Builders of Wooden Railway Cars ... and some of other stuff

Bibliography

Note on Prices
1. We are not selling anything. Prices shown are strictly a guide to help you evaluate possible purchases.
2. In the case of the Car Builders Dictionary/Cyclopedia, we have shown virtually all realizations within the first and last dates shown. We say "virtually" only because we may have missed one. But since availability is a factor in price, we follow eBay activity carefully.
3. For books other than the Car Builders Dictionary/Cyclopedia —
(a) prices shown represent the lowest and highest prices we’ve seen, without regard to condition. Naturally, the better the condition, the better the price, EXCEPT that eBay auctions (and possibly others) sometimes net some unbelievable bargains (and some occasional premiums).
(b) prices shown are cumulative, not current. (1) We only check them out when we’re bored and have nothing better to do. (2) We’ve been doing it for some time now, and AVERAGE prices for certain books may have trended upward - or downward - we do not try to gauge this.
4. Where there are multiple editions, prices shown are for the edition with date shown in listing.
5. Low prices generally represent results of an eBay online auction. High prices generally represent asking prices of used book dealers.
6. Where a book is published in Canada, we have indicated the price in U.S. currency, trying to remember to label it “USD.,”


THE CAR-BUILDER’S DICTIONARY

NOTE: To the best of our ability the listings of prices realized on eBay includes all offerings made during the time periods covered. They are therefore a valid guide to the quantities of each edition offered for sale and consequently reflect the scarcity of each edition.

WARNING: If you are shopping for a copy of the Car-Builder’s Dictionary or the Car-Builder’s Cyclopedia, be sure you know what the seller is selling. Because of differences in publication, printing and copyright dates, and because of the many reprints, sellers often have a hard time making an accurate description of what they are offering.


1879 Car-Builder’s Dictionary. New York, NY: Railroad Gazette, 1879.

1st Edition. Matthias N. Forney, M.E., editor. Assisted by Leander Garey, car superintendent for the New York & Harlem RR, and Calvin A. Smith, master car builder for the Erie Ry. Dictionary of terms with 811 engraved illustrations, 84 pages of advertising.

Prices Realized On eBay
2006      
Apr 2 $229 9 bids Showed significant water damage

Reprint  — New York, NY: Railroad Gazette, 1881.

Republished — New York, NY: Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corp. 1949.

Begins with “Engravings” at page 190 and goes to page 491. Then has “Advertisements” pages 1 through 84. The “Dictionary of Terms Used in Car Building,” pages 1 though 188 in the original are omitted. Pages are roughly 8" x 5".

Prices Realized On eBay
2005      
Jul 16 $25    
Sep 23 $5 1 bid  
Oct 16 $33 12 bids Excellent condition
2006      
Feb 4 $26 3 bids Excellent condition claimed
Mar 22 $35 1 bid Described as in "Fine" condition
Mar 31 $10 1 bid Warped covers and mustiness
Apr 6 $14 5 bids Condition very good
May 11 $14 1 bid Condition described as "very good" with light interior aging and minor warping to edges of covers.
Aug 15 $15 2 bids Condition appeared to be good.
Oct * $25 No bids "Great shape inside but has slight tatters along binder."
Dec 15 $21 3 bids No statement of condition and only one photo/
2007      
Jan 23 $18 2 bids Dust jacket was a total loss but hid covers. Binding was obviously loose.
Mar 1 $21 5 bids "V[ery] G[ood] condition has light water ring on front." Appeared rather dingy, but no loose pages showing.

Hardbound Reprint — Kentfield, CA: Newton K. Gregg Publishers, 1971.

2188 illustrations, 28 pages advertising. Pages 8½" x 8½".

Prices Realized on eBay
2006      
May 14 $10 1 bid Overall "Great" condition.
May 31 $48 6 bids Book appeared in very good condition but DJ was badly torn.
Jul 11 $10 2 bids Condition described as excellent.
Jul 16 $23 3 bids Described as "in wonderful shape" but photo shows large tear in DJ and binding skewed [assume it's loose]
Sep 9 $11 4 bids Described as "Great condition, with a very minor scuff on the front." Looked good in photos. No DJ.
Dec 15 $21 3 bids No condition stated, only one photo. Cover had one badly scuffed place, rounded and warn corners on boards.
2007      
Mar 13 $5 1 bid Looked to be in poor condition

Softbound Reprint — Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, Inc., 1974.

Contains 188 page "Dictionary of Terms Used in Car-Building,"  303 pages of “Engravings” [illustrations]. 84 pages of “Advertisements.” (Softbound, $4-20)


1884 Car-Builder’s Dictionary. New York, NY: The Railroad Gazette, 1884.

2nd edition. A.M. Wellington, M.E., editor. Contains 203 page dictionary of terms, 358 pages of engraved illustrations (2,188 in all), 74 pages of advertising. Page size 8 ½" x 8". (print-on-demand facsimile$150-250 [unclear whether this is 1884 edition or 1888 edition, which has the same copyright date, see below])

Prices Realized on eBay
2004      
Mar 31 $760    
2006      
May 8 $175 11 bids Seller said "Well worth restoring," but this book was beyond restoration. Spine was ripped off, binding was disintegrating, cover and pages were dog-eared, no telling whether pages were all present.


1888 Car-Builder’s Dictionary. New York, NY: The Railroad Gazette, 1884.

Not considered a new “edition,” a fact to which later editions that recount the publishing history of the CBD attest. The title page contains no statement as to date or edition, other than a printing date at the bottom which is 1888. The copyright date on the back of the title page is 1884. While there may have been minor changes in the dictionary and illustrations, and the advertising section was obviously updated (29 pages vs. 74 in the 1884 edition), this is essentially a reprint of the 1884 2nd edition.

Reprint — Kentfield, CA: Newton K. Gregg, 1971.

__ - 8½" x 8½" pages, 2,188 illustrations, 28 pages of advertisements.

Prices Realized on eBay
2006      
May 14 $34 6 bids Overall very fine condition.
Jun 19 $18 6 bids Condition described as "good" with notation it had been a library reference book
Jul 16 $27 3 bids Condition described 'good shape ... back loose from spine but firmly connected by inside pages.'
Oct 10 $19 1 bid Condition undisclosed.


1895 Car-Builder’s Dictionary. New York, NY: Railroad Gazette, 1895.

3rd edition. Professor John C. Wait, M.C.E., editor, assisted by R. H. Soule, Superintendent of Motive Power, Norfolk & Western Railroad, A. E. Mitchell, Superintendent of Motive Power, New York, Lake Erie & Western Railroad, and C. A. Smith, Master Car Builder, Union Trade Line. Contains 151 page dictionary, 391 pages with 5,683 illustrations, 51 pages of advertisements.


1898 Car-Builder’s Dictionary.

Not considered a new “edition,” a fact to which later editions that recount the publishing history of the CBD attest. Although the title page calls this the “1898 edition,” and the printing date at the bottom of the page says 1898, the copyright date on the reverse side is 1895 and the Preface is dated 1895. While there may have been minor changes in the dictionary and illustrations, and the advertising section was obviously updated (29 pages vs. 51 in 1895), this is essentially a reprint of the 1895 3rd edition. Total of roughly 600 - 8½" x 12½" pages, including 5,683 illustrations, 151 pages of definitions, and only 28 pages of advertisements.

Prices Realized On eBay
2004      
Jan 13 $1,009 9 bids  
2005      
Mar 9 $820 12 bids  
Mar 28 $355   Missing cover boards
Sep 29 $820 14 bids Nicely rebound
2006      
May 18 $1,200 1 bid Leather bound, significant wear, "inside pages clean and intact. Inscription on cover: "Presented to / G.A.W. DODGE / with compliments of / J.G. BRILL COMPANY / Car Builders, Philadelphia" Listing says "inscription is to G.A.W. Dodge who was in charge of building the union pacific railroad [sic], part of the transcontinental railroad in 1869." But our encyclopedia says that gentleman was Grenville Mellen Dodge. If you can shed some light on this, please share it with us.

Selected material from this edition is reproduced in the Train Shed Cyclopedia:

Vol. 55 — Freight & Passenger Cars (Part 1)
Vol. 57 — Freight & Passenger Cars (Part 2)
Vol. 59 — Freight & Passenger Cars (Part 3)


1903 Car-Builder’s Dictionary. New York, NY: Railroad Gazette, 1903.

4th edition. ______ ______, editor. Contains ___ page dictionary, ____ pages  (4,971 total) illustrations, ___ pages of advertisements. Total ____ - 8½" x 12½" pages.

Prices Realized On eBay
2004      
Feb 27 $911 9 bids Leather bound, appeared to be in excellent condition
2006      
Mar 3 $913 6 bids Leather binding, considerable wear, some loose pages cover stamped “Mr. D.E. Bloxsom, THE MASTER CAR BUILDERS ASSOCIATION, CAR BUILDERS DICTIONARY, 1903 EDITION, COMPLIMENTS OF THE SAFETY CAR HEATING AND LIGHTING CO., NEW YORK, CHICAGO, ST. LOUIS


1906 Car-Builder’s Dictionary. New York, NY: Railroad Gazette, 1906.

5th edition. Rodney Hitt, editor. An Illustrated Vocabulary of Terms Which Designate American Railroad Cars, Their Parts, Attachments and Details of Construction with Definitions and Illustrations of Typical British Practice in Car Construction. Contains 166 page dictionary, 568 pages of (6,344 total) illustrations, 54 pages of advertisements.

Prices Realized On eBay
2005      
Mar 14 $570    
2006      
Jan 24 $988 15 bids Condition described as “fair,” covers and
 binding looked good but spine was missing
Feb 26 $137 11 bids “Spine, cover and the first few pages are in poor condition. Spine is broken and the cover along the spine is gone. Front and back covers are present but no longer attached. No stains or water damage.” Appeared totally scruffy.
May 14 $389 3 bids Appeared in good condition. Described as "good for such an old edition, spine intact but some tears on the ends … covers show wear and fraying on edges," slight discoloring of pages.

Facsimile reprint  — Kentfield, CA: Newton K. Gregg, 1971.

Prices Realized On eBay
2005      
Oct 19 $204 17 bids No mention of condition
2006      
Jan 29 $23 8 bids Condition described as good
2006 Apr 5 $52 5 bids Condition appeared good to fine
  $15 3 bids DJ in bad condition; book itself condition not ascertainable
Jun 19 $13 3 bids Condition described as "good" with notation it had been a library reference book
Jul 5 $104 12 bids Described as "in excellent condition."
Aug 24 $51 6 bids No description and 4 photos, none of which showed much except ¾ view of DJ, which had major tear fixed by tape and several minor tears.
Aug 24 $99 1 bid No description and only one photo (front of DJ, which appeared immaculate).
Sep 28 $20 1 bid "Near new condition."
Nov 16 $150 13 bids "Fair condition ...smells a little musty." Looked like several pages might be loose.
Nov 20 $159 7 bids "Cover and pages are in excellent condition."
Dec 18 $38 4 bids "Very good condition. DJ has some wear [and tears] but no tears or marks inside."
2007      
Jan 23 $50 1 bid "Good condition. Dust jacket shows wear." Low bids probably because they wouldn't take PayPal.
Feb 19 $41 8 bids "Very good condition with NO notable exceptions! Light corner wear, gold title clear and readable. Hinges tight. Pages have consistent color."


