Southern Pacific in California (Images of Rail) [Paperback]

Kerry Sullivan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 28, 2011 | Series: Images of Rail

The Southern Pacific Railroad is California's railroad. As the Central Pacific, it bored and blasted its way east from Sacramento, across the towering High Sierra, meeting with the Union Pacific at Promontory, Utah, completing the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869, and profoundly changing the growing United States. By the early 20th century, the Southern Pacific was a rail colossus, stretching from San Francisco Bay to the Gulf of Mexico. Yet the Southern Pacific remained essentially Californian. Its rail lines gave muscle to the lovely California coast, the fertile San Joaquin and Imperial Valleys, and the timber industry of the north coast. Yet for all its might and majesty, for many Californians the Southern Pacific was a smaller, more intimate part of the fabric of their daily lives.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Author Kerry Sullivan is a veteran Los Angeles television journalist whose grandfather was a rail engineer. He has served several terms as an officer in the Southern Pacific Railroad Historical and Technical Society. This is the story of the Southern Pacific in California as seen through the lenses of company photographers and the memoirs of employees, whose livelihood was the railroad.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing (February 28, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738582077
• ISBN-13: 978-0738582078
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #124,157 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #40 in Books > Professional & Technical > Transportation > Railroads

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very great comprehensive review of the Southern Pacific in Southern California., June 2, 2011

By 

G. Sackett (San Diego, CA.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Southern Pacific in California (Images of Rail) (Paperback)

Being fascinated by the history of the Southern Pacific Railroad for a great number of years, I thoroughly enjoyed this book by author Kerry Sullivan. It is very good read of the SP from Los Angeles to San Francisco and beyond. With I may add, many high-quality photos that I have never seen published before. What also impressed me with Mr. Sullivan's account, is the spirited writing style with hints of personality and humor coming out. This is no droll text-book read, but of passion and wit. This subject matter must be of a personal interest to the author and it shows. I have recommended this book to all my railroad and historian buddies. Get this classic while you can!

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent introduction to mainline railroading in Caifornia, December 11, 2011

By 

Roger C. Parker "Roger shows authors how to d... (Dover, NH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Southern Pacific in California (Images of Rail) (Paperback)

Kerry Sullivan's Southern Pacific in California, one of Arcadia Publishing's Images of Rail series, provides a capsule photo documentation of the state's leading railroad through the years.

One of the most engaging aspects of the Southern Pacific in California is the extreme range of scenery the line passed through. Scenery ranges from the Southern California coast, through deserts, and includes demanding mountainous terrain with tunnels, trestles, and lots of snow.

The line's scenery has an important a story to tell as the line's San Francisco ferry boats, its narrow gauge lines, its ownership of the Pacific Electric traction empire, as well as the line's range of motive power and signature passenger trains.

The first 4 chapters of Southern Pacific in California focus on the different regions the line passed through. Following the overview are several thematic chapters focusing on the lines contribution to the nation's war efforts and a portfolio of workers on the line.

Chapter 8 profiles the broad range of railroad stations which reflected the different regions the line passed through. Thee are several pleasing photos of the line's Mission Style architecture, as well as numerous rural stations serving agriculture communities both large and small.

As books of railroad photography become more and more expensive, I increasingly appreciate the value of affordable Arcadia's Images of Rail series that that provide excellent introduction to important railroad topics.