Freight Equipment Archives - Southern Pacific Railroad History Center

A Century of D&RGW Freight Cars 1871-1981 Sloan W-16

Chip Savoye — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 23:55:06 +0000

Paperback, Spiral Bound A must for modelers

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SP Freight Cars Volume 4 Box Cars

Chip Savoye — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 01:25:32 +0000

New Revised Edition Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars Cloth with dust jacket, 512 pages, 8.5″ x 11″; 868 photos; 92 maps and drawings, rosters, bibliography, index. 2014. “This is the 4th volume in a series on Southern Pacific freight cars. It covers box cars, the most numerous type in the SP fleet. The era is roughly from 1865 to 1965. The book contains an extensive array of rosters, photos and, where possible, drawings of the major car classes, along with other material as available, such as construction photos, publicity photos, lettering drawings, and so forth. Survival of the cars over the years is presented, as are numerous photos of the cars in service. “The first section of the book contains background information, early box and combination cars, along with fruit, ventilated and refrigerator cars, and presents the important Huntington-era standard cars. The coverage then turns to the Harriman and post-Harriman designs, and to the World War I era, with several design differences, including USRA cars. The very numerous cars of the 1920s, followed by the all-steel standard designs built before and after World War II are presented in additional chapters. Separate chapters describe modifications to the various classes, the first of the specially-equipped cars, the last of the 50-ton box cars, and finally the box cars of the 1960s. “Box cars, of course, make up an essential part of the history of any railroad. The book’s 846 photos (36 in color), most from company and museum archives and never before published, together with 92 drawings, extensive rosters, and bibliography, make it unusually complete and authoritative. This book provides a coverage that every railroad enthusiast, and SP fans in particular, will enjoy. “Freight car historian Anthony W. Thompson has authored many magazine articles the car section of the book, “Pacific Fruit Express”, previously published by Signature Press.”

very good Condition.

Locator Box W5A

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Southern Pacific Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment Volume 1 Anthony Thompson W-42

Chip Savoye — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 00:46:56 +0000

Southern Pacific Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment, Volume 1. 128 pages, 8.5×11″ cloth with dust jacket, all color. ”

“A stroll through the color photography archive of the Southern Pacific reveals some extremely interesting equipment. Taken by the road’s marketing, purchasing, and public relations departments mainly during the 1950s and 60s, this first volume is a 100% company photography and thus not a comprehensive look at the road’s roster. Plenty of piggyback and truck photography for the rubber-tire enthusiasts!” -Amazon

W-42

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Southern Pacific Freight Car Painting & Lettering Guide by Harley & Thompson W42

Chip Savoye — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 00:40:31 +0000

Comprehensive and detailed description of Southern Pacific equipment paint schemes from the late 1900’s to 1996. Include the Pacific Fruit Express standards. 192 pages. Used. Great Condition

W-42

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From Mine to Market – History of Coal Transportation on the Norfolk & Western – Joseph Lambie (E-2)

Rick Barton — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 00:57:21 +0000

Detailed history of the Norfolk and Western: its emergence from bankruptcy in 1883, growth under Frederick J. Kimball as it opened the Pocahontas coal fields, development into a major regional coal mover with major facilities in Norfolk, and the growth of shipments to the Great Lakes, all while wrestling with government regulation and competition from alternative energy sources. A splendid, scholarly examination of a major US railroad. With black and white photo section and maps. 380 pages with index.

The book is in Good condition. There are no marks, writings or tears, the binding is strong. The dust cover has some minor tears along the top and side, plus minor shelf wear.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0007EEEVK
Publisher ‏ : ‎ New York University Press (January 1, 1954)
380 pages

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The Aerodynamics of Heavy Vehicles II: Trucks, Buses, and Trains by Fred Browand, Rose McCallen, James Ross (Eds.) (W 27)

Gene Harmon — Sat, 30 Mar 2024 19:53:47 +0000

The 483 page book (includes a CD with lecture notes) covers the aerodynamic subject in great detail. It was used in the development and testing of stack train designs by Greenbrier Intermodal executives. Published in 2009 by Springer-Verlag, the book has 308 figures and 52 tables plus an author index.

Locator box 27

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Billboard Refrigerator Cars by Hendrickson and Kaminski (E)

Rick Barton — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 16:39:00 +0000

Refrigerator cars were once decorated with advertising material and were very colorful and perhaps some were even artistic. This book focuses on the heyday between 1920 and 1937 when fleets of colorful privately owned and leased refrigerator cars plied the North American rails. With more than 440 photos, some in color, this volume shows the huge variety and decor used to promote products across America and Canada. In 1937 the ICC banned the use of these cars for advertisings ending an era of unique and colorful equipment roaming the railways. You can find out why the ICC did this when you read the book.

This book is in Very Good condition. There are no marks or writings inside, the binding is strong and intact.

East Bin 2

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American Car & Foundry Company 1899-1999 – Edward Kaminski (1999) (E)

Rick Barton — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 01:16:56 +0000

This sweeping view of the work and products of American Car & Foundry celebrates the company’s Centennial in 1999. Author Kaminski covers corporate history and product development but emphasizes the immense variety and extent of railcar production over the past century. More than 1200 photographs, most from the files of the builder and few ever published, make this a superb tour of car designs, railroad and private owners, and production of freight, passenger, and other car types.

This book is Brand New, still in plastic shrink wrap

Reviews:

Students of railroad history, particularly those interested in freight cars, will want to purchase this book. Packed with photos and descriptions, this painstakingly compiled work traces the long, distinguished history of the company now known as ACF Industries. Kaminski weaves a fascinating tale of U.S. railcar development as practiced by one of the industry’s premier builders. The book is a fitting tribute to ACF as the company marks its centennial. — Railway Age, May 1999

This is a remarkable book which is sure to be of interest to both modelers and railfans. It could be described as a “super” Car Builders Cyclopedia, devoted to the work of one car builder. Unlike Cyclopedias, it provides a photographic history of freight cars for the entire twentieth century in a single volume. — H. Roger Grant, in The Lexington Quarterly, March, 2000

Unquestionably, this is a handsome publication… anyone interested in American railroad car builders will want to acquire this centennial study. — Larry Kline, Railroad Model Craftsman magazine, December 1999

Publisher: ‎ Signature Press, 1999; First Edition (January 1, 1999)

Hardcover: 376 pages

ISBN-10: 0963379100

ISBN-13: 978-0963379108

East Bin 2

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Billboard Refrigerator Cars by Hendrickson and Kaminski (NEW) (E)

Rick Barton — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 01:04:56 +0000

This book is Brand New, still in its shrinkwrap

East Bin 2

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Car Builders Dictionary reprinted from 1879 (W 25)

Gene Harmon — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 15:17:17 +0000

Originally published in 1879 by the Railroad Gazette and republished from an original copy by Newton Gregg in 1971, this small format hardbound book is a catalog which describes every component and piece of equipment required to operate railroads in 1879 in 573 pages including republished ads from suppliers and a dictionary of car-building terms. The book is in very good used condition.

Locator box 24

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