Detailed history of of one of the least successful interurbans ever built. The line linked Sycamore to Marengo, Illinois (never making it to Woodstock) and provided service intermittently for a decade. The author, a noted traction expert, covers the construction, operation, financial woes and eventual abandonment of a line that started with high hopes and luxurious McKeen gasoline motor cars but was rendered bankrupt by poor service, inadequate financing and the dawning of the automobile age. Illustrated throughout with black and white photos. With maps and equipment roster. 56 pages.

The Woodstock and Sycamore Traction Company

Engineering & Transportation

William E. Robertson

Transportation

Transportation Trails

Volume 1 in this series focuses on the routes and trackage owned and operated by the railroad and its predecessor, the Aurora, Elgin & Chicago. Perhaps the country's first successful high-speed interurban, this railroad became an important link in the commuter network around Chicago. This book covers Samuel Insull's role, the Wells Terminal, shared trackage with the "L", Forest Park, Westchester and Mt. Carmel, Cook County, Wheaton, Aurora, Batavia, Elgin, and Geneva. Illustrated throughout with black and white photos as well as a short color section. With numerous maps including end paper map showing entire system. 160 pages.

Sunset Lines: The Story of the Chicago, Aurora and Elgin Railroad, Vol. 1: Trackage

Plachno, Larry

Business & Money

This is Volume 1 (of 2) listing every known still existing steam locomotive. The author has provided each engine's history so that the reader can trace its ownership and principle locations of use. This volume covers the United States east of the Mississippi and all of Canada (with locomotives divided by state or province) . It also contains the Whyte System of Wheel Arrangement. Illustrated throughout with black and white photos. 192 pages.

The Steam Locomotive Directory of North America, Vol. 1: Eastern United States and Canada

J. David Conrad

This is Volume 2 (of 2) listing every known still existing steam locomotive. The author has provided each engine's history so that the reader can trace its ownership and principle locations of use. This volume covers the United States west of the Mississippi (with locomotives divided by state) and all of Mexico. With indexes (for both volumes) by builder, owner and wheel arrangement. Includes list of recently scrapped locomotives and of replicas. Illustrated throughout with black and white photos. 176 pages (numbered 193-368).

Steam Locomotive Directory of North America

Science & Math

Technology

Steam Locomotive Directory of North America: Eastern United States and Canada

Conrad, J. David

Fascinating history of Interstate Public Service railroad which operated one of the longest electric interurbans in the Midwest, running from Indianapolis, IN to Louisville, KY. The book is organized by topic: history of predecessor companies, rights of way, structures (terminals, barns and freight houses), passenger and freight equipment, safety programs, and accidents. Illustrated throughout with black and white photos. With detailed rosters, track maps (with mileage between sidings, stops, stations, etc.), timetables, tokens, tickets and transfers. End papers show system map and time tables. 272 pages with bibliography and index.

Interstate: A History of Interstate Public Service Rail Operations

Fascinating story of the longest trip by electric street railway: a charter from Utica, NY through Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Dayton and Columbus, covering about 2,000 miles before returning home. The trip by 21 businessmen (headed by C. Loomis Allen) traversed 28 different companies plus numerous streetcar lines in 6 different states and remains the longest continuous trip by electric railway. This detailed history covers the planning, preparations, daily activities and adventures along the way. Illustrated throughout with black and white photos. With maps and bibliography. 96 pages.

The Longest Interurban Charter

Larry Plachno

Fascinating history of the Lake Shore &amp; Michigan Southern Railway, one of the largest and most important lines in the early days of American railroading. This volume covers the company's origins and operations, purchase and management by Commodore Vanderbilt, its locomotives and rolling stock, express trains, speed runs, accidents, strikes, train robberies, and employee accounts of unusual incidents. Illustrated throughout with black and white photos, many rare and never before published, and a few color prints. End papers show system map. With bibliography. 208 pages with index.

The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway

Warrick, Bill

McLellan, David

Volume 2 in this series focuses on the history of what was perhaps the fastest and best run interurban in the country. One of Samuel Insull's interurbans, it provided an important part of the commuter service around Chicago, from DuPage County and the Fox River Communities into the city. This book begins with the early Fox River streetcar lines of the 1890s, the construction and operation of the CA&amp;E, the decades of prosperity, the end of passenger service, and finally, the end of even freight service and the removal of the rails in 1962-63. Illustrated throughout with black and white photos. With "family chart" of corporate relationships, list of abandonments, corrections to Volume 1 and index. End papers show system map.

Sunset Lines: The Story of the Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad 2 : History

History

Americas

Fire apparatus used in the Western United States differed because of rural communities, limited water supplies and a need to deal with forest fires and brush fires. As a result, fire apparatus used in the Western States often tended towards unique designs and local manufacturers.

Motorized Fire Apparatus of the West, 1900-1960

Wood, Donald F.

Sorenson, Wayne

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Books by Transportation Trails