1909 Car-Builder’s Dictionary. New York, NY: Master Car Builders Association, 1909.

6th edition. F.E. Lister, editor. 676 pp, 6,934 illustrations, 41 pages of advertisements ($415-560)

Prices realized on eBay
2006      
Apr 9 $988 6 bids Leather binding showed considerable wear but "interior in great condition, front cover is loose."


1912 Car-Builder’s Dictionary. New York, NY: Master Car Builders Association, 1912.

7th Edition. Roy V. Wright, editor. 953 pages.

Prices Realized On eBay
2006      
Jan 3 $257 5 bids “Cover taped together, but otherwise good condition”


1916 Car-Builder’s Dictionary. New York, NY: Master Car Builders Association, 1916.

8th Edition. Roy V. Wright, editor. 1066 - 8" x 12" pages.

Prices Realized On eBay
2006      
Mar 13 $810 2 bids Condition appeared quite good
May 8 $608 7 bids Cover worn but still intact, interior nice and clean, cover page missing a section, pages 1037-1040 are torn out but present.
May 14 $421 4 bids Described as "good for such an old edition, spine intact but some tears on the ends … covers show wear and fraying on edges," slight discoloring of pages.


1919 Car-Builder’s Dictionary and Cyclopedia. New York, NY: Master Car Builders Association, 1919.

9th edition. Roy V. Wright, editor. 1,334 - 9¾" x 11" pages.

Prices Realized On eBay
2005      
May 26 $432    
Oct 11 $350 1 bid Rebound in leather
Dec 3 $127 2 bids Cover worn, some pages defaced
2006      
Jan 6 $262 11 bids Binding loose, cover worn

Selected material from this edition is reproduced in the following volumes of the Train Shed Cyclopedia:

Vol. 35 — Freight Cars (Part 1)
Vol. 36 — Freight Cars (Part 2)
Vol. 42 — Passenger Cars


1922 Car-Builder’s Cyclopedia of American Practice. New York, NY: Simmons-Boardman Publishing Company, 1922.

Tenth Edition. Roy V. Wright, editor. 1192 pages. 

Prices Realized On eBay
2005      
Oct 9 $417 20 bids Not in the best of condition
2006      
Mar 23 $227 31 bids Covers worn and stained, upper edges of pages water stained but pages themselves not water damaged and binding looked good

Unabridged digital reproduction set up as a website on a CD. Received very favorable review in June 2003 Garden Railways. ($30 + s/h from the publisher,  Raildriver, a division of P.I. Engineering, Inc. Williamston, MI 48895-1663)


1925 Car-Builder’s Cyclopedia of American Practice. New York, NY: Simmons-Boardman Publishing Company, 1925.

11th Edition. Roy V. Wright [Managing Editor of Railway Age and Editor of Railway Mechanical Engineer], editor; Robert C. Augur [Managing Editor of the Locomotive Cyclopedia and Associate Editor of Railway Age], managing editor; with advisory committee consisting of W.F. Kiesel, Jr., [Mechanical Engineer, Pennsylvania Railroad System], R.L. Ettenger [Consulting Mechanical Engineer, Southern Railway System], L.K. Sillcox [General Superintendent Motive Power, Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul], and G.E. Smart [Chief of Car Equipment, Canadian National Railways]. 1163 pages. ($177-236)

Prices Realized On eBay
2006      
Apr 2 $204 5 bids Binding broken, covers taped to spine
2007      
Jan 21 $168 13 bids "Interior pages are in very good condition. The outside hard cover is in BAD shape from ... water and age damage."

Selected material from this edition is reproduced in the following volumes of the Train Shed Cyclopedia:

Vol. 61 — Box, Stock & Reefers (Part 1) from the 1925 Car Builders Cyclopedia
Vol. 62 — Flats, Gondolas & Hoppers (Part 2)
Vol. 63 — Dump Cars, Tanks, Cabooses & Passengers (Part 3)
Vol. 65 — Passengers, Postals and Motor Cars (Part 4)
Vol. 67 — Motor Passenger Cars and Construction Details (Part 5)
Vol. 68 — Passenger Details, Trucks & Industrials (Part 6)


1928 Car Builders’ Cyclopedia of American Practice. New York, NY: Simmons-Boardman, 1928.

12th edition. Roy V. Wright, editor. Containing “Definitions and Typical Illustrations of Cars, Their Parts and Equipment; Descriptions and Illustrations of Shops and Equipment Employed in Car Construction and Repair; Cars Built in America for Industrial Operations and for Foreign Railroads”. Has four indices: general, trade name, directory of products and manufacturers. 1288 - 8¾" x 12" pages.

Prices Realized On eBay
2005      
Oct 30 $271 12 bids Significant water damage
2006      
Jan 19 $271 9 bids Condition appeared good
Mar 30 $204 2 bids Condition appeared fine to excellent
May 1 $373 4 bids Condition appeared fine to excellent
Jun 1 $357 8 bids "Excellent condition" claimed and shown in photos!
Jun 15 $250 5 bids "Binding a bit worn, one index page is loose, title page appears to be missing, but overall condition is very solid." Covers and spine appeared well-worn/
Aug 15 $64 6 bids Covers in horrible condition, spine missing, pages torn and folded, pages 97-100 appear to be missing. Give seller credit, they gave 12 photos and detailed description.
2007      
Jan 21 $173 9 bids "Interior pages are in very good condition. The outside hard cover is in BAD shape from ... water and age damage." Binding appeared loose.


1931 Car Builders’ Cyclopedia of American Practice. New York, NY: Simmons-Boardman Publishing Company, 1931.

13th Edition. Roy V. Wright, editor. 1260 pp, profusely illustrated with over 1000 photographs, technical drawings and plans. Has Canadian content as well.

Prices Realized On eBay
2005      
Feb 23 $76    
Oct 16 $307 18 bids Excellent condition
Nov 14 $26 2 bids Very poor condition
2006      
Jan 19 $255 27 bids Appeared in excellent condition
Mar 30 $268 12 bids Appeared in excellent condition
May 2 $63 8 bids Cover detached from bound pages, but it showed modest wear and they looked sound
Aug 29 $61 7 bids Cover completely loose from block of pages, three or more pages loose and wrinkled at front, at least one ditto at rear."
Sep 5 $179 7 bids "In very good condition, has some shelf ware [sic] but binding is very good, all pages in very good condition."
Oct 22 $270 12 bids "Excellent condition ... no smells, no stains, no damage." Appeared to us that "excellent" truly described it.

Selected material from this edition is reproduced in the following volumes of the Train Shed Cyclopedia:

Vol. 3 — Box, Stock & Refrigerator Cars
Vol. 8 — Passenger Cars
Vol. 10 — Rail Motor Cars
Vol. 46 — Flats, Gondolas, and Hoppers (Part 1)
Vol. 48 — Hoppers, Industrials, Lettering (Part 2)


1937 Car Builders’ Cyclopedia of American Practice. New York, NY: Simmons-Boardman Publishing Company, 1937.

14th edition. Roy V. Wright, editor. 1308 -  8½" x 12" pages.

Prices Realized On eBay
2005      
May 2 $187 16 bids  
Jun 30 $157 10 bids  
Jul 25 $151 3 bids  
Jul 26 $152 8 bids  
Oct 30 $255 4 bids Very good condition
2006      
Jan 16 $102 6 bids Condition "fair" in our judgment
Jun 20 $156 6 bids Condition appeared to be fine
Jun 25 $103 8 bids Condition appeared fair at best

Selected material from this edition is reproduced in the following volumes of the Train Shed Cyclopedia:

Vol. 10 — Rail Motor Cars


1940 Car Builders’ Cyclopedia of American Practice; Definitions and Typical Illustrations of Railroad and Industrial Cars, Their Parts and Equipment . . .  New York, NY: Simmons-Boardman, 1940.

15th Edition. Roy V. Wright (Managing Editor Railway Age and Editor Railway Mechanical Engineer), Editor; Robert C. Augur (Associate Editor Railway Mechanical Engineer), Managing Editor; Walter E. Dunham, Editor Shop Section; H.P. Foster, Associate Editor; A.A.R. Advisory Committee: W.I. Cantley, M.E., A.A.R. Mechanical Division, T.P. Irving, Engineer Car Construction, C&O Railway, H.W. Facs, Engineer of Motive Power, NYC System. Photographs of rail cars and equipment with lots of engineering drawings. Also included in this edition are 50 pages of descriptions and illustrations of shops and equipment employed in car construction and repair and 24 pages of cars built in America for export to foreign countries. 1352 - 11½" x 8¾" pages.

Prices Realized On eBay
2005      
Jul 14 $87    
Jul 27 $52   Binding ragged
Sep 18 $69 5 bids Covers raggedy
Oct 9 $200 2 bids Appeared in excellent shape
Nov 24 $61 12 bids Very poor condition
Dec 5 $201 11 bids Condition claimed “supurb”
Dec 10 $41 2 bids Missing five pages
2006      
Jan 17 $150 4 bids Can't judge condition from photos
Feb 2 $159 4 bids “Excellent” condition claimed but appeared no
 better than good to fine in photographs
Feb 19 $102 11 bids “very nice condition with some cover wear”
May 15 $78 6 bids "Cover and binding are in good shape ... no loose pages or rot or water damage."
Aug 23 $77 5 bids Condition described "Very good to excellent" but we would have said it was only good to very good as there was some internal damage to pages and cover had significant wear.
Oct 1 $22 3 bids "Good/fair condition. The first 20 page [sic] are loose. The cover is coming loose and has wear. The spine of the cover has come off and been taped back on." Photos showed a wreck of a book.
Oct 20 $48 5 bids "Has a bad spine ... otherwise ... intact." Bad is an understatement! However, no sign of damage to binding. Cover page showed chips and small tear. No other photos.
Dec 3 $52 8 bids "Rough shape ... improperly stored in basement ... slightly musty odor ... binding somewhat cocked... pages are clean, no rips or tears." Covers appeared fuzzy and waterlogged.
Dec 16 $102 13 bids "Good to excellent condition, stored for many years ... pages are clean, no rips or tears." In photos, condition appeared as stated.
2007      
Jan 21 $104 7 bids "Outer binding is worn but overall book is in good condition." Spine and covers showed considerable shelf wear but binding appeared tight.

Facsimile reprint — Kalmbach Publishing Co., 1973.

Prices Realized On eBay
2005      
Jun 22 $154    
Nov 14 $88 6 bids  
Nov 24 $255 7 bids Mint condition, in original box
2006      
Mar 10 $67 9 bids Appeared to be in fine condition.
Jun 16 $102 2 bids Described as "mint condition"
Jul 14 $61 10 bids Condition unknown
Jul 30 $159 8 bids Excellent condition
Aug 26 $54 9 bids Condition appeared excellent in four photos, but description said only "No marks or tears except for an erased but still visibly written 'Book 31' on first end paper."
Sep 14 $92 12 bids Described as "Mint Condition!"
Oct 1 $124 4 bids "Cover in good condition and pages not turned or torn. Some storage odor."
Oct 6 $127 12 bids "Nearly new condition ... very slight light discoloration on covers, NO rounding of corners, a perfect spine."  Looked excellent in photos.
Oct 29 $42 3 bids "Good condition, no writing, Age spotting on inside first and last pages. Boards are bright. Few small spots to side end pages."
Nov 1 $89 10 bids "Fine condition, very clean and bright copy...spine has very slight inward curl."
2007      
Feb 10 $76 10 bids "cover ...excellent condition, spine slightly wrinkled ... hinges are a little loose ... pages in good shape, scarcely discolored ... little spotting on flyleaves ... pages slightly warped due to himidity."

