Paul K. Withers This 320-page hardcover book covers the Reading diesel fleet from the start of dieselization 1926 through the late 1950s through text, photographs (more than 700), diagrams, and specifications. Heavily illustrated, the book also contains 32 pages covering Reading's distinctive stream locomotive fleet, from camelbacks to homebuilt 4-8-4s. |
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Looking for a replacement locomotive for its mammoth 4,500-horsepower turbine, UP solicited bids from all three major diesel-electric locomotive manufacturers. General Electric responded with a 5,000-horsepower, double-diesel design that used the running gear from the turbines they replaced and combined the equipment of two U25Bs mounted on a B+B-B+B running gear. Lasting slightly more than 10 years, the 23 U50s did what they were bought for moving heavy tonnage with fewer individual locomotives. By the late 1960s, Union Pacific’s fleet of double-engine diesels had proven the concept that bigger is better. When it came time for a second round of orders, only EMD and GE were sent proposals. EMD responded with the DDA40X and GE with the U50C. Although the U50C was a slightly more conservative design, electrical and other problems led to its early demise. Delivered in 1969-70, the 40 U50Cs lasted only eight years. This 88-page, 8-1/2 x 11-inch, vertical-format perfect-bound (softcover) book covers these two monsters with 175 black-and-white photos and 63 color photos, as well as diagrams. The book also includes a page on GE’s proposed U56C. |
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The new directory presents the fleet in a unit-by-unit listing with more than 150 photographs. The new green goat, remote-control platforms, slugs, and Cat-powered units are covered as well as the latest rebuilds. Assembled from official NS records, this 6" x 9" softcover 160-page book is perfect for field use, locomotive historians, and model railroaders.
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While there have been many books on this subject, none have covered the Milwaukee Road diesel fleet in the detail and number of photos presented in these two 268 page, 8-1/2 x 11-inch, vertical-format hardcover books. We have scoured the country, reviewing the negative and slide collections, to bring the best black and white and color diesel locomotive photos to the Milwaukee Road enthusiast to be found between two covers. Volume 2 will cover the following: Late Six-axle Road Switchers (SD45, SDL39, SD40-2, U33C. U36C, U30C); Freight Cab units (FT, F3. F7, F9, CFA/B16-4); Passenger Cab Units (DL109, E6, E7, E9, FP7, Erie-built, FP45s); and Rebuilds (GP20, SD10, Slugs).
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While there have been many books on this subject, none have covered the Milwaukee Road diesel fleet in the detail and number of photos presented in these two 268 page, 8-1/2 x 11-inch, vertical-format hardcover books. We have scoured the country, reviewing the negative and slide collections, to bring the best black and white and color diesel locomotive photos to the Milwaukee Road enthusiast to be found between two covers. Volume 1 will cover the following: Switchers - HH600, HH660, HH900, S-2, S-4, VO660, VO1000, DS4-4-1000, S-12, SW1, NW2, SW7, SW9, SW1200, TR2, TR4, MP15AC, H10-44, H12-44, 44-tonners, 90-tonners Early Four-axle Road Switchers - RS-1, RS-2, RS-3, RS-12, GP9, H16-44 Early Six-axle Road Switchers - RSC-2, RSC-2.5, RSD-5, AS-616, SD7, SD9, H16-66 Late Four-axle Road Switchers - GP30, GP35, GP40, GP38-2, U25B, U28B, U30C, U23B
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 At first glance, the General Motors' FP7 or FP9 looks like their freight-service counterparts. But on closer examination, the model's extra four feet of length can be seen in the space between the first porthole and first louver. This extra space was used to increase the boiler water capacity for the steam generator, allowing the unit to operate over longer distances, matching the unit's fuel capacity without the need for intermediate water stops. The model's popularity is reflected in its sales numbers - 362 FP7s for 27 customers and 93 F9s for four customers. Major U.S. owners include Atlantic Coast Line, Louisville & Nashville, Milwaukee Road, Pennsylvania, and Southern. North of the border, Canadian National and Canadian Pacific found the model(s) ideal as did Mexican railroad, National de Mexico. One chapter will cover the FP's close relative, the FL9. All owners, as well as secondary owners and operators in North America are covered in this 120 page, softcover book with a varied selection of color and black-and-white photographs.
