on many pages to help set the mood for the photos. Cap- tions are brief and to the point. While the photography might be the
reason you buy this book — the photos are impressive throughout — I can’t minimize the importance of the stories included in that second chapter. Buy the book, enjoy the photos, but take the time to do some reading, too. This book is much more than pictures taken around a museum — it captures history that might have otherwise gotten away. — STEVE BARRY
Route 66 Railway: The Story of Route 66 and the Santa Fe Railway in the American Southwest (ex- panded second edition) by Elrond Lawrence; Los Angeles Rail- road Heritage Foundation, 825 Colorado Boulevard, Suite 242, Los Angeles, CA 90041; (626) 458-4449;
info@larhf.org;
www.LARHF.org. hardcover, 192 pages, nearly 300 photos (most in color). $45.00 plus $6.00 shipping U.S. (CA residents add 9% sales tax).
Perhaps the most famous pairing of U.S. highway and railroad is the in- tertwined Route 66 and the former Santa Fe trans- continental route
across the southwest. This book, expand- ed by 16 pages in this second edition, fol- lows the Mother Road from California through Arizona and into New Mexico (with a brief look at some scenes farther east). You can tell this is going to be a
good book by simply opening the cover and seeing the wonderful map done by David Styffe. That is followed by a for- ward from photographer and writer ex- traordinaire Ted Benson. Then author Elrond Lawrence takes over, and his passion for the railroad, the highway, and Americana is evident throughout. After a look at some history, our jour-
ney begins in Pasadena and winds its way to San Bernardino, with looks at classic Santa Fe depots. Crossing Ca- jon Pass, we come to the Harvey House in Barstow, then head into the desert to Daggett, Ludlow, Amboy, and Cadiz (among other places) before arriving in Needles. From here, we head across the Colorado River. In Arizona, we find reminders of the
Santa Fe in Kingman, pass through Se- ligman, visit the Grand Canyon Railway in Williams, and head into the railroad town of Flagstaff. We learn that the rail- road did forget Winona (it’s called Dar- ling by the Santa Fe), and find dinosaurs and Alcos in Holbrook.
RAILROADIANA presents announcements and reviews of new railroad books, videos, calendars, and related items. To be considered for review, please send samples to RAILFAN & RAILROAD, P.O. Box 817, Swedesboro, NJ 08085. For UPS/FedEx, please send materials to RAILFAN & RAILROAD, 1950 Kings Highway #817, Swedesboro, NJ 08085.
New Mexico locations include Gallup, Prewitt, Grants, and Laguna before ar- riving in the metropolis of Albuquer- que (complete with some Rail Runner commuter trains). A look at Santa Fe (the town, not the railroad) finishes the state. The book concludes with a quick trip across the rest of the west, ending in Illinois. “The Ghost of Tom Joad” is the chapter that appropriately ends the journey. While the trains dominate the photog-
raphy, fans of the highway won’t be dis- appointed — the usual Route 66 suspects are here, including the Wigwam Motel, Jackrabbit Trading Post, and neon (lots of neon, some used, some abandoned). If you are a fan of Americana, you will certainly enjoy this book. It will occupy a prominent place on my bookshelf while I ponder my own journey across Route 66 sometime in the future. — STEVE BARRY
Video Reviews
Bakken Oil Cans and Other Trains Across the North Dakota Prairie Volumes 1 and 2 from Plets Express, P.O. Box 217, Altoona, WI 54720; (715) 833-8899;
www.pletsexpress.com. DVD or Blu-ray, 93 minutes each, $29.95 each plus $6.00 domestic shipping. I am sorry to say that
North Dakota is one of the five states that I haven’t set foot in yet, and this two-disc se- ries from Plets Express has motivated me to fix this most egregious of errors before the
year 2017 is over. With a healthy mix of heavy mainline action, along with some really interesting regional railroading, these titles are enough to make anybody want to pack their bags and head for the Upper Midwest. Disc 1 has a healthy dose of BNSF ac-
tion. We see plenty of Bakken oil field trains, both loaded and empty. There is plenty of frac sand, grain, and intermod- al action to be seen as well. BNSF motive power is seen in at least
five different paint schemes, including a couple of Santa Fe warbonnets and some Burlington Northern-painted units run- ning on a local train. One of the high- lights on this disc is seeing trains pass over the Gassman Cooley Trestle, which is nothing short of spectacular. Another segment I really enjoyed was seeing Am- trak coming through Minot. We also see
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