Selected material from this edition is reproduced in the following volumes of the  Train Shed Cyclopedia:

Vol. 5 — Gondolas and Hoppers


1943 Car Builders’ Cyclopedia. New York: Simmons-Boardman Publishing, 1943.

16th edition. Roy V. Wright, editor. Includes a 60 page Dictionary of Car Terms and 1,324 - 9" x 12" pages of manufacturing information with photographs and diagrams of both freight and passenger cars and car parts.

Prices Realized On eBay
2005      
May 25 $160 1 bid  
Nov 21 $99 10 bids Appeared in good condition
Dec 3 $271 16 bids Appeared in excellent condition
Dec 5 $140 6 bids Binding appeared loose
Dec 10 $40 1 bid Missing quite a number of pages
2006      
Jan 23 $6 3 bids Front cover missing, binding “unglued”
Feb 13 $85 9 bids Appeared in good condition
Apr 13 $187 9 bids Binding loose, 1st page "ripped out"
Apr 20 $61 7 bids Condition "very good, has surface dirt on covers, both inside hinges are broke, just needs glue"
Jul 16 $205 18 bids Condition appeared very good except for tear in endsheet between one cover and text block.
Sep 27 $230 10 bids "Very nice condition with no marked, torn, dog-eared, etc. pages."
Oct 20 $80 12 bids Front cover torn loose from spine, otherwise "intact," "no smells, no water damage or torn pages."
Nov 6 $127 4 bids "Binding w/ some lite rubbing and a touch of soiling here and there, still pretty reasonable for this title. Both front and back cover inner hinges have been reglued and show some wear; a number of text hinges weakened, and the text a bit loose from use; clean condition throughout."
2007      
Feb 18 $130 7 bids Inside is handwritten "Car Foreman's Office / Klamath Falls Oregon / Property of Great Northern Ry Co" Condition: "pages all in good condition, binding tearing away, cover in good condition." Cover had scuzzy look of a book long stored in damp environment.

Selected material from this edition is reproduced in the following volumes of the Train Shed Cyclopedia:

Vol. 16 — Famous Passenger Trains
Vol. 17 — Box, Stock & Flat Cars
Vol. 21 — Passenger Cars
Vol. 46 — Flats, Gondolas, and Hoppers
Vol. 70 — Gondolas & Hoppers
Vol. 71 —  Hoppers/tank/caboose
Vol. 75 — Cabooses and Freight Car Construction Details
Vol. 77 — Freight Car Construction Details, Underframes & Brakes
Vol. 81 — Freight Car Construction Details, Safety Appliances & Trucks
Vol. 83  — Freight Car Construction Details, Industrial & Export Cars
Vol. 86 — Motor Cars & Passenger Construction Details
Vol. 88 — Passenger Construction Details & Interior Fittings


1946 Car Builders’ Cyclopedia. New York: Simmons-Boardman Publishing, 1946.

17th edition. Roy V. Wright, editor. Definitions and Typical Illustrations of Railroad and Industrial Cars, Their Parts and Equipment; Cars Built in America for Export to Foreign Countries; Descriptions and Illustrations of Shops and Equipment Employed in Car Construction and Repair. Included are a 71 page dictionary of railroad car terms and 3 indices, general, trade name, and advertisers. Illustrated in black and white, with thousands of photos, drawings, elevations, plans, and cross-sections. All types of railroad cars are shown .. freight, special purpose, and passenger .. and additional sections deal with every imaginable type of equipment ranging from coupling devices, axles, brake systems, heating and refrigeration systems to inner furnishings such as panels, hinges, water-coolers, insulation, racks, seats. Some mining and other non-railroad industrial equipment have their own chapter, and a final section discusses construction and repair facilities. 1444 - 9¾" x 12" pp.

Prices Realized On eBay
2005      
Jul 19 $104    
2006      
Jan 15 $99 1 bid We'd call described condition "fair"
Apr 5 $77 6 bids Condition sounded good with loose cover
Apr 30 $38 7 bids Appeared to be poor condition, with some loose pages sticking out
May 14 $299 1 bid "Pages show age … no tears of fraying … spine pulled away from cover but all pages intact … covers show wear and fraying.
Jun 5 152 5 bids Covers looked to be in fine shape but "textblock split at title page verso & last page recto."
Aug 15 $230 5 bids Condition described as "very good."
Dec 6 $31 3 bids "Cover and pages have water damage to lower right corner ... diminishing to nothing at around 330 pages and discoloration to inside cover and facing page. Title page has tape on it."
2007      
Apr 22 $76 2 bids "A good clean copy ... cover is in good condition, contents are complete with no writing, tears or stains and NO odd smells. However the binding is slightly loose." [That's an understatement! Besides VERY loose, it was almost completely torn loose from back cover and rapidly getting same in front cover.]


1949-1951 Car Builders’ Cyclopedia. New York: Simmons-Boardman, 1949.

18th edition. C.B. Peck, editor. Contains definitions and typical illustrations of railroad and industrial cars, their parts and equipment; cars built in America for export; descriptions and illustrations of shops and equipment employed in the construction and repair of cars. Printed on high-quality glossy paper. Copiously illustrated with black and white photographs and detailed line drawings. Errata sheet affixed to front free endpaper by printer. 1308 - 9¾" x 12" pp.

Prices Realized On eBay
2005
Mar 19 $159 3 bids
Jun 15 $205 11 bids
Jul 23 $92 4 bids
Jul 25 $76 4 bids
Aug 2 $57 6 bids
Oct 27 $130 4 bids Very good condition
Dec 16 $152 4 bids Good condition
2006
Jan 30 $105 9 bids Condition said “good,” looked more like fair
May 28 $202 2 bids "Great condition" except: discoloration of pages due to age, light water damage on 25 to 30 pages, approximately 200 pages have "light wavy" effect, 13 pages have stain at upper right corner size of a thumb mark, first cover page has "some holes."
Sep 23 $114 6 bids "Book is in very good shape and pages are in great shape. No torn pages, dog ears, or writing on any page as far as I could tell."
Oct 19 $56 9 bids "Very nice condition ... some water damage in corner of a few pages ... a little musty." Binding showed substantial use but not abuse.


1953 Car Builders’ Cyclopedia. New York, NY: Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corp., 1953.

19th edition. C.B. Peck, editor. Definitions and typical Illustrations of railroad and industrial cars, their parts and equipment; cars built in America for export to foreign countries; descriptions and Illustrations of shops and equipment employed in the construction and repair of cars. 1280 - 9¾" x 12" pages.

Prices Realized On eBay
2005      
Oct 18 $77 4 bids Good condition
Oct 27 $58 2 bids Very good condition
Dec 4 $84 7 bids  
Dec 20 $85 1 bid Condition looked good
2006      
Jan 1 $102 10 bids Condition claimed excellent
Jan 12 $50 6 bids Cover stained, pages yellowed, smells musty
Jan 13 $99 1 bid Date added to spine, otherwise “good condition”
Feb 26 $110 13 bids “Excellent condition - stored in original shipping carton”
Apr 9 $99 16 bids Condition described as "very good" but looked better than that
Apr 13 $101 45 bids "Binding and pages are good condition"
Sep 24 $109 2 bids Described as "clean." Only one photo: cover. Looked good.
Oct 1 $194 7 bids "Excellent condition ... pages do show some yellowing ... a few stains on outside ... binding and cover in excellent shape." In our estimation, someone got bidding fever to pay this much!
Oct 22 $73 8 bids "No smells, no stains, no damage." Appeared condition excellent from photos of outside only.
Nov 2 $122 6 bids "Excellent condition" and the single photo supported that.
Dec 14 $46 2 bids "Good shape ... pages a bit yellow ... no old book smell" but covers and spine showed significant wear and some tape.
2007      
Jan 10 $60 8 bids "Very good condition."
Jan 19 $74 8 bids "Some damage to the front ... water damage to some pages ... 'age spots' to front cover." Appeared to be water damage that might have penetrated into book.
Jan 28 $107 5 bids "Great shape with no ripped or torn pages." Seller said book used by Mantua for details in making model trains. Appeared in excellent shape.
Feb. 25 $163 10 bids "Very Goof Condition" ...and looked it.
Mar 2 $173 7 bids "Really good condition." Nothing in 6 photos to indicate otherwise.


1953 Car Builders’ Cyclopedia, Canadian Issue. New York, NY: Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corp., 1953.

19th Edition. Dictionary of railroad car terms, plus photos and specification drawings. Covers freight cars, MOW equipment, passenger cars, diesel, gasoline & electric locomotives, industrial and mine cars, car shops and repair yards, and much more. Hard cover, 1280 pages.

Prices Realized On eBay
2005      
Dec 6 $76 3 bids  
2006      
Jan 26 $57 4 bids Appeared to be in fair to good condition
Jan 27 $100 12 bids “Excellent (almost like new condition)” ... in protective plastic cover
Jun 21 $150 1 bid Condition described as "near fine" but mustiness noted
Oct 6 $86 8 bids "Good condition ... stain on the cover."


1957 Car Builders’ Cyclopedia. New York, NY: Simmons-Boardman, 1957.

20th edition. Definitions and typical illustrations of railroad and industrial cars, their parts and equipment; cars built in America for export to foreign countries; descriptions and illustrations of shops and equipment employed in the construction and repair of cars. 1114 - 9¾" x 12" pages.

Prices Realized On eBay
2005      
Mar 4 $67 8 bids  
Jul 31 $102 10 bids
2006      
Jan 6 $66 6 bids “Excellent condition”
Jan 27 $137 8 bids  
Mar 19 $82 5 bids VG condition claimed but "binding is a little loose at the bottom and first page is separated from binding at bottom one-third."
Apr 23 $53 5 bids Appeared to be in fine condition except for writing on inside cover
Sep 12 $85 1 bid Described as "like new," "exceptionally clean," "in original carton," but stored in dusty, musty conditions that have been absorbed by it.
Oct 6 $10 1 bid "Fair condition ... first 18 pages missing." In photo, spine showed considerable wear and chipping and page(s) were protruding.
Oct 6 $20 2 bids "Fair condition, some of the binding is coming loose from the back."
Oct 11 $47 6 bids "Lite [sic] wear and dirt to cover ... extra wear at edges ... interior pages .. good with yellowing from age ... a little dirt to front cover pagrd ...owners name ... small tear p. 595 ... couple pages loose in front ... overall condition good+"
Oct 12 $39 5 bids "Good condition ... pages a little yellow" Exterior appeared very good.
Nov 20 $41 4 bids "Cover and pages are in excellent condition although the binding is loose under the front cover ... from smoke-free environment."
Nov 27 $90 1 bid "Minor shelfwear to boards [covers], corners bumped, front and back hinge cracked but still holding tight, otherwise clean and tight throughout." Appeared to be some loose pages peeking out.
Dec 12 $175 3 bids "Binding is warn but overall shape is very serviceable." Binding appeared very warn, but not torn.
Dec 18 $48 5 bids No description. Condition appeared to be good or better.
2007      
Jan 25 $70 1 bid "Good condition with no major damage. Binding has a split in front and back of spine ... all pages are intact and attached to the binding except the title page which is loose ...and chewed up ... wear ... at top and bottom of the spine." Few bids probably because they wouldn't accept PayPal.
Feb 17 $69 3 bids "Good condition" Can't tell more as there was only one pic (of front cover)
Feb 18 $48 6 bids "Binding is completely loose and pages show considerable wear." Appeared some pages were loose and many dog-eared.
Mar 6 $175 1 bid "Excellent shape though there is one page slightly damaged."
Apr 15 $180 5 bids "Excellent condition ... moderate scuffing/abrasions but a clean copy. Mild yellowing of pages at edges due to age.


