Customer Reviews

Southern Pacific Railroad (Railroad Color History)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Should you buy this book if you already own the first edition, published in 1999? It depends what your prime interest is. If it's historical, note that altho the text is copyright 2007, it's actually identical to the 1999 edition, so the use of the present tense and references to "today" are misleading. On the other hand, this edition comprises 160 pages, against 128 for its predecessor, while the text is set in a smaller type so must take less space. The extra space is devoted to more photographs, which can be more expansively displayed. And as far as I can tell, without doing an exhaustive comparison, only one is repeated from 1999. So if you want a handsome new picture book,this is for you; otherwise, hang on to your first edition.

Photos were great
History was disappointing, especially the part describing how SP came to be a large empire. Perhaps no one knows, but the author shouldn't have skipped over it by saying it was "too difficult to trace". The book in the same series about the Pennsylvania and the New York Central was much better from a historical standpoint.
I bought this book expecting to understand how SP came to be; admittedly I know a little more about the PRR being based in the East Coast, but this book left me more confused than I started.
Nonetheless, I am glad to see that people are continuing to write about railroads of yesteryear.

A well done historic line in this book, from the very beginning of small and big preceding railroad companies, under direction of the big four and all along the line in history, this Railroad company business was further set out and followed by its visionary engineers and leaders. A fallen flag today, this book gets my full recommendation as not only the wordings of this story of the friendly Espee takes you away to the era of beginning in a competative and wild environment the illustrations are well placed in the book, supportive to its text. Surprisingly well are the 'handle bars', seperatly described 'hotspots' along the Espee route... Donner Pass, Tehachapi Loop and more. So get the feel for the 'West'. Enjoy.

I wish it had more Photo's of Older Steam. I liked it over all. I have seen better books though. not a bad Book though if you have the money!

I like the book though over all!

My husband family have had 3 generations as Gandy Dancers and many of our family members collect Railroad history books--this one we did not have--so ordered it. This is another well done railraod history book.

ACL.

I was very happy over the condition of this book. It arrived in great shape and was shipped very fast and packaged very well.