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* Unit-by-unit Listing * 150-plus color and b&w photos * New ES44AH, ES44DC, and road slugs * Handy 6" x 9" size to carry in the field * 152 pages Softbound Limited press run |
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Unit-by-unit listing 150-plus photos including rebuilt slugs, GP40-2s, ES44ACs, and new GenSet units From official NS records Handy 6" x 9" size to carry in the field 160 pages, soft cover |
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Unit-by-unit listing 150-plus photos including rebuilt slugs, GP40-2s, ES44ACs, and new GenSet units From official NS records Handy 6" x 9" size to carry in the field 152 pages, soft cover |
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When it first appeared in 1967, the Diesel Spotter's Guide by Jerry A. Pinkepank brought much-needed organization to the sport of diesel spotting in North America. Subsequent guides have covered the evolution of the diesel-electric, including Diesel Era's The Contemporary Diesel Spotter's Guide, 2000 edition. Now, more than 40 years after the original guide was published, authors Louis A. Marre and Paul K. Withers have teamed again to update The Contemporary Diesel Spotter's Guide, putting a Diesel Era "spin" on the newest edition. The year 2008 edition will help you identify diesel locomotives from such spotting features as hood shape, truck type, and the location and number of fans, louvers, and doors. Offered in our standard 6" x 9" size for easy carrying in the field, this 248-page perfect-bound book contains more than 500 color photographs. It is a must for railfan and model railroader libraries alike.
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This nice book traces the history of Alco's 6-Axle Century models: Chapter headings: C-630 vs SD40 vs U30C; Century 628; Century 630; Century 636; Centuries in Color; Alco Six-Axle Century Roster (by model); and Alco Six-Axle Century Roster (by builder's date). List price $40.00, softcover, color and b&w photos, 208 pages
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* Unit-by-unit listing * 100-plus color photographs including all the heritage, Olympic, and Bush units * Latest SD70ACe and C45ACCTE units * From official UP records * Handy 6 x 9" size to carry in the field * 192 pages * All color! |
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The American Locomotive Co.'s introduction to the diesel locomotive came from the industry practice of commercial steam locomotive builders supplying carbodies to electric locomotive builders, such as General Electric Co. and Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co. In 1927, GE decided to bring all of its locomotive work in-house and build complete locomotives at its Erie, Pa., plant. This ended GE's commercial partnership with Alco, which had been in effect for 30 years. As a result, for Alco to remain a diesel locomotive builder, it had to have its own manufacturing facilities at Schenectady, N.Y. So Alco acquired the McIntosh & Seymour Corp. in 1928. By 1930, it offered a line of 300- & 600-hp locomotives. This line soon developed into what is known today as the High Hood or HH series of locomotives. Between 1932 and 1940, Alco built 176 HH units, ranging from 600 to 1,000 horsepower, for a wide cross-section of America's railroads. Even today, 60 years later, a handful of the units remain in service at industrial operations across the country. This 120-page softcover book covers these pioneering diesels in text, 37 color and 293 b&w photographs, ads, and drawings in the style you've come to expect from Withers Publishing. |
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Following a long progression of end-cab switchers beginning in 1939, EMD's SW1500 model was introduced at the zenith of switcher production, the 1960s and 1970s. Featuring the builder's newly introduced 645-series prime mover, the model offered a unit that was suitable for yard, local, and even road freight service. During the model's 8 year production, no distinct changes took place, but options specified by the 58 customers, such as truck style, fuel tank capacity, and handrail placement, divided the production into 8 separate groups. This 120-page softcover book covers these pioneering diesels in text, photographs, and drawings. Major operators included,
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The reference book series for Union Pacific diesel and turbine fans! The most complete roster/pictorial books published to date, the first two-volume set covers builder’s data and dispositions of each member of this western carrier’s diesel-electric and turbine locomotive fleet during the 1934 to 1982 period, as well as a varied selection of photographs showing each model. From the early EMC E units and giant GE-built gas turbines to the varied EMD SD40-2 fleet that moved transcontinental freight into the 1980s, all are covered. Both volumes are 8.5 x 11-inch vertical-format hardcover book that contains approximately 176-pages, 260-plus black-and-white photos and 75-plus color photos