1961 Car Builders’ Cyclopedia of American Practice. New York, NY: Simmons-Boardman, 1961.

21st edition. C.L. Combes, editor. Definitions and typical illustrations of railroad and industrial cars, their parts and equipment; cars built in America for export to foreign countries; descriptions and illustrations of shops and equipment employed in the construction and repair of cars. 955 - 9¾" x 12" pp.

Prices Realized On eBay
2006      
Jan 1 $80 6 bids Condition appeared very good
Jan 11 $26 3 bids No photo. Described “very good condition”
Jan 22 $88 9 bids “Very nice condition with some light cover wear ”
Jan 23 $71 7 bids “Very good condition”
Jan 26 $59 4 bids Appeared to be in very good to excellent condition
Mar 5 $96 13 bids “Very nice condition;” (appeared excellent)
Mar 26 $56 5 bids Top of spine badly damaged, some pages wrinkled
Apr 30 $50 7 bids Appeared to be in excellent condition
Jun 19 $63 6 bids Appeared to be in excellent condition
Jul 22 $79 8 bids Condition claimed was "excellent."
Aug 6 $88 2 bids Condition claimed was "excellent."
Sep 3 $31 4 bids Crayola markings on back page, some water damage to 1st 50 pages, and possibly individual later pages, some wear on cover and ink smudged.
Sep 16 $47 7 bids "Excellent condition. I see no bent pages, writing, or other damage."
Oct 6 $26 3 bids "Nice condition." Only one photo and that of cover.
Oct 31 $112 12 bids "Good condition, there are no dog ears or torn pages. A portion of the Errata Sheet has been removed but is not on the page it was supposed to correct. There is some yellowing of the pages."
Nov 11 $44 5 bids "Good condition...binding still tight, no finger marks on the edges of pages, no scuff marks on covers."
Nov 20 $47 8 bids "Hardbound cover and pages are in excellent condition ... from a smoke-free environment."
Nov 21 $50 4 bids "Excellent condition and I doubt it was ever used." And it looked it!
Dec 12 $150 2 bids "Binding is torn but overall shape is very serviceable." Photos did not show anything beyond expected wear.
Dec 17 $38 8 bids "Water damage on front cover [and board cracked] and about 90 pages." Binding appeared OK in photos.
2007      
Feb 5 $79 15 bids "Very good condition, the first 40 pages have some water damage but only a couple have real damage from sticking together. The others have spots." Cover also showed wrinkling from water.


1966 Car and Locomotive Cyclopedia.  New York, NY: Simmons-Boardman Publishing Co. 1966.

1st edition. C.L. Combes, editor. Combining the 22th edition of The Car Builder’s Cyclopedia, first published in 1879 as The Car-Builders' Dictionary, and the 19th edition of The Locomotive Cyclopedia, first published in 1906 as The Locomotive Dictionary. 1214 pp; profusely illustrated with schematics, diagrams and b&w photos.

Prices Realized On eBay
2005      
Oct 29 $99 10 bids Good condition
Nov 23 $127 3 bids Appeared to be in excellent condition
2006      
Jan 20 $80 8 bids Advertised condition "clean," but showed no-
table cover wear and binding appeared loose.
Mar 26 $61 4 bids “Minor scuffing on the cover and some minor breaking down on binding but the hinges and pages are solid”
Oct 31 $129 15 bids "Covers show average surface wearwith moderate edge and corner wear...binding is strong and intact...back cover is bowed toward the bottom...inside pages are in excel;lent condition with good edges and corners...a few pages with some notes written in white page borders...has "musty" smell [from smoking]."
2007      
Feb 25 $104 17 bids "Binding, cover and pages are in very good shape"


1970 Car and Locomotive Cyclopedia of American Practices. New York, NY: Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation, 1970.

2nd edition. C.L. Combes, editor; F.N. Houser, consulting editor; N.E. Gillespie, locomotive editor; Elsie M. Koch, assistant editor; R.G. Lewis, publisher. Combining the 23th edition of The Car Builder’s Cyclopedia and the 17th edition of The Locomotive Cyclopedia.  Definitions and illustrations of railroad cars and locomotives and their components built for domestic and export service, and including shop practices and a directory of car and locomotive repair facilities. 1074 - 8½ x 11" pages.

Prices Realized On eBay
2005      
Jun 19 $33    
Jul 27 $42    
Dec 11 $21 6 bids Appeared in excellent condition
2006      
Feb 13 $56 2 bids Appeared in at least fine condition
Mar 16 $34 3 bids Condition described as "average" and looked it
Jun 20 $39 4 bids Condition appeared to be fine or better
Aug 20 $47 7 bids Condition described as "very nice" and appeared to be very excellent.
2007      
Jan 1 $30 6 bids "...very good condition though the cover is somewhat dirty. No dog eared, torn or soiled pages."
Jan 11 $66 5 bids "Excellent condition."
Apr 16 $41 6 bids "Very nice condition, minor corner bumps, vibrant color, pages white."


1974 Car and Locomotive Cyclopedia of American Practices. New York, NY: Simmons-Boardman Books, Inc., 1974.

3rd edition. George R. Cockle, editor. Centennial edition.  Combining the 24th edition of The Car Builder’s Cyclopedia and the 18th edition of The Locomotive Cyclopedia. Definitions and illustrations of railroad cars and locomotives and their components built for domestic and export service, and including shop practices and a directory of car and locomotive repair facilities. Many locomotives pictured and diagramed. Numerous photographs, diagrams.

Prices Realized On eBay
2005      
Dec 28 $27 6 bids “Excellent condition” claimed.
2006      
Jan 20 $66 4 bids Showed substantial cover wear and heavy use to binding.
Jun 8 $51 2 bids Described as "very good" condition and looked it.
Jun 13 $40 4 bids "Book is in good condition and interior pages are in excellent condition."
Oct 26 $45 4 bids "In good condition" but single photo of front cover suggested warpage of some kind inside book.
Nov 17 $70 14 bids Condition described as "Very Good."
2007      
Apr 16 $34 6 bids "Book is solid, covers show wear, worn corners, upper part of spine has small tear, but a solid book."


1980 Car and Locomotive Cyclopedia of American Practices. Omaha, NE: Simmons-Boardman Books, Inc., 1980.

4th edition. Kenneth G., Ellsworth, editor. Combining the 25th edition of The Car Builder’s Cyclopedia and the 19th edition of The Locomotive Cyclopedia. Definitions and illustrations of railroad cars and locomotives and their components built for domestic and export service, and including shop practices and a directory of car and loco motive repair facilities. 1047 pages with numerous photographs, dimensional diagrams and illustrations.

Prices Realized On eBay
2005      
Jun 19 $33    
Dec 9 $57 10 bids Few “wavy” pages
2006      
Nov 12 $37 8 bids No description given and no photos.
2007      
Mar 5 $88 15 bids "Nice shape, no torn or folded pages." Appeared to be in good shape except for badly rubbed place across lower front cover.
Apr 16 $77 4 bids "Very nice condition, minor corner bumps, vibrant color, pages white."


1984 Car and Locomotive Cyclopedia of American Practices. Omaha, NE: Simmons-Boardman Books, Inc., 1984.

5th edition. Kenneth G., Ellsworth, ed. Combining the 26th edition of The Car Builder’s Cyclopedia and the 20th edition of The Locomotive Cyclopedia. 755 pages.

Prices Realized On eBay
2005      
Jul 20 $112 13 bids  
Dec 18 $80 1 bid  
2006      
Jan 4 $60 1 bid Excellent condition claimed
Jun 13 $36 6 bids No description of condition and single photo showed only front cover.
Oct 28 $46 14 bids "Ex-library, as new ... don't think this has ever been read."
Nov 19 $50 1 bid Condition not described. Nothing bad showed in two photos.
2007      
Apr 16 $62 4 bids "Very nice condition, minor corner bumps, vibrant color, pages white."


1997 Car and Locomotive Cyclopedia of American Practices. Omaha, NB: Simmons-Boardman Books, 1997.

6th edition. William W. Kratville and Laura J. O'Connor, editors., with Brian Brundige, Pat Kentner, J. Craig Thorpe and John Winfield. Combining the 27th edition of The Car Builder’s Cyclopedia and the 21st edition of The Locomotive Cyclopedia. 9" x 11.5" x 2.25" thick. 1136 pages. ($175 new at Amazon.com 9 October 2006)

Prices Realized On eBay
2005      
Jul 28 $155 Unk. One of a “limited edition” of 6,000!
2006      
Oct 9 $138 9 bids Condition appeared to be excellent.

Works Without or With Unknown Author — Listed by Title

City and Interurban Cars. San Marino, CA: Pacific Railway Journal, 1961.

Reprint of a 1913 catalog from J.G. Brill. Includes single truck closed cars, prepayment cars, double truck closed cars, center entrance cars, California cars, convertible cars, double deck cars, storage battery cars, open cars, interurbans, combination cars, funeral cars, express & freight cars, work cars, sprinkling cars, snow sweepers and snow plows. Many pencil sketches.

Brill Trucks, 1915 Truck Catalog, J.G. Brill Company.  Association of Railway Museums

Reprint of a 1915 compilation of individual Brill truck bulletins. Each one covers a different truck style and shows major dimensions and spare parts then available. Included are the 27 M.C.B., the 21-E single truck, various “maximum traction" trucks, and Birney safety car trucks. Order direct from the publisher’s website.

“ Car Plans of the Perley A. Thomas Car Company, High Point, North Carolina, 1926.” (See Thomas below.)

“Cars of the McGuire-Cummings Manufacturing Company, 1911.” Electric Railway Historic Society Bulletin #14. Chicago, IL: Electric Railway Historical Society, 1950.

