Robert Richardson's Rio Grande Southern, Volume III


Book Description

In this third volume of his narrow gauge chronicle, noted narrow gauge preservationist Robert Richardson continues to take a close look at the Rio Grande Southern, the 172-mile narrow gauge route that wrapped itself around the craggy and forested San Juan Mountains between Durango and Ridgway, Colorado. In just two years, Otto Mears built a railroad that climbed four mountain passes and featured 142 bridges, including numerous high, spindly trestles. In this 224-page hardbound book, Bob hones in on the town of Ridgway, the various RGS “oasis” towns in the wilderness, mine-rich Telluride, the RGS’ locomotive fleet, the Galloping Goose era and high-in-the-sky Ophir. He also talks about important old RGS records and how he obtained copies, relates humorous insights about hunting season on the line, the Montezuma Lumber Company operations at McPhee, and the last runs of the famed RGS trains.




Rio Grande Southern Album


Book Description

Rio Grande Southern Album is a fond look back at a railroad that threaded its way through the towering peaks of Colorado's silver district, defying both time & Nature to survive into the era of color photography. Built during the silver boom of 1891, its prosperity was short-lived. The Depression brought bankruptcy. Government support came during World War II, as the RGS hauled uranium ore for the first atomic bomb. Philip A. Ronfor was a New York artist whose work appeared in Argosy, True, & Colliers magazines. Rio Grande Southern Album is as much about the RGS as it is about the vision of an artist. The RGS was an anachronism, a living museum, & Ronfor used the new technology to preserve a slice of the nineteenth century. Rio Grande Southern Album is the 28th book produced by Ed Crist & the late John Krause, but our first all-color effort. While breaking new ground with color, it continues the fine black-&-white tradition that has brought readers the historical scope & diversity of America's railroads.




The Rio Grande Southern


Book Description




The R.G.S. Story


Book Description

Hardbound; 8 1/2 x 11 inches; 496 pages; indexed; w/deluxe plastic dust jacket; 85 full-color photos; 354 black & white views; 32 detailed maps; features line drawings of buildings and structures along the RGS by Mike Blazek plus maps and additional structure plans by Jim Key.




Rio Grande Narrow Gauge


Book Description

"There's a high level of excitement and interest in the Rio Grande's narrow gauge lines today. Perhaps more so now than at any other time since the narrow gauge lines were built. There has always been a certain romance of the rails where 3-foot-gauge trackage is concerned, and even more so with those lines that ran through the scenic wonders of our country, such as the Rocky Mountains. Dreamer and railroad builder General William J. Palmer projected a railroad to Mexico City, but instead his 3-foot railroad went west, to Salt Lake City and Ogden." --From inside of book jacket




Trains Run!


Book Description

We’ve already learned that trucks roll, planes fly, and boats float. Now, all aboard for the fourth book in George Ella Lyon’s transportation series, and this time learn all about trains! Train travels down the track— all day gone all night back. Trains run! From steam engines to subways, from the locomotive to the caboose, this story stays right on track, exploring all different kinds of trains and what they do in a day.




Dolores and McPhee


Book Description

Hardbound; 8 1/2 x 11 inches; 496 pages; indexed; w/deluxe plastic dust jacket; fold-up New Mexico Lumber Co. map in color laid-in; 32 full-color photos; 470 black & white views; ISBN # 0-913582-66-2. Features line drawings of buildings and structures along the RGS by Mike Blazek and many detailed maps by Jim Key.




Locomotives and Rolling Stock


Book Description

Concentrates on the locomotives and rolling stock purchased or leased to keep trains running. Hand-written ledgers provided notations about maintaining this equipment through breakdowns, wrecks and safety modifications. Photographs illustrate a large quantity of the various changes from 1890-1951. A chapter on Motors and Galloping Geese contains revealing details as changes were made updating the Pierce-Arrow bodies. Victor Miller's former C&S cars are extensively illustrated. Volume XII includes roster charts of all equipment, along with 17 color photographs, 490 black-and-white images and 47 detailed drawings on 416 pages.




Silver San Juan


Book Description




Chasing Trains


Book Description

This 432-page 8½ x 11" hardbound tells of the numerous lifetime railroad adventures of Robert W. Richardson, noted author, photographer and historian. Bob, a railfan’s railfan, originally released the book in 1995 under the Sundance Publications label, and it sold out. This new, limited second edition features 425 color and black and white photographs and covers Bob’s favorite locomotives; his travels in the Northeastern and New England states, Canada, Texas and Oklahoma, Old Border states and the Midwest, Southern states, Mexico and Central America, Persian Gulf countries, Colorado and New Mexico; the vanishing interurban; the San Juan; railroading in the snow; the Poncha, Cumbres and Marshall passes; the Gunnison area; Ouray; the Black Canyon; Durango; Silverton; Cerro Summit; Crested Butte; the Baldwin Branch; the San Luis Valley Line; the Colorado & Southern, Rio Grande Southern and much more. The book features 22 chapters and covers such railroads and subjects as the Ohio River & Western, the crookedest railroad in the world; the Aliquippa & Southern; the East Broad Top; Tionesta Valley Railway; Edaville; the Tweetsie; woodburners in the woods; Live Oak, Perry & Gulf; the D&RGW and Rio Grande Southern narrow gauge; and the RGS geese, among many other subjects. Possessing a fascination with trains and railroading as far back as 1931, Bob’s interest quickly developed into a lifelong career of chasing, riding and photographing trains. His train riding has led to many adventures few railfans have experienced. Bob, with his journalistic penchant, tells a great story, weaving together facts and figures of how it used to be on the railroads. He became editor of the Linn’s Weekly Stamp News, was an advertising coordinator, served in the U.S. Army, owned the famous Narrow Gauge Motel in Alamosa and began publishing the Narrow Gauge News.




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