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Introduced in 1947, the 1,500-horsepower H15-44 was one of two models offered by Faibanks Morse that shared a common platform - the other was the 2,000-horsepower H20-44 model. Powered by an eight-cylinder opposed-piston prime mover, the H15-44 featured an offset cab design that allowed for the installation of a steam generator in the short hood, making it a true all-purpose locomotive. In 1950, the prime mover was rerated to 1,600 horsepower and the H16-44 was born. When production of the H16-44 ended in 1963, a total of 299 H15/16s had been built for 24 customers. FM's most successful model. This heavily illustrated 8.5 x 11" vertical-format softcover book contains 144 pgs covering FM's distinctive road switchers incl. 378 photos, 91 in color. |
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In recent years, Union Pacific has continued an ongoing process of upgrading its motive power with the acquisition of hundreds of new SD70Ms from General Motors and AC4400CWs from General Electric. The result is that UP operates one of the most modern and productive locomotive fleets in the country. The arrival of new locomotives means the retirement of older, and, what many consider, some of the more interesting "classics" on the roster. Coupled well as numerous renumberings to accommodate the new units, today's UP roster is difficult to track. In this 160 page, 8.5 x 11" softcover book, a unit-by-unit listing of every unit on the UP roster as of December 31, 2003, is provided, assisting the enthusiast in identifying the history of every unit. Whether new or now wearing its sixth road number, all are covered in both roster and photographic form. A must-have book for both fan and modeler alike.
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Four-Axle Models In April 1963, Alco Products, Inc., introduced the Century line of diesel-electric locomotive models to the North American market. Designed to compete with the latest designs from General Motors and General Electric, initial offerings included the 2,000-horsepower C-420 and 2,400-horsepower C-424. Both models rode on B-B trucks Ð production of a C-C truck model, designated the C-628, began in late 1963. But this was to be the last hurrah of what was, at one time in aggregate, the nation's largest locomotive builder. Between 1848 and 1963, the American Locomotive Co. (its name was changed to Alco Products in 1955) and its multiple predecessors built more than 90,000 locomotives. Most of these were steam locomotives, with the builder producing its first successful diesel-electric in 1924. Century production lasted for only five years, as competition from a onetime ally, General Electric, ate away at Alco's market share. Production of the Century line ended in 1969, although the designs continued to be built in Canada for another six years. In all, 805 C-series and 168 M-series (the Canadian designation for post-1968 production) models were produced. These distinctive models will be covered in three books. Each book will contain 160 8-1/2 x 11-inch vertical-format pages and be perfect bound. Each book will feature more than 250 crisp color and black-and-white photographs. The first book will cover the four-axle models, the second will cover the six-axle models, and the third will cover the Canadian M-series models, as well as secondary owners and operators in North America. |
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A.J. Wolff Mention Sherman Hill and images of Union Pacific's mammoth steam locos, colorful Armour yellow streamliners, and lonely wind-swept landscapes come to mind. The Hill has been an operating challenge since the 1860s. But today's crossing of Sherman Hill bears little resemblance to the pioneering effort. The topography has demanded that the newest and largest power be used to lift tonnage over the summit. Needing the utmost in motive power was as true in 1918 as it is today with GE & EMD (of General Motors) 6,000-hp alternating-current-technology units. This photographic journey highlights the diesel & turbine power that operated over Sherman Hill since 1960. 224-page 8.5" x 11" horizontal-format hardcover book 500+ color and b/w photographs. |
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The Classic Era - Volume One Strack The first in a series of books that will give the railfan and modeler an encyclopedia of Union Pacific diesels. The most complete roster/pictorial books published to date, the first two-volume set covers builder's data and dispositions of each member of this western carrier's diesel-electric and turbine locomotive fleet during the 1934-1982 period, as well as a varied selection of photographs detailing each model. From the early EMC E units and giant GE-built gas turbines to the varied EMD SD40-2 fleet that moved transcontinental freight into the 1980s, all are covered. Vol. 1 8.5" x 11", 224 pages, 500+ b/w photos, hard back. |