Reissue of selected portions of the 1911 McGuire-Cummings catalogue. Includes: Peoria Ry cars 80-84, WCF&N 30-32 80-81, Ohio & Southern 103, Michigan United parlor car, Denver & Intermountain 20, AE&C 206, Centerville Light & Traction (IA), Michigan United 68, IT 1200-1203, ICE Ry 15, Gary & Interurban 113, New Orleans single truck, Iowa City, Illinois Terminal 1063-1067, Michigan United, Connecticut Co crane cars CNS&Milwaukee 21, snow sweeper, plow, Fort Dodge Des Moines & Southern express & snow plows, sprinkler for Springfield (IL), Peoria Ry Terminal. Has dimensions, illustrations of cars, trucks, special cars, sprinklers, plows & more.  31 - 8½" x 11" pages. ($2-15)

“Cars of the Niles Car Company.” Electric Railway Historic Society Bulletin 30.  Chicago, IL: Electric Railway Historical Society, 19__.

15 - 8½" x 11" pages of cars from the 1914 catalog of the Niles Car Company. ($20-31)

“Cars of the St. Louis Car Company.” Electric Railway Historic Society Bulletin 18.   Chicago, IL: Electric Railway Historical Society, 19__.

Reprint of part of the St. Louis Car Company Catalog No 105 from 1927. Includes lightweight cars, Birneys, two man cars, one man cars, double end cars, Center exit cars, Peter Witt types, and more. Includes a number of pencil drawings and floor plans. 32 - 8½" x 11" pp. ($20-31)

Electric Cars and Trucks. Philadelphia, PA: J.G. Brill Company, 1895; Reprint Forty Fort, PA: Harold E. Cox, 1971.

This is a reprint of Brill’s 1895 catalog. 88 pages. ($12-50)

Electric Railway Cars and Trucks 1905; Modern Types of City and Interurban Cars and Trucks. Felton, CA: Glenwood Publishers, 1972.

Reprint of the 1905 John Stephenson Co. Catalog. Includes Interurbans, Brill Semi-convertible types, Stephenson Semi-convertible types, Brill Convertible types, Brill Narragansett open cars, standard Open cars, standard closed cars, top seat cars, baggage cars, snow plows, sweepers and more. Many drawings and descriptions of the cars. Forward by George W. Hilton - University of California, Los Angeles. 88 - 8½" x 11" pages. ($10-22)

Electric Railway Dictionary. New York, NY: McGraw Publishing, 1911.

1st [last and only] edition. Definitions, illustrations, photographs and diagrams of electric railway cars, and of parts, equipment and trucks. 292 - 9" x 12" pages plus 55 pages of ads in the rear. Unlike the locomotive and car builders' dictionaries, the 1911 edition of the Electric Railway Dictionary was the only one ever published. (Dealers asking $700-800)

Prices Realized On eBay
2006 Jan 10 $124.48 10 bids Leather bound, chunks missing from cover, several loose pages, “otherwise pretty good condition.”
2006 Mar 4 $147.50 8 bids Leather bound, cover damaged around edges, pieces missing from spine, age-darkening of pages, pages intact and in good condition

Facsimile reprint  — Novato, CA: Newton K. Gregg, 1972.

Prices Realized On eBay
2005 Oct 19 $27.02 5 bids  
2006 Jan 15 $13.01 2 bids  
2006 Apr 9 $16.00 6 bids Appeared to be in Fine condition
2006 May 21 $51.00 4 bids No word on condition and insufficient photos to guess.

Hicks Locomotive & Car Works. Chicago, IL: Self Published, n.d. [1908?]

“Issued in the Interest of a Better Acquaintance Between the Users of Railway Equipment and the Producers.” A corporate promotion piece with lots of photographs and relatively little text. Lots of advertising by suppliers a la The Car Builders Dictionary. This volume is very hard to find. Thankfully, virtually all of it can be found somewhere on this website.

“The Lehigh Valley Transit Company’s St. Louis Cars.” Allentown, PA: Lehigh Valley Chapter NRHS, 1961.

History and roster. 115 - 6½" x 9¼" pages, b/w photos, plastic comb binding. ($10-25)

“Lightweight Cars: 1923 Brill Catalog.” Electric Railway Historic Society Bulletin 47.   Chicago, IL: Electric Railway Historical Society, 19__.

20 pages of lightweight cars from J.G. Brill.

The Modern Railway Car. Chicago, IL: Railway Age Company, 1883.

Illustrated booklet describing the private car Railway Age. The introduction describes the history of the passenger car. ($ - )

“Niles Car & Manufacturing Company.” Electric Railway Historic Society Bulletin 29.   Chicago, IL: Electric Railway Historical Society, 19__.

Reprint of the 1910 Niles Car & Manufacturing catalog. 44 pages. ($20)

Ross Winans vs. the Eastern Railroad Company. Boston, MA: Moore & Crosby, 1854.

 White/Freightcars calls this “A massive printed transcript that reproduces the testimony and dispositions [sic - depositions] of the major and minor pioneer master car builders . . . an indispensable source for the early history of the American passenger car.” Unfortunately, there appears to be just two copies in libraries: at the Smithsonian Institution and at the New York Public Library. It is not listed even in the catalog of the Library of Congress. ($450)

Seattle Car & Foundry Company 1913 Catalog. Reprint. Seattle, WA: Northwest Short Line, 2003.

Reprint of a 76 page 1913 catalog of the Seattle Car & Foundry Company, with numerous photos and drawings of logging railroad cars and associated equipment.

“Thomas Built Cars.” Electric Railway Historical Society Bulletin No. 31, 1959.

A reproduction of the Perley A. Thomas Car Works catalog for 1930. ($17-43)

Traction PlanBook [and Photo Album]. Newton, NJ: Carstens Publishing, 1964, 1968, 1975.

This is a paperback book of photographs and scale drawings of electric railway equipment. There are at least three editions, First, Second, and “New Second.” corresponding to the dates above. We can’t be certain, not owning any of these books, but it appears much of their content is taken from the 1911 Electric Railway Dictionary. Contents of the the 1st and 2nd editions can be found at The Model Train Magazine Index. In the left column of the home page select “BOOKS,” then on the next page, under Locomotives [go figure] select “TRACTION.” We have no idea what's in the “New Second” edition, but venture a guess that it is a reprint of the 2nd edition with the same content. 1st edition roughly 60 - 8½" x 11" pages, 2nd roughly 100 8½" x 11" pages. Asking price for 1st or 2nd edition is $20-25, but they go on eBay for significantly less. The “New Second” edition is available online for $9.95 or less. It contains all but four of the 60 articles in the 1st edition, plus 21 additional articles.

Train Shed Cyclopedia. A series of 90 softbound volumes of material largely drawn from contemporary publications of the titled era. Published during the 1970s by Newton K. Gregg, Novato, California. Available through many specialty booksellers, used book dealers, and on eBay. Availability of individual volumes varies greatly, but our experience suggests virtually all can be had for $10-20, and even less on eBay if you have patience. Here’s a list of all published volumes.

Works With Known Author — Listed by Author

Arnold, Ian. “Locomotive, Trolley, and Rail Car Builders - An All-time Directory.” Railway History Quarterly. Vol. II, No. 1; January 1965.

Short histories of rail car builders “from early times” to date of publication.  White/Freightcars calls it “A superficial summary that repeats Charlton’s data on the subject of car builders in a more condensed form.” Numerous photos and reproductions of old advertisements. ($10)

Ashdown, Dana William. Iron & Steam; A History of the Locomotive and Railway Car Builders of Toronto. Toronto, ON: Robin Bass Studio, 2000.

The names of the customers who bought this equipment are now legendary: the Ontario, Simcoe and Huron Union; the Northern; the Buffalo, Brantford & Goderich; the Buffalo & Lake Huron; the Cobourg & Peterborough; the Grand Trunk; the Great Western; the Toronto, Grey & Bruce; the Toronto & Nipissing; the Canada Southern; the Canadian Pacific; the Canadian Northern; and others. Yet the six concerns responsible for this prodigious output are largely forgotten. Most were general iron founders like James Good's Toronto Locomotive Works; Dickey, Neill & Company's Soho Foundry; William Hamilton & Son's St. Lawrence Foundry; and Canadian General Electric's Canada Foundry Company, later known as Canadian Allis-Chalmers. McLean & Company's Toronto Car Factory specialized in railway cars, as did the Canada Car & Manufacturing Company. 302 - 7½ x 7½" pages, 140 photos, drawings and maps, extensive appendices give details of the all the locomotives built, notes, bibliography, index. (Paper, $22.50 Canadian, $18.95 US)

Barger, Ralph L. A Century of Pullman Cars.  Vol. 1, Alphabetical list, and Vol. 2, “The Palace Cars.” Sykesville, MD: Greenberg Publishing Co., Inc., 1988 and 1990.

Cars built by the Pullmans Palace Car Company and its successors. (Vol. 1, $65-125; Vol. 2, $124-250; Both $275)

Brill, Debra. History of the J. G. Brill Company.  (Vol. __ in the Railroads Past & Present series.) Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 2001.

Definitive history of the J.G. Brill Company by the great-great-great grand-daughter of the firm’s founder, John George Brill. 272 8½" x 11" pages, 289 b/w photos and line drawings, index. ($45-80; New, hardcover $49.95 at Amazon.Com [12 Dec 2005]).

Brough, Lawrence A. and James H. Graebner. From Small Town to Downtown A History of the Jewett Car Company, 1893-1919. (Vol. 39 in the Railroads Past and Present series.) Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 2004.

The Jewett Car Company was born in Akron, Ohio, in the heyday of the electric railway boom of the 1890s. It gained an excellent reputation for its elegant, well-built wooden cars for street railway companies, interurban lines, and rapid transit service. Many interurban lines employed the graceful, arch-windowed, wood interurban for which Jewett was famous. 208 - 7¼" x 10¼" pages, 103 b/w photos, bibliography, index, chronological roster of cars, 109 page detailed description of cars ordered by state and by railway within state.  ($31.75 new at Amazon.com [12 Dec 2005])

Carlson, Stephen.  PCC: The Car That Fought Back. Glendale, CA: Interurban Press, 1980.

The blue ribbon Presidents’ Conference Committee was formed to rescue the slow, stodgy streetcar from extinction. 250 pages with historic photographs, rosters and index, plus two foldout car diagrams of the PCC cars and folded roster in rear pocket. ($75-500)

Carstens, Harold H., ed. Passenger Cars, Vol. 1: Pioneer and Wooden Cars, Steel Heavyweight Cars.  Newton, NJ: Carstens Publications, Inc. 2001.

A compilation of plans and photos of wood and heavy weight steel passenger cars previously published in RMC magazine. ($25-33)

Charlton, E. Harper. Railway Car Builders of the United States & Canada. New York, NY: Interurban Press, 1957.

Heavy accent on streetcars and interurbans.  White/Freightcars calls it “Valuable for quick reference, although dates do not always agree with contemporary sources. The author depended on information supplied by correspondence. Early builders are neglected.” 93 pages, illustrated with photos, appendix, addenda, softbound ($17-65)

Charlton, E. Harper. Electric Railway Car Trucks. Wilkes Barre, PA: Byrne Printing Co. (Harold R. Cox), 1967.

