Used Books Archives - Southern Pacific Railroad History Center

Railroads of Nevada Volume1 and 2 by David Myrick W-9A

Chip Savoye — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 01:08:21 +0000

Valuable as these volumes are in relation to railroad operations in Nevada and California, their usefulness as authoritative reference sources embraces a much broader scope. Railroads of Nevada and Eastern California is as much a history of the region as it is a study of the railroads. The principal mines and mills and their production are scrupulously detailed, together with the personalities who created them.

A map has been provided in Volume I to orient the reader to the locales described. It is an accurate and reliable travel aid for readers who choose to wander the region’s historic railroad routes. In this volume, Myrick begins his history with coverage of the sprawling network of the northern railroads.

The setting for Volume II is the varied and spectacular geography of southern Nevada and eastern California—from Death Valley and the Mojave Desert to the hard rock tunnels of Goldfield and the isolated communities of Rhyolite and Pioche. This volume also contains a handy index and an updated locomotive roster.

Price is for the set of both Volumes. Please write for individual pricing.

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Vermont’s Covered Bridge Road, The Story of the St. Johnsbury and Lamoile County Railroad by Edward Lewis W-9A

Chip Savoye — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 00:55:45 +0000

Detailed history of the St. Johnsbury & Lamoille County Railroad. Packed with black and white photos of the railroad, its locomotives, stations, ferries, bridges, etc. With roster of steam locomotives. Also includes a short chapter on the Hardwick & Woodbury Railroad.

Paper Back. Good Condition. Rare find

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Rails, Sage Brush and Pine by Mallory Hope Ferrell (W-14)

Chip Savoye — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 20:21:29 +0000

Fascinating history of the construction, operation and ultimate demise of California’s Sumpter Valley Railway, a narrow gauge railroad that served the logging industry as well as the lumber companies and gold mines of the area. Provides an excellent discussion of the array of second hand locomotives, including the Mallets, Climaxes and Heislers, used by the Sumpter Valley, the Oregon Lumber Co., the Stoddard Lumber Co., Baker White Pine Lumber Co., Cavanaugh Lumber Co., C. W. Nibley Lumber Co. and the W. H. Eccles Lumber Co. Illustrated throughout with black and white photos as well as schematic diagrams of the equipment. With locomotive rosters and maps. 128 pages with index.

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Union Pacific West from Leavenworth: A history of the Leavenworth, Kansas & Western Railway by I. E Quastler W-14

Chip Savoye — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 20:15:02 +0000

The history of the rail line that ran from Leavenworth to Miltonvale, Kansas is told. Initially constructed as narrow gauge Kansas Central Railway, this line later became part of the Union Pacific Railroad system. A few years after converting from narrow gauge to standard gauge, the Union Pacific-controlled Kansas Central was purchased at a foreclosure auction for $200,000 and rechristened the Leavenworth, Kansas & Western, with plans to expand the line to the western border of Kansas and northward into Nebraska. Converted to standard gauge in 1890, the 166-mile route extended west from Leavenworth to Miltonvale. But financial woes dogged the line and in 1908 it was sold to the Union Pacific. Improved highway transportation and losses spurred by the Great Depression caused the UP to abandon nearly all of the LK&W line in 1935.

Paperback. Very good condition

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Railroads of Yosemite Valley Johnson – Law (W-14)

Chip Savoye — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 22:26:31 +0000

206 pages. This 2nd edition is from 1966 and is much improved and much larger than the first edition. With many photos in B/W of the historic trains. This copy is tight – looks used and it looks like a small front cover corner-tip area got chewed off by a dog and was subsequently trimmed straight at an angle -: the book – not the dog! It does not have the words “short line” in the title. Scarce in this edition.

Hardcover. Good Condition

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The Milwaukee Road 1928-1985 By Jim Scribbins 2001 (JD)

Chip Savoye — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 20:41:20 +0000

This huge deluxe 312-page, 8 1/2 x 11” hardbound book tells the history of The Milwaukee Road in 10 chapters of authoritative text, and numerous quality black and white and color photographs! Special Locomotive and Passenger Train chapters are included.

The book covers this transcontinental granger railroad between the years of 1928 and 1985. The Milwaukee was a proud line that faced many challenges during its lifetime including transportation rivals, overtaking five mountain ranges and staying afloat financially.

Author Scribbins is an authority on The Milwaukee Road, having worked in the passenger, public relations and other departments, starting with the line in 1948. This is his fifth railroad book.

Very good condition

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Greenbay & Western Color Pictorial, The Green Bay Route by Andrew Nelson (JD)

Chip Savoye — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 20:37:09 +0000

“Green Bay & Western’s Color Pictorial begins with a history of GB&W’s last years, then covers the entire railroad from the ferry docks in Kewaunee to the banks of the Mississippi River. Each of the three operating divisions is covered in detail, along with the Green Bay and Wisconsin Rapids terminal areas and Norwood Shops and Roundhouse. Every Alco the GB&W operated in its diesel era is featured: HH-600, S-1, S-2, FA-1, RS-2, RS-3, RS-11, RS-27, C-420, C-424, and the C-430.”

(JD)

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Seaboard Airline The Route of Courteous Service William Griffin 1999 (JD)

Chip Savoye — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 20:32:45 +0000

Highly readable history of this interesting railroad covering the 1945-1970 era with information on freight and passenger operations, steam and diesel locomotives, and passenger and freight cars. Illustrated throughout with black and white photos plus a 16 page color section. With bibliography. 222 pages.

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Chicago Northwestern Railway MBI Color Book Series Tom Murray (JD)

Chip Savoye — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 20:27:13 +0000

By the time it was merged into the Union Pacific in 1995, the Chicago & North Western was one of the nations oldest surviving railroads, a testament to the Midwestern stoicism with which it had gone about its business since 1859. This illustrated history chronicles how C&NW emerged from a collection of regional carriers to become a strategic link between eastern railroads and the West.

Author Tom Murray traces the railroads expansion as it extended secondary lines throughout the Midwest. He also explores C&NWs joint ownership of UP passenger trains and describes how the railroad answered challenges from regional rivals with the “400” series of passenger trains. As fascinating as the story are the hundreds of accompanying illustrations–historical photographs, archival images, route maps, and period print ads.

The result is an entertaining and informative history of an iconic Midwestern railroad–a narrative that spans the decades from the 1850s to the 1990s and takes in steam and diesel motive power, freight and passenger operations, and all the key characters, events, and deals that figured in the Chicago & North Westerns rise and eventual demise.

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Rails in the Shadow of Mt. Shasta by John Signor

Chip Savoye — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 20:21:36 +0000

Describes the construction, development, passenger operations, and history of the Southern Pacific Railroad’s Shasta Route, which links Portland, Oregon, to San Francisco

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