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Martin S. Zak & Paul K. Withers 'The largest collection of PRR electric photos ever published' The Pennsy did everything on a large scale and the acquisition of 267 electric locomotives to move both passenger and freight over its 674 route miles of electrification was no exception. From the famed GG1, the classic P5 boxcabs and modefieds, the modern looking E44s and experimentals E2Bs, E2Cs and E3Bs of the early 1950s; all are covered in this hardcover, 160 page horizontal format book, containing more than 300 crisp b&w photos. A specially commissioned colored cover painting by Gil Bennett highlights this must-have book for Pennsy and electric fans alike. HARDBACK |
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Diesel Era & Sweetland Marketed by FM as "the most useful locomotive ever built," the TM hauled Southern Pacific commuters up and down the San Francisco peninsula, moved coal on the Virginian Railway from West Virginia mines to Atlantic Ocean ports, and pushed trains over the Appalachian mountains on the Pennsy. The 2,400-horsepower H24-66 lived up to its billing, but on a much smaller scale than that for which its designers had hoped - 127 Train Masters were built for eight U.S. and two Canadian customers. 112 pages with 24 in color, 250+ crisp color and black-and-white photos, 8.5" x 11" vertical format on 80# heavyweight stock, four-color cover, perfect bound |
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 On June 1, 1999, Conrail will disappear into the Norfolk Southern and CSX Transportation railroad systems. With new locomotive purchases put on hold, Conrail's current locomotive fleet will probably be its final locomotive fleet. Covering the 1992-1997 period, this book picks up where our Conrail Motive Power 1986-1991 book ended. The carrier's diverse fleet of General Motors and General Electric locomotives is pictured in both action and roster formats. A special section is devoted to in-depth coverage of Conrail's state-of-the-art SD80MAC model. This heavily illustrated 224-page 8.5"x11" vertical-format hardbound book includes more than 500 color and black-and-white photographs. The cover features a specially commissioned painting by noted railroad artist Mike Pearsall. Includes complete roster information for all locomotives used by the railroad between 1992 and 1997. This revised printing includes detailed coverage - action, roster, and detail views - of the new SD70s and SD70MACs built to Norfolk Southern and CSX specifications, respectively. HARDBACK
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America's Medium-Horsepower Switcher Choice Withers To fill the gap between the 600-horsepower SW1 and the 1,000-horsepower SW7, EMD introduced its 800-horsepower SW8 model in 1950. Over the next four years, General Motors built a total of 366 SW8s for 49 U.S. and nine Canadian customers at both its Electro-Motive Division plant and La Grange, IL and General Motors Diesel Division facility at London, Ontario. Class 1 carriers received 217 units, short lines and terminal railroads, 97 units, and industrial operators, 52 units. Powered by the same basic 567-series prime mover as that first introduced in 1939, the SW8 carried an eight-cylinder version of the 567B engine. The carbody and equipment layout nearly duplicated its predecessors, but options ordered by customers, and in some cases, added after their delivery, helped to customize the SW8's look. From the optional dynamic brake equipment specified by Lehigh Valley and Southern Pacific, to the distinctive handrail cages by Nickel Plate Road, each owner gave its SW8s a distictive look. With a major model railroad manufacturer about to release an HO-scale model of this interesting switcher model, the book should provide modelers with a wealth of photos and information about their favorite prototype SW8. This 8 1/2" x 11" vertical format softcover book features 72 pages containing more than 200 crisp color and black-and-white photographs. |
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Diesel Era After the success of its streamlined main line passenger diesels in the late 1930s, Electro-Motive Corp. challenged the dominance of steam locomotives in freight service. The vehicle for this attack was a four-unit A-B-B-A demonstrator set of a new model, the FT. After an 11-month, 83,064-mile-long tour over 20 railroads in 1939-1940, the contest was already over. 132 pages, 250+ crisp color and black-and-white photos, 8.5" x 11" vertical format, softbound 1881411028 |