98 pages about trucks used on electric railway equipment including wheel and axle arrangements, double trucks, three axle trucks, truck springs and a look at the various models of trucks, including Alco, American Car Co, American Car & Foundry, Baldwin, Barney & Smith, Bemis Car Box Co, Brill, Budd, Cincinnati Car Co, Commonwealth Steel, Curtis Trucks, Dorner Manufacturing, Jewett, Laclede Car Co, McGuire-Cummings Manufacturing Co, Osgood Bradley Car Co, Peckham Manufacturing Co, PCC Type Trucks, St Louis Car Co, Standard Motor Truck Co, John Stephenson Co, Taylor Electric Truck Co, Wason Manufacturing Co and more. Includes a number of photos and drawings. ($30- )

Cox, Harold E., Barber Car: Electric Traction's Ugly Duckling, (Forty Fort, PA: Self-published, 2002).

A history of the rise and fall of the Barber Car Company. Includes a roster of all Barber cars built. B&W photos. (Soft Cover - $25)

Cox, Harold E. The Birney Car.  Wilkes-Barre, PA: Byrne Printing Co., circa 1965.

Characteristics of a Birney car, lightweight car manufacturers (St. Louis Car Co., Brill, American Car Co., Wason Mfg. Co., Cincinnati Car Co., Southern Car Co., G.C. Kuhlman Car Co., McGuire-Cummings Mfg. Co,, and others), a listing for the trolley lines in the US and Canada showing the Birney cars that they used with manufacturer data and some notes about the cars. Includes a number of photos and some scale drawings. 118 - 8½" x 11" pages. Comb-bound with card covers. ($35-76)

Cummings, O.R. A Forgotten Industry; Preface and History of the Briggs Carriage Company, Amesbury, Massachusetts. 1994.

Online at http://www.hampton.lib.nh.us/hampton/history/trolleys/aforgottenindustry.htm courtesy of the Lane Memorial Library, Hampton, NH.

Cummings, O.R. “The Trolley Parlor Cars of New England.” Transportation Bulletin No. 58, May-June 1959.

Parlor cars were generally acquired for the benefit of company officials and their guests, though they might be made available for charter by private groups. A few lines tried operating them for the public, but this generally did not work out very well. Included with photos and or history are: No 500 of the Connecticut Company; the Merrymeeting of the Lewiston, Augusta & Waterville Street Railway; the Bramhall built for the Portland Railroad; the City of Manchester; the Bennington of the Berkshire Street Railway at Williamstown, Massachusetts; the Berkshire Hills; and more than an additional dozen, including a full roster of trolley parlor cars in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. 16 - 8¾" x 11¼" pages with b/w illustrations.

Prices Realized On eBay
2006 Feb 7 $18.50 5 bids  

Cunningham, Gerald F. & O.R. Cummings. A Forgotten Industry ... Newburyport and Amesbury Streetcar Builders ... The Newburyport Car Manufacturing Co. The Ellis Car Company. The Briggs Carriage Company. Forty Fort, PA: Harold E. Cox, 1995.

Davies, Owen. Street Cars and Interurbans of Yesterday; a Collection of Car Illustration and Drawings from the Electric Railway Dictionary of 1911. Chicago, IL: Owen Davies Publishing, 1963.

Selected car drawings and illustrations from the 1911 Electric Railway Dictionary. 775 photos, drawings and diagrams of street cars, interurbans and other electric railway equipment. 166 - 9¾" x 12" pages. ($21-45)

DeGraw, Ronald. “Portfolio of Cars” supplement to The Red Arrow; A History of One of the Most Successful Suburban Transit Companies in the World (Philadelphia's suburban trolley network). Haverford, PA: Haverford Press (1972), reprint Glendale, CA: Interurban Press, 1986.

The “Portfolio” was included with the original book: unknown whether it was included with the reprint. Includes 14 plans drawn by Andrew W. Maginnis. The plans and 39 photos are printed in sepia tone on lightly textured heavy paper stock. There are 5 huge fold-outs. Included are side and end elevations, photos and floor plans for the Liberty Liners; the Philadelphia & Western Brill Bullets; the P&W Strafford cars; a Ruggles-built single-truck snow sweeper, no. 2; a McGuire-Cummings double-truck sweeper, no. 4; Jewett-built freight box motor no. 7; Philadelphia & West Chester open car no. 106; plus other West Chester and Philadelphia Suburban cars, including PCCs and Brilliners. Short history for each car, specs, disposition, some paint data. (The book itself goes for $70 - 100 and does not always include the portfolio. The portfolio by itself went for $61 on eBay 27 August 2003.)

Eggert, Gerald G. Harrisburg Industrializes; The Coming of Factories to an American Community. University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1993.

This book has a lot of material on the Harrisburg Car Manufacturing Company, but that is not the whole thrust of the book. Its real purpose is to look at the broader affects of the coming of industry to a heartland city of America, and the waning of that industry as the turn of the century approached. Covers the period of roughly 1850 to 1900.

Elsner, Henry. Three Axle Street Cars; From Robinson to Rathgeber. Hicksville, NY: N. J. International, vol. 1, 1994; vol. 2, 1995.

100 years in the history and technology of radial axle, 6-wheel steering streetcars. Both contain numerous b/w photos; schematics, including one fold-out; appear to be limited edition of 1,000 copies; softcover.

Vol. 1 - Has 178 pages ($50-55)
Vol. 2 - Has 366 pages ($21-55)
Set of two volumes ($125)

Epstein, Ralph C. GATX: History of the General American Transportation Corporation 1898-1948. New York, NY: North River Press, 1948.

The history of the creation of one of the major players in the selling, leasing, and manufacturing of Railroad, "Box Cars", Cars. Illustrated with photographs, and an appendix and chronology of vital statistics. 32 pages of photos. ($10-50)

Estabrook, Harry M. A History of the Barney & Smith Car Company of Dayton Ohio; with short biographical sketches of some of the men prominently connected with the company, ... events in the history of the company. Dayton, OH: J.W. Johnson, c. 1911; Reprint Dayton, OH: Curt Dalton, 1997.

Reminiscences of some interesting events in the history of the Barney & Smith Car Company, with short biographical sketches of some of the men prominently connected with the company.

Foesig, Harry.  Brill Deck Roof Trolley Cars.  Forty Fort, PA: Harold Cox publisher, 1973.

Covers the classic J.G. Brill cars, electric car, trucks, bottom framing, windows, roofs, open platform, closed platform and painting. 52 pages, b/w photos. ($15-20)

Fowler, G.L. [George Little]. The Car Wheel. Schoen Steel Wheel Company, 1907.

White/Freightcars describes it as “A subsidized work of 160 pages intended to promote the sponsor’s product. The author was a respected mechanical engineer and author. The text is technical.” ($ )

Glendinning, Gene V. The Chicago & Alton Railroad; The Only Way. DeKalb, IL: Northern Illinois University Press, June 2002.

Not really a railway car builder, as such, but this is railroad was the one for which Pullman built his first sleeper, and proved the commercial success of his enterprise. Includes material about Pullman, the start of his company, and his close ties with the Alton, as it was called. Very modest number of b/w photos, bibliography, excellent index. No rosters. 250 pages. (HC at Barnes & Noble as of 30 June 2003: $50.)

Groner, Alex. PACCAR: The Pursuit of Quality. Bellevue, WA: Documentary Book Publishing Co., 1981, 1998.

History of the company that started out manufacturing wood and steel railroad rolling stock and later became the second-largest truck manufacturer in the world (Pacific Car & Foundry Company until name-change in 1971). 243 - 12" x 9¾" pages, b/w and some color photographs, index, bibliography. ($23-54)

Hildrup, William T. History and Organization of the Harrisburg Car Manufacturing Company. Harrisburg, PA: Privately Printed,1884.

This book sounds like it would be right on target, but as of 5 December 2003, it is not to be found on any online used book site, and it does not show in the online catalogs for either the Library of Congress or the Harrisburg library system. There is reportedly a copy at the State Library in Harrisburg, but it must be in their Rare Books collection, as it does not show up in their online catalog either. Fortunately, Eggert, above, contains a great deal of material attributed to this book.

Hitt, Rodney, ed. Electric Railway Dictionary, Definitions and Illustrations of the Parts and Equipment of Electric Railway Cars and Trucks.  New York, NY: McGraw, 1911.

292 pp, 55 pp adverts. 1,987 photographs, engravings and technical drawings. This publication was intended to be the first of an annual series but due to a severe downturn in the industry this was the only volume ever published. ($328)

1972 facsimile reprint: Novato, CA: Newton K. Gregg, 1972. ($125-195)

Husband, Joseph. The Story of the Pullman Car. A. C. McClurg & Co., Chicago, IL: 1917. Reprint 1972 by Arno Press, New York; 1974 by Black Letter Press, Grand Rapids.

Evolution of the sleeping car and establishment and growth of the Pullman Company, with emphasis on manufacture and operation of the car. White/Freightcars calls it “A popular and not remarkably objective or accurate account.” 161 pages with many illustrations and photographs. (First edition: $20-45; Reprint: $10-30)

Johnson, Clint. From Rails to Roads; The History of Perley A. Thomas Car Works and Thomas Built Buses. Raleigh, NC: Lifescapes Corporation, 1996.

Chronicles the history of Perley A. Thomas Car Works and Thomas Built Buses. How a self-taught mechanical engineer built a thriving company and how his children followed in their father's footsteps through the dark days of the Depression and World War II. It continues to follow the family and how the grandson of Perley A. Thomas built a regional manufacturer into a modern corporation. ($15-20)

Kaminski, Edward S. American Car & Foundry Company 1899-1999.  Berkeley, CA: Signature Press, 1999.

In 1899, thirteen car-building companies combined to form American Car & Foundry Co. This book is the story of a century of work by that company. This sweeping view of the work and products of American Car & Foundry celebrates the company’s Centennial in 1999. Primarily freight cars. 24 pages of passenger cars, mostly streamlined. 1260 photographs (that's no typo!), drawings, index, 376 pgs. ($60-70)

Kaminski, Edward S. The Gregg Company, Ltd., A Centennial History, 1903-2003. Self-published, 2003.

The complete history of this car building company based in Hackensack, New Jersey, which has been an enigma to freight car historians. Primarily known as a car builder specializing in export designs, examples of domestic production and North American designs are shown in the book as well. 218 perfect-bound pages with over 500 B&W photos, catalog pages and text. (Kaminski offered this book direct at $35 + s/h, with ship date of 2/12/03, but his website now appears abandoned and we find the book offered nowhere, maybe try eBay?)

Kaminski, Edward S. The Magor Car Corporation. Berkeley, CA: Signature Press, 2000.

Founded in 1902 at Clifton, NJ, the Magor Car Company built freight cars of all types, but is especially noted for its industrial cars. This is largely a picture book, albeit with lengthy captions, with 235 photos in its 200 - 8½" x 11" pages. But the corporate history consumes only a dozen of them. ($55)

Kaminski, Edward S. Pullman Standard Freight Cars, 1900-1960. Berkeley, CA: Signature Press, 2007.

