Customer Reviews

The Central California Traction Company: California's Last Interurban

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This is one of the best-produced railroad books I have ever seen. It is more than a history, it is a tour through a vibrant community during the 20's and 30's, with numerous photos, maps, and details that bring the cities to life.

Stockton and Sacramento may not be New York or Boston during the 20's to 50's, but understanding what was going on in the cities of their sizes--economically, architecturally, and transportation-wise--is important to an understanding of the era.

Central California Traction is painstakingly laid out, the photographs are perfectly scanned, and the format is large enough to do justice to the numerous photos.

Unlike the sterile "builders shots" frequently found, the photos in Central California Traction include the environment--buildings and street scenes--as well as people.

I consider this one of the top railroad books in my collection--which has been growing since the 60's. It's a "must have" for model railroaders looking for "real world" inspiration, and will delight those who love Northern California history.