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Kansas City Southern Railway has always been an unusual property, and this book examines some of the qualities that have made it so. The focus is on the period during which its affairs were managed by three generations of the same family, the Deramus era. This book is not a study of management or of financial affairs, but rather of motive power and train operations. The heart of this book is the diesel age, but the age of steam that preceded it (and coexisted with it for about 15 years) is covered, too. Among its many achievements, KCS introduced the diesel streamliner to its service territory, and the premier Southern Belle gets pilot-to-markers coverage. Included is a full steam and a full diesel locomotive roster to support the story of KCS's motive power and the trains it pulled - and occasionally pushed - in the Deramus Eras. Join us as we observe the passage of the Southern Belle, await the arrival of repowered FM Erie-builts, or hear a quartet of first-generation diesel locomotives crawl, working at full throttle, up the grade at Rich Mountain. 224 pages, 500-plus photos, roster data, maps and a hardcover dustjacket featuring a painting by noted railroad artist Mike Danneman |
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Diesel Era In 1959, the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors began promoting two models that featured a mechanical device previously missing from any EMD locomotive. These models, the GP20 and SD24, were equipped with a turbocharger. While six-axle trucks are common today, there was a time when locomotives with the six-axle configuration were relegated to low-speed drag service because of their mediocre per-axle horsepower rating. All of this changed when EMD turbocharged its workhorse 567-series prime mover. Several Class 1 railroads took notice and quickly ordered SD24s in an effort to tame their rugged operating profiles. Included were Santa Fe, Burlington, Union Pacific, and Southern. After extensively testing turbochargers on Union Pacific GP9s, EMD offered a four-axle turbocharged model, the GP20, to complement its SD24. In the late 1950s, with highway motor carriers making gains in the movement of long-haul shipments, it became important for America's railroads to increase train speed. While the SD24 handled higher tonnages on mountain grades, the GP20 began speeding time-sensitive freight across the West. Western Pacific ordered the first GP20s, followed by Great Northern, Santa Fe, Union Pacific, Cotton Belt, Burlington, New York Central, and Southern Pacific. Join us as we take an in-depth look at these two innovative models that introduced EMD's turbocharged two-cycle power plant to the railroad world. |
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This second volume not only covers the variety of locomotive rosters by the N&W and those acquired by merger, but a paint scheme chapter covering the various liveries worn by N&W diesels. Containing 256 pages, this hardbound book covers EMD SW7, SW8, SW9, SW1200, GP30, GP35, GP40, SD35, SD40, SD40-2, SD45, SDP45, and SD50s models; ALCo T6, C420, C425, C628, and C630 models; General Electric U25B, U28B, U30B, U30C, C30-7, and C36-7 models; and 6-axle slugs. Complete builder data is provided as well as disposition records and locomotive diagrams.
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 When it was first published in 1987, Southern: A Motive Power Pictorial 1968-1982 quickly sold out and became an eagerly sought-after book by Southern Railway fans and modelers alike. Now, after 10 years and collecting photos from the southeast's premier railroad photographers, Withers Publishing presents a massive photographic study that covers all of Southern's diesels - from the carrier's first road freight diesel, the FT, and its classic slant-nose passenger diesels, to its final locomotive purchase, GE's B30-7A1s. Southern and its subsidiaries operated a wide variety of makes and models - Alco DL-109s and PAs; Baldwin switchers; Fairbanks-Morse switchers and Train Masters; General Electric 44-, 45-, and 70-ton units; and EMD GP39Xs and GP40Xs - all are covered with a variety of roster and action photographs. This heavily illustrated 384-page 8.5" x 11" vertical-format hardbound book includes more than 1,000 photographs. The cover features a specially commissioned painting by noted railroad artist Mike Pearsall. Includes a complete roster listing modifications, retirement dates, dispositions, and specifications for each locomotive operated by Southern and its subsidiaries. HARDBACK
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by Strack This heavily illustrated book expands on coverage of the EMC/EMD models previously featured in Diesel Era magazine, adding sections on Alco, Baldwin, Fairbanks-Morse, and GE models. Among the models covered are: EMC/EMD NW2; EMD SW7, SW9, TR5, SW1500, and MP15 models; EMD/UP unusual SW10; Alco S-series switchers; UP's only GE 44-tonner; and the railroad's large variety of non-revenue narrow-gauge Vulcan, Whitcomb, and Davenport switchers. 116 pages with 24 in color, 275+ crisp color and black-and-white photos, 8.5"x11" vertical format on 80# heavyweight stock, four color cover, perfect bound |
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