Although more famous for its passenger cars, Pullman Standard was for some years the largest freight car builder in North America. This book is a rich treasure trove of some 400 photographs from Pullman and Pullman-Standard, as well as predecessors Haskell & Barker, Standard Steel Car Co., and Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad Company. Contents include

Ch. 1: The History of Pullman-Standard
Ch. 2: Box Cars, Stock Cars and Refrigerator Cars
Ch. 3: Covered Hoppers
Ch. 4: Open Top Hoppers and Ore Hoppers
Ch. 5: Flat Cars and Gondolas
Ch. 6: Cabooses
Ch. 7: Index

Hard cover with jacket, 192 -  8.5" x 11" pages,  b/w photos plus 33 pages that include color photos. ($50 or less at many vendors)

Knowles, David C.  The Ottawa Car Company 1892-1948. Ottawa, ON: The Bytown Railway Society, 2003.

The story of one of Canada's leading streetcar builders, The Ottawa Car Company, in words and pictures featuring large photographs and detailed captions. The book contains 36 pages in a 11" x 8-1/2" format on glossy paper. ($11-15 USD)

Kratville, William W. Passenger Car Catalog: Pullman Operated Equipment, 1912-1949. Omaha, NE: Kratville Publications, 1968.

 White/Freightcars describes it as “A descriptive catalog of heavyweight Pullman cars organized by type of car. Names, lot, and plan numbers are given. Photographs and floor plans are included. Part II offers a brief illustrated overview of mechanical equipment that includes a good summary of air-conditioning systems used by Pullman.” 176 pages, illustrated. ($ - )

Kulp, Randolph L. History of Mack Rail Motor Cars and Locomotives. Allentown, PA: Lehigh Valley Chapter, National Railway Historical Society, 1959.

 White/Freightcars calls it “A concise but complete record, well illustrated. An example of railroad-buff literature at its best.” 68 -  7¾" x 9¾" pages, softcover ($50)

Reprinted 1971, (softcover $20-35)

Lind, Alan R. From Horsecars to Streamliners - An Illustrated History of the St. Louis Car Company. Transport History Press, 1978.

History of the company through its products: horsecars, cable cars, streetcars, interurban cars, subway cars, trolley buses, and main line passenger and freight cars. Also gasoline buses,  aircraft, automobiles, boats and military vehicles. Includes a comprehensive list of vehicles built, with notes on subsequent renumberings, rebuildings, conversions. More than 400 illustrations. 400 - 8¾ x 11¼" pages. ($30-100)

Lucas, Walter A. 100 Years of Railroad Cars. New York, NY: Simmons-Boardman, 1958.

Scaled line drawings and b/w photographs of American railroad cars, 1858-1958, taken from the Car Builders Dictionary, Car Builders Cyclopedia, National Car Builder and other, similar sources. White/Freightcars says “Lucas was an expert on the subject and served many years as associate editor of the Car Builders’ Cyclopedia.” 196 - 9¾" x 12" pages. ($30-60)

Prices Realized On eBay
2005 Dec 5 $13.26 4 bids  
2005 Dec 13 $9.51 3 bids  

Lucas, Walter A. Locomotives & Cars since 1900.  New York, NY: Simmons-Boardman, 1959.

Photographs and line drawings taken from the pages of the Locomotive Cyclopedia, Car Builders Cyclopedia, etc. White/Freightcars says “Lucas was an expert on the subject and served many years as associate editor of the Car Builders’ Cyclopedia.” Only 40 of its 119 pages are cars. ($14)

MacGregor, Bruce. The Birth of California Narrow Gauge; A Regional Study of the Technology of Thomas and Martin Carter. Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press, 2003.

Story of the Carter Brothers car builders/contractors, told through the histories of five early California narrow gauge railroads they helped build (Monterey & Salinas Valley, North Pacific Coast, Santa Cruz Railroad, Santa Cruz & Felton, and South Pacific Coast). Contains many reproductions of original plans for Carter Brothers rolling stock and trucks, as well plans by modern draftsmen. Includes a roster of cars built for the five railroads and the Nevada County Narrow Gauge. Comprehensive index. 720 - 12½" x 9" pp.   ($60-80)

McLaughlin, Patrick O’Shea. Vanishing Varnish Vol. 1; Business and Private Railway Cars. Danville, VA: POM Publishing, (no date).

Privately printed. 154 - 7½ x 9" pages, b/w and color photos and sketches. ($100-110) Includes —

bulletJacksonville, Tampa & Key West 25 - Jackson & Sharp built private car for Henry M. Flagler - 1886
bulletBaltimore & Eastern Shore 1 - Jackson & Sharp converted Passenger, Mail & Baggage Car - 1889
bulletWestern Maryland 200 (2nd) - Pullman built business car - 1926
bulletWestern Maryland 200 (2nd) - American Car & Foundry built business car - 1903; Baltimore & Ohio 905 (3rd) - Converted Pullman Car - 1945
bulletPrivate Car “Curleyhut” - American Car & Foundry built private car for Barbara Woolworth Hutton - 1931
bulletPrivate Car “Japauldon” - American Car & Foundry built private car for Jessie Woolworth Donahue - 1926
bulletPrivate Car “Loretto” Pullman built private car for Charles M. Schwab - 1901
bulletSaint Joseph & Grand Island “Nemaha” - Jackson & Sharp built business car - 1886
bulletAmtrak 10001, “Beech Grove” - Converted Amfleet Business Car - 1984

McQuade, Richard and Andrew Merrilees (illustrator). From Wood to Steel: Classic Canadian Railway Passenger Cars From 1860 to 1920. Toronto, ON: Martin Grove Press, 2003.

Scale drawings of passenger cars from “the most elegant era of travel in North America” by Andrew Merrilees, Canada’s foremost railway historian, entrepreneur and collector of his time. Based on official railway diagrams and photos, most of these drawings have never been seen before. Included are cars from Canada’s two principal railways, together with those from smaller lines like the TH&B and ONR as well as those from CN’s predecessor lines such as the GTR, Intercolonial, GTP, CGR, and others. Each of Merrilees’ drawings has been matched with photos showing actual cars as they existed when built, or later in their careers. 14 appendices help to trace the histories and evolution of the cars, showing changes in ownership, re-numberings and usage. 199 - 7¾" x 9¾" pages. ($45-75)

Mencken, August. The Railroad Passenger Car; An illustrated history of the first hundred years, with accounts by contemporary passengers.  Baltimore, OH: Johns Hopkins Press, 1957.

Drawing on a wide assortment of materials—including a wealth of drawings from the U.S. Patent Office, first-hand accounts of contemporary passengers, and his own experience as a young civil engineer active in railroad construction—Mencken presents the roster of cars in which nineteenth-century travelers rode and suffered.  White/Freightcars says “No formal documentation is offered and readers are cautioned not to accept the information uncritically.”

Reprint October 2000. 232 - 7" x 9" pages, with 79 illustrations. (HC, $32 at Amazon.com [12 Dec 2005])

Poole, Cary F. Edwards Railway Motor Car Company; and Its Visionary Founder, H.P. Edwards, "the Doctor of Sick Shortlines." Mobile, AL: Hot Box Press, 2006.

A contemporary of Brill and EMC, the Edwards company produced gasoline powered motorcars for railroads in the U.S., Mexico, and Central and South America. From its humble beginnings in Sanford, North Carolina in the 1920s, when the first car was built utilizing a bus body and a chain and sprocket drive, to the flashy streamlined models of the 1930s and 1940s, Ewards, along with the Edwards company and the Edwards car, is 3examined in detail. Also covered are histories of the southern shortlines H.P. Edwards "doctored," including the Atlantic & Western, Atlanta & St. Andrews Bay (The Bay Line), Marianna & Blountstown, Watauga & Yadkin River, Georgia Florida & Alabama, and Atlantic & East Carolina. 185 photos, maps, locomotive rosters. ($40-45, new)

Rafuse, Ted. Wooden Cars on Steel Rails; A History of the Crossen Car Companies, Cobourg, Ontario.  Port Hope, ON: Steampower Publishing, 2004.

NEW. If you are interested in the Crossen Companies and/or Canadian car builders, this is the book for you. Its 166 pages include 125 b/w photos, 51 equipment diagrams, and rosters. Fully referenced, with index. (Softbound, $34.95 USD) The only place we have seen it offered on the Internet is at Canadian Model Trains, Inc.

Randall, W. David and William G. Anderson. The Official Pullman Standard Library. Godfrey, IL: Railway Production Classics, 1981-1995. 16 volumes.

This set of books gives litt or no information about the Pullman Company, being geared more to cover the cars built by Pullman for each railroad. Each volume covers a specific railway or region of the country. Detailed black and white photographs, fold-out engineering drawings. Average 200 - 9½" x 12½" pages per volume. (Most volumes can be had for under $100, but availability varies greatly.)

Vol. 1 --

Vol. 2 --

Vol. 3 --

Vol. 4 --

Vol. 5 --

Vol. 6 --

Vol. 7 -- Southern Rwy., Seaboard Air Line, Atlantic Coast, New Dixieland, Louisville & Nashville, and Chicago and Eastern Illinois. 208 pages.

Vol. 8 -- Lightweight passenger cars of the Rock Island. 168 - 8½" x 12½" pages. 244 photographs and b/w illustrations. Comb bound.

Vol. 9 -- Lightweight passenger cars of the Chicago & Northwestern. 192 - 8½" x 12½" pages. 280 b/w photographs and illustrations. Comb bound.

Vol. 10 -- Lightweight passenger cars of the NYNH&H, B&M, MEC, BAR, Erie, DLW and LV. 212 - 8½" x 12½" pages. 302 b/w photographs and illustrations. Comb bound.

Vol. 11 -- Mid-Atlantic Railroads (C&O, B&O, PM, N&W, NKP and WAB)      pages, 298 photographs. Spiral bound.

Vol. 12. Lightweight passenger cars of the Illinois Central. 204 - 8½" x 12½" pages. 180 b/w photographs and illustrations. Comb bound.

Vol. 13 -- Lightweight passenger cars of the Union Pacific from 1933 to 1937. 212 - 8½" x 12½" pages. 287 photographs. Comb bound.

Vol. 14 -- Lightweight passenger cars of the Union Pacific from 1937 to 1958. 202 - 8½" x 12½" pages. 280 photographs. Comb bound.

Vol. 15 -- Lightweight passenger cars of the D&RGW, Milwaukee Road, MP, Frisco, KCS and MKT. 206 - 8½" x 12½" pages. 302 photographs. Comb bound.

Vol. 16 -- CN, Trains of Tomorrow, U.S. Army Corps., 1933 Demos, Pullman Pool and NdeM. 198 - 8½" x 12½" pages. 289 photographs. Comb bound.

Randall, W. David. The Passenger Car Library. Godfrey, IL: Railway Production Classics,1999-    . 5 volumes.

Reproductions of official Budd Company floorplans and side elevations of each railroad covered, together with numerous interior and exterior photographs.

Vol. 1 -- Chicago Burlington & Quincy.         pages, 170 photographs.

Vol. 2 -- New York Central and other northeastern railroads (NYC, B&M, D&H, DL&W, Erie, NYNH&H and NYS&W).

Vol. 3 -- Western railroads (GN, NP, CP, CRI&P and D&RGW).

Vol. 4 -- Mid-Atlantic railroads (PRR, Reading, C&O, B&O, N&W, RF&P).

Vol. 5 -- Santa Fe, Southern Pacific.

Vol. 6 -- Southeastern railroads (ACL, CofG, SAL and SOU).

Vol. 7 -- Southwestern railroads (Union Pacific, Missouri Pacific, Wabash, Katy).

Roseman, V.S. Model Railroading's Guide to the Railway Express: An Overview. Denver, CO: Rocky Mountain Publishing Company, 1992.

Contains modeling-specific information about this notoriously reliable company; its special divisions, and its equipment and facilities. Generously illustrated with photos, diagrams, paintings, and sketches. 100 pp. (Paper, $13)

Schneider, Fred W. and Steven Carlson. PCC From Coast to Coast.  ____, CA: Interurban Press, 1983.

Claims to track the PCC to its native habitats and examine where the cars ran, when, and why. There's a chapter on overseas PCC operations too. Every type of car, prewar and postwar, operating on 33 railway systems, is detailed, along with PCC rapid transit cars, Brilliners, PCC work equipment and even a PCC trash truck! You'll ride the lines, check out the car types, trace resales and dispositions. And in back you'll find a detailed roster supplement covering not only the 5000 surface and 1000 rapid transit PCC cars that operated in North America, but 25,000 cars worldwide! More than 600 photos. ___ 9¾" x 12" pages. ($100-150 )

Prices Realized On eBay
2005 Dec 11 $98.79 9 bids Condition: “like new”

Sillcox, L.K. Mastering Momentum. New York, NY: Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corp., 1941.

White/Freightcars calls this “A sophisticated engineering treatise written by an official of the New York Air Brake Company that also treats wheels, axles and truck theory, materials and design.” 274 pages. ($20-30)

Stanley, Dr. Leo L.  “Carter Bros. Builders.”  The Western Railroader, Volume 37, issue 410, July 1974, pages 3-8.

This was a good source of information until Bruce MacGregor wrote The Birth of California Narrow Gauge. There probably isn’t anything here that isn’t covered in more detail there.

Stuart, Charles W.T. Car Lighting by Electricity. New York, NY: Simmones-Boardman Publishing Company, 1923.

White/Freightcars calls this “A textbook written for the practical mechanic. The principle commercial systems [of that day] are explained and illustrated.” White rates highly the brief chapter on the history of car lighting. 356 pages. ($24-40)

Thomas, Perley A. Car Plans of the Perley A. Thomas Car Company, High Point, North Carolina, 1926. Bulletin #9. The Electric Railway Historical Society, Chicago, IL.

16 pages devoted entirely to official car plans of the Perley A. Thomas Car Works. ($5.50-30; $5.50 on eBay 19 June 2005; $1.25 on eBay 19 June 2005 [to us!])

Todd, Stanley W. Romance of Railway Express. New York: Railway Express Agency, nd.

History of the development of a convenient and dependable shipping system starting with one man carrying the package in a carpetbag to stagecoach, steamboat, railroads, and finally to airplanes. Illustrated by reproductions of oil paintings by Robert E. Lee. 16 pages. ($8-13)

Trostel, Scott D. The Barney & Smith Car Co.  Fletcher, OH: Cam-Tech Publishing, 1993.

History of the Barney & Smith Car Company, including a business history and details of the production which included timber sawing, milling, assembly shops, iron and brass foundries. Illustrated by photographs, graphs, rosters, engineering drawings. 232 pages. ($56-85)

Turner, W.V., and S.W. Dudley. Development in Air Brakes for Railroads. Pittsburgh, PA: Westinghouse Air Brake Company, 1909.

White/Freightcars calls this “A learned, clear account written by [then] top experts in the field. The fine narrative is illustrated by numerous tables, drawings, and halftones.” ($ - )

Twohy, John Roger. Ten Spikes to the Rail; Twohy Brothers - Early Day Northwestern Railroad Builders. Jenner, CA: Goat Rock Publications, 1983.

One of the two companies that became Pacific Car & Foundry. A fascinating little book that records in detail the lives and works of an immigrant family that founded and built a powerful contracting business specializing in railroad construction in the Pacific Northwest. Besides business and family lore, it contains excellent discussion of national political and economic conditions of the U.S. from about 1850 to 1950. (Appears to have been done both in paper and in cloth. $7-32)

Voss, William.  Railway Car Construction: A work describing in detail and illustrating with scale drawings the different varieties of American cars as now [1892] built.  New York, NY: R.M. Van Arsdale, 1892; Reprint, Perris, CA: Orange Empire Railway Museum, 1999.

The definitive work on American car building practice circa 1892. Covering both freight and passenger car construction with more than 200 illustrations. 177 pages illustrated with dimensional diagrams and folded plates, plus 30 pages of advertisements. (Original $1,000+, if you can find it! Print-on-demand $80-90. Orange Empire reprint [does not have the advertisements] $24.95 + tax [California residents only] + $5.50 s/h from the Orange Empire gift shop [as of 27 December 2005])

Selected material from this edition is reproduced in the following volumes of the Train Shed Cyclopedia:

Vol. 29 — Freight Cars,1892 by William Voss
Vol. 39 — Freight Cars,1892 by William Voss (Part 2)

Wagner, Richard and Birdella Wagner. Curved-Side Cars; Built By Cincinnati Car Company. Cincinnati, OH: Wagner Car Co., 1965.

Railway cars of distinctive lightweight design built in the 1920's By the Cincinnati Car Company became so ubiquitous they were popularly known as “Rubber Stamp Trolleys.” 120 pp, spiral bound with plastic covers. Numerous b/w photos, diagrams & reference information. ($18-35; $8 on eBay 28 August 2003)

White, John H. Jr., “Chicago Locomotive Builders,” Railway and Locomotive Historical Society Bulletin No. 122, April 1970, pp. 52-60.

While author White is interested in the Chicago Car & Locomotive Works primarily as a locomotive builder, it did build some railway cars.

White, John H. Jr.  The American Railroad Freight Car from the Wood Car Era to the Coming of Steel.  Baltimore, MA: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1993.

Everything you ever wanted to know about freight cars, and moreso. Lots of drawings, a few photographs. (HB $40-200, $753(mint); Paper, $25-35 used, 1995 reprint $31.47 new at Amazon.Com [12 Dec 2005]).

White, John H. Jr.  The American Railroad Passenger Car.  Baltimore, MA: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1978.

More than 800 black and white illustrations, engravings and line drawings. Includes 75 biographical sketches of car builders and designers, tables and bibliography. Detailed plans, diagrams, technical descriptions of railway coaches, diners, parlors, sleepers, baggage cars, etc. (1978 HC, $65-165; 1985 reprint softbound in two volumes. New: $51.68 Part I, $40.00 Part II at Amazon.Com [12 Dec 2005]).

White, John H. Jr. The Great Yellow Fleet: a History of American Railroad Refrigerator Cars. San Marino, CA: Golden West Books, 1986.

A photographic and written history of the railroad refrigerator car from its inception in the 1840s. The text contains more than 200 illustrations, drawings, 4 railroad plans, maps and advertising reproductions, bibliography and index. 186 - 8½" x 11" pages ($140-250).

Prices Realized On eBay

2006 Feb 2

 $41.00 4 bids Condition described as “used,” but actually
fine; we know, we were the auction winner.
2006 Feb 4 $50.00 1 bid  
2006 Apr 23 $41.09 6 bids Looked to be in good to fine condition
2006 May 9 $14.56 15 bids Pages warped from moisture. Are "readable" per seller. Some bleed of ink near cover pages.
2006 May 25 $34.80 6 bids "Like new" condition.

White, John H. Jr.  Horsecars, Cable Cars and Omnibuses. New York, NY: Dover Publications, Inc., 1974.

In July of 1888 the John Stephenson Company sent a 12 x 21 inch leather-bound album containing 107 builders photographs to the Smithsonian Institution. This book reproduces those photographs and adds a very complete history of that firm with photographs, together with contemporary advertisements. ($5-10; New $11.95 at Amazon.Com [12 Dec 2005]).)

White, John H. Jr. “Railroad Car Builders of the United States.” Railroad History No. 138. (Spring 1978).

This is the official publication of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society, Inc., of which White was the Editor. (Copies generally can be had on eBay for $5-10)

White, John H. Jr.  A Short History of American Locomotive Builders in the Steam Era. Self-published, 1982.

White describes the American locomotive industry as a whole during this period, then presents brief histories of the individual firms, many of whom also built cars and/or self-propelled vehicles. 132 illustrations, including photos, advertisements and plant layout diagrams. 104 pages with bibliography and index.

Wornom, Douglas C. Descriptive List of Cars of the Pullman Company-March, 1961 With Supplements to June 15, 1967. Chicago, IL Owen Davies, Bookseller 1970.

In the last hours of December, 1968, the Pullman Company went out of the railroad sleeping car business after more than 100 years of service to the traveling public. These car listings were issued by the Pullman Company in 1961 and supplements effective as of June, 1967. ($50-60)

Young, Andrew D. and Eugene F. Provenzo, Jr. The History of the St. Louis Car Company.  Berkeley, CA: Howell-North Books, 1978, 1981.

Definitive and lavishly illustrated history of the company written in a most readable fashion. Based on the archives of the company residing at Washington University in St. Louis, numerous interviews with company officials and descendants of company officials, and a wide variety of other sources, it would be almost impossible to say something about the company that isn’t to be found in this book. 302 - 9¾" x 12" pages with b/w illustrations, copious notes and an excellent index.

Young, Andrew D. St. Louis Car Company - A Photographic Album. Glendale, CA: Interurban Press, 1984.

A photographic record of the history of the St. Louis Car Company including streetcars, interurbans, buses and railcars. Illustrated throughout with b/w historical photographs and illustrations. 160 - 11¼" x 8¾" pages. ($32-95)

Videos, DVDs, Films, Etc.

Brill Cars - The J.G. Brill Company. West Chester, PA: Ben Rohrbeck Traction Publications, n.d. VHS Video #78.

Featuring the J.G. Brill Co. of Philadelphia and the cars they built. 55 minute color and b/w video includes cars from Brill subsidiaries American Car Company, G.C. Kuhlman Car Company and Wason Manufacturing Company. As of October 2005 was available online at Seashore Trolley Museum website. ($25-30)

New Orleans’ Streetcars. Tustin, CA: Valhalla Video Productions, n.d. Available on VHS or DVD.

Spend 90 minutes riding the 1923 Perley Thomas streetcars of New Orleans on the St. Charles line in this look at the current operations. Available from the publisher at $29.95, or from numerous other sources.

St. Louis Cars - St. Louis Car Company. West Chester, PA: Ben Rohrbeck Traction Publications, n.d.

Presumably video of the car company named; length unknown; presumably VHS. As of October 2005 was available online at Seashore Trolley Museum website. ($30)

The Birney Safety Car. West Chester, PA: Ben Rohrbeck Traction Publications, n.d.

Covers five Birney cars: Ft. Collins #21 at Ft. Collins, Colorado, Ft. Smith Light & Traction #224 at Ft. Smith (AR) Trolley Museum, Pacific Electric #322 at Old Pueblo Trolley System (Tucson, AZ), Conestoga Traction #236 at Manheim (PA) Historical Society, and Johnstown Traction #311 at Rockhill (PA) Trolley Museum. 52 minutes on VHS. ($30) As of October 2005 was available online at Seashore Trolley Museum website.
22